Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | William Alexander Beckett[1] | ||
Date of birth | 17 July 1951 | ||
Place of birth | Ballymoney, Northern Ireland | ||
Position(s) | Full back | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1971–1973 | Crusaders | ||
1973–1975 | Drogheda United | ||
1975–1979 | Coleraine | ||
1979 | Crusaders | ||
1979–1981 | Coleraine | ||
Managerial career | |||
2000–2004 | Ballymoney United | ||
2004–2005 | Cliftonville | ||
2005–2008 | Institute | ||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Liam Beckett MBE (born 17 July 1951) is a Northern Irish former football manager and player, who now works as a pundit and radio broadcaster.[2]
Starting his career after a five-year plumbing apprenticeship, Beckett won an Irish League title and Carlsberg Cup with Crusaders, before transferring to Drogheda United in December 1973. In 1975 he moved to Coleraine, before re-joining Crusaders in October 1979. However, he only remained at the club for nine days, returning to Coleraine after buying licensed premises in his hometown of Ballymoney.[3] His playing career ended with Coleraine in 1981.
Beckett coached at Carrick Rangers in the early 1990s, before managing hometown club Ballymoney United. He later managed Cliftonville and Institute.[4]
Since leaving management behind, Beckett has frequently worked as a sports broadcaster on BBC Radio Ulster for Northern Irish football and motorcycle racing, particularly road racing. However, since July 2018, he has focused solely on football due to a spate of accidents in road racing, particularly the death of William Dunlop, given his closeness to the Dunlop racing family. Beckett had also worked as a mechanic and served as mentor for William's father Robert Dunlop.[5]
In December 2017, Beckett was awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours list for his service to the Northern Irish voluntary sector and sport.[6]