*Indicates unconfirmed information. Figures in brackets after English team names indicate all appearances made and goals scored in competitive matches for Football League clubs from 1888 onwards. For Scottish League clubs the figures show details of all competitive appearances and goals scored from 1946/47 onwards.
Dean Beckwith
Appearances: 5 Goals: 0
Date / Year of birth: 18th September 1983
Position: Centre-back
Season of first appearance: 2004/05
Season of last appearance: 2004/05
Also played for: Gillingham (0+2,0), Tonbridge Angels, Dagenham & Redbridge, Hereford United (111+4,3), Northampton Town (80+4,3), Luton Town and Eastleigh
6' 3" tall defender born in Southwark, London who started his career with Gillingham. Dean progressed through the Gills' youth ranks and during the 2002/03 season he had a loan spell with Tonbridge where he made seven appearances without scoring.
In July 2003 Dean signed professional forms for Gillingham and at the start of October 2003 he was loaned out to Conference club Dagenham & Redbridge.
He scored once in five outings for the Daggers and featured in a 4-0 home win over Margate on 7.10.03.
Dean became captain of Gillingham's reserves for the start of the 2004/05 campaign and in September 2004 he joined Margate on a month's loan.
He made his debut at centre-back in a 1-0 defeat against Weymouth at Margate's adopted home in Ashford on 11.9.04 and the Thanet Times said Dean's performance was "one cause for Margate optimism". Assistant manager Kevin Raine told the paper "It's good for everybody concerned. We're glad to have him for the month, and maybe he'll stay a little bit longer." Dean also started Margate's next two Conference South games in the number five shirt but after a 4-2 win at Maidenhead on 18.9.04 injury forced him to miss a match.
Dean returned to the side for a trip to Redbridge on 25.9.04 but the Thanet Times said "just two minutes into the game Beckwith must have been wishing he had given it a miss" when he was robbed after dwelling on the ball just outside the penalty area and Redbridge scored. Dean later handballed to give the hosts a penalty which resulted in their second goal and Margate ended up losing the game 2-1. He sat out the next match - an FA Cup tie which Gillingham didn't want him to take part in - and Dean then lined up at right wing-back in a 1-1 draw with Newport at Ashford on 9.10.04. It was his last outing for Margate and he returned to Gillingham having played five times in all.
Shortly after returning to Priestfield Dean was sent off in consecutive reserve team matches and in one of them - a 2-1 win over Brighton reserves - the Gills' future Margate player Akwasi Edusei was also dismissed. On 8.1.05 Dean made his first team debut for Gillingham when he took to the field as an 89th minute substitute in a 1-0 defeat at Portsmouth in the FA Cup. Coincidentally future Margate player Matt Bodkin made his first appearance for the Gills that day whilst Barry Ashby and Paul Smith who were both later involved at Margate were also in the side. Dean made one further sub appearance for the Gills - coming on after 83 minutes of a 3-1 win at Rotherham in the Championship on 5.3.05 - before being released by the club in June 2005.
He joined Conference outfit Hereford ahead of the 2005/06 campaign and in his first season with the club Dean helped the Bulls to win promotion to the Football League via the play-offs. A crowd of over 15,000 saw Hereford beat Halifax 3-2 in the final at Leicester's Walkers Stadium.
Dean went on to make over 100 appearances for the Bulls after they entered the Football League and Hereford were promoted to League One for the 2008/09 campaign. He'd spent four years with the club when he signed for League Two side Northampton in June 2009.
Dean made 84 first team appearances (four as sub) for the Cobblers during the 2009/10 and 2010/11 seasons before being released by the club.
In June 2011 he signed for Conference outfit Luton and then in January 2013 Dean joined Eastleigh.
The Conference South club's manager Richard Hill told Eastleigh's website "I have been chasing Dean's signature for around two months now and am delighted he has agreed to join us and in doing so, has turned down a number of approaches from well established Conference National teams. I am certain Dean will get a fantastic reception and become a firm fans favorite. Signing players of Dean's calibre will be very important if the club is to achieve its short, medium and long term goals."
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
CC |
KSC |
| |
|
2004/05 (MFC) |
5 (51) |
0 |
0 |
CONFERENCE SOUTH (21ST OF 22) |
3QR |
1R |
4R |
W |
|
|
Margate relegated to Isthmian
League Premier Division. | |||||||||