Joey Beauchamp

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Joey Beauchamp

| image = Joey Beauchamp.png

| upright = 0.7

| fullname = Joseph Daniel Beauchamp

| birth_date = 13 March 1971

| death_date = {{death date and age|2022|2|19|1971|3|13|df=y}}

| birth_place = Oxford, England

| death_place = Kidlington, England

| height = 5 ft 10 in{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/rothmansfootball0000unse_y6y3/ |title=Rothmans Football Yearbook: 1999–2000 |date=1999 |publisher=Headline Publishing |isbn=978-0-7472-2166-1 |editor-last=Rollin |editor-first=Glenda |location=London |pages=493 |editor-last2=Rollin |editor-first2=Jack}}

| position = Midfielder

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Summertown Stars

| youthyears2 =

| youthclubs2 = Oxford United

| years1 = 1989–1994

| clubs1 = Oxford United

| caps1 = 124

| goals1 = 20

| years2 = 1991

| clubs2 = → Swansea City (loan)

| caps2 = 5

| goals2 = 2

| years3 = 1994

| clubs3 = West Ham United

| caps3 = 0

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 1994–1995

| clubs4 = Swindon Town

| caps4 = 45

| goals4 = 3

| years5 = 1995–2002

| clubs5 = Oxford United

| caps5 = 238

| goals5 = 43

| years6 = 2004

| clubs6 = Abingdon Town

| caps6 =

| goals6 =

| years7 = 2004–2005

| clubs7 = Didcot Town

| caps7 = 9

| goals7 = 1

| years8 = 2005–2007

| clubs8 = Abingdon Town

| caps8 = 8

| goals8 = 1

| totalcaps =

| totalgoals =

}}

Joseph Daniel Beauchamp ({{IPAc-en|'|b|iː|tʃ|əm}} {{Respell|BEE|chəm}}, 13 March 1971 – 19 February 2022) was an English professional footballer who played as a left midfielder. He played for most of his career at Oxford United but also had spells with West Ham United and Swindon Town as well as a short loan spell at Swansea City before moving into the lower leagues.

Playing career

=Oxford United=

Beauchamp was born in Oxford{{cite news |url=http://www.oxfordtimes.co.uk/sport/oxfordunited/clubhistory/pastplayers/ |title=Past Players |first=Andy |last=Howland |newspaper=Oxford Times |accessdate=23 July 2018}} and played for Summertown Stars boys team. He began his career with Oxford United as a youth-team player,{{cite web |url=https://www.oufc.co.uk/teams/dream-team/midfielder/joey-beauchamp/ |title=Joey Beauchamp |publisher=Oxford United F.C. |date= |accessdate=23 July 2018 |archive-date=15 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210115234027/https://www.oufc.co.uk/teams/dream-team/midfielder/joey-beauchamp/ |url-status=dead }} living with his parents and two brothers in North Oxford. Beauchamp made 124 appearances for the club in his first spell in the yellow shirt,{{cite web |url=https://thisisfutbol.com/2015/04/blogs/where-are-they-now-five-west-ham-prodigies-who-flopped-spectacularly/attachment/joey-beauchamp/ |title=Joey Beauchamp |work=thisisfutbol.com |first=Christy |last=Malyan |date=20 April 2015 |accessdate=23 July 2018 |archive-date=23 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180723122621/https://thisisfutbol.com/2015/04/blogs/where-are-they-now-five-west-ham-prodigies-who-flopped-spectacularly/attachment/joey-beauchamp/ |url-status=dead }} during which time he also made five appearances on loan at Swansea City.{{soccerbase|534|Joey Beauchamp}}

=West Ham United=

Beauchamp was sold to Premier League side West Ham United in June 1994 for a fee of £1 million. He failed to settle and never played a competitive game for the Hammers, finding commuting from Oxford onerous and being unwilling to move to London.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/60449238|title=Joey Beauchamp: Former Oxford United, West Ham & Swindon winger dies, aged 50 |date=19 February 2022 |work=BBC Sport |access-date=19 February 2022}}{{cite news |url=http://www.heraldseries.co.uk/sport/oxfordunited/unitednews/8220434.I_was_sold_to_save_United_says_Beauchamp/ |title=I was sold to save United says Beauchamp |first=Mark |last=Edwards |newspaper=Oxford Mail |date=16 June 2010 |accessdate=2 October 2013}} West Ham's manager at the time, Harry Redknapp, blamed the signing of Beauchamp for the departure of previous manager Billy Bonds. At the time, Bonds referred to Beauchamp as a wimp and Redknapp said he saw Beauchamp crying in his car on his first day of training.{{Cite news|url=https://oxfordshireguardian.co.uk/oxford-united-legend-joey-beauchamp-dies-aged-50/|title=Oxford United Legend Joey Beauchamp Dies Aged 50 |date=20 February 2022 |work=Oxfordshire Guardian}} In his autobiography, Redknapp wrote: "Beauchamp turned up late, made no effort on the pitch and it was the final straw for Bill." Beauchamp said that he did not want the transfer but felt pressured by Oxford United as the club needed the money for wages and to prevent them from being in financial trouble.{{Cite news|url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/11815118/joey-beauchamp-interview-oxford-united-hero-on-infamous-58-day-spell-at-west-ham|title=Joey Beauchamp interview: Oxford United hero on infamous 58-day spell at West Ham|date=25 September 2019|work=Sky Sports}}

Two months later Beauchamp was signed by Swindon Town manager John Gorman for a club-record combined fee of £850,000, which included defender Adrian Whitbread going in the opposite direction. Whitbread was valued at £750,000 in the deal.{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-coventry-ask-babb-bidders-to-raise-offers-liverpool-made-to-wait-1377205.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220609/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-coventry-ask-babb-bidders-to-raise-offers-liverpool-made-to-wait-1377205.html |archive-date=9 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Coventry ask Babb bidders to raise offers Liverpool made to wait |first=Phil |last=Shaw |newspaper=The Independent |date=18 August 1994 |accessdate=2 October 2013}} Harry Redknapp described Beauchamp's departure as "it was like a black cloud had been lifted".{{cite book | last=Crace | first=J. | title=Harry's Games: Inside the Mind of Harry Redknapp | publisher=Little, Brown Book Group | year=2013 | isbn=978-1-78033-912-2 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dXeeBAAAQBAJ&pg=PT59 | access-date=24 February 2022 | page=59}}

=Swindon Town=

Beauchamp made his Swindon debut as a substitute in the second First Division game of 1994–95 and played more than 50 times in his first season. At the end of the season Swindon were relegated for the second season in succession.{{cite web |url=https://www.fchd.info/SWINDONT.HTM |title=Swindon Town |website=Football Club History Database |access-date=23 February 2022}} Manager Gorman had been replaced by Steve McMahon and Beauchamp fell out of favour,{{cite news |url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/sport/8222650.begged-swindon-sell-us-says-beauchamp/ |title="I begged Swindon to sell me to U's" says Beauchamp |first=Mark |last=Edwards |date=16 June 2010 |newspaper=Oxford Mail |access-date=19 February 2022}} playing only four times (three as a substitute, one against Oxford) in the 1995–96 season before being sold back to his home-town club. In his fifteen-month stay with the Robins he made 60 appearances, scoring 4 goals in total.{{cite web |url=http://www.swindon-town-fc.co.uk/Person.asp?PersonID=BEAUCHAJ |title=Joey Beauchamp |website=swindon-town-fc.co.uk |access-date=24 February 2022}}

=Back to Oxford=

Beauchamp returned to Oxford in the autumn of 1995. The deal was described as being "worth £300,000"{{cite web|url=http://www.swindon-town-fc.co.uk/Person.asp?PersonID=BEAUCHAJ|title=Player Profile: Joey Beauchamp |publisher=Swindon-Town-FC.co.uk|date= |accessdate=8 October 2010}} to the club, though Swindon only received £75,000 (the rest was the saving of his wages for the remainder of his contract). Beauchamp scored against Swindon in Oxford's 3–0 victory the following March. In September 1999 he scored the goal which knocked Premier League side Everton out of the 1999–2000 Football League Cup 2–1 on aggregate.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/football/454971.stm |title=Sport: Football Everton slain by Oxford |publisher=BBC Sport |date=23 September 1999 |accessdate=24 October 2016}}

He made a further 238 appearances in the yellow and blue, making him one of the club's longest-serving players. His goal against Blackpool in March 1996 was voted the greatest Oxford United goal by fans in 1999;{{cite news|url=http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/archive/1999/11/19/6634636.Joey_hits_U_s__greatest__goal/?ref=arc |title=Joey hits U's 'greatest' goal |newspaper=Oxford Mail |date=19 November 1999 |accessdate=2 October 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004220336/http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/archive/1999/11/19/6634636.Joey_hits_U_s__greatest__goal/?ref=arc |archivedate= 4 October 2013 }} he was also voted United's player of the 1990s.

=Professional retirement=

His professional career came to an end when he sustained several recurring injuries in 2002 that forced him to retire. He scored in his final game for the club, a 2–1 loss to Exeter City.{{Soccerbase season|534|2001|name=Joey Beauchamp|access-date=2 February 2014}}{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/1834211.stm |title=Oxford 1–2 Exeter |work=BBC Sport |date=23 February 2002 |accessdate=2 February 2014}}

He then joined local part-timers Abingdon Town in 2004, where he played alongside his brother, Luke. In December 2004, Beauchamp signed for Didcot Town,{{Cite web |title=Player's Appearances: Joey Beauchamp 2004–05 season |url=https://football.mitoo.co.uk/PlayersHistory2.cfm?PI=60733&LeagueCode=HLNC2004 |access-date=2024-02-28 |website=football.mitoo.co.uk}} before returning to Abingdon in July 2005.{{cite news |url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/6641637.football-joey-back-abingdon/ |title=Football: Joey back at Abingdon |newspaper=Oxford Mail |date=25 July 2005|accessdate=20 February 2022}}{{Cite web |title=Player's Appearances: Joey Beauchamp 2005–06 season |url=https://football.mitoo.co.uk/PlayersHistory2.cfm?PI=45584&LeagueCode=HLNC2005 |access-date=2024-02-28 |website=football.mitoo.co.uk}}{{Cite web |title=Player's Appearances: Joseph D Beachamp 2006–07 season |url=https://football.mitoo.co.uk/PlayersHistory2.cfm?PI=167022&LeagueCode=HLNC2006 |access-date=2024-02-28 |website=football.mitoo.co.uk}} Following his second spell at Abingdon, Beauchamp joined Oxford Sunday League side Oxford Yellows in November 2006.{{cite news |url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/sport/1036088.football-joeys-dream-debut/ |title=FOOTBALL: Joey's dream debut |newspaper=Oxford Mail |date=23 November 2006|accessdate=20 February 2022}} He later played for Bletchingdon Reserves in the Oxford Sunday League.{{cite news |url=http://www.bicesteradvertiser.net/sport/10032504.FOOTBALL__Keeble_s_in_double_joy/ |title=Keeble's in double joy |newspaper=Bicester Advertiser |date=8 November 2012 |accessdate=2 October 2013}}

=After football=

After his football career ended, Beauchamp became a professional gambler before finding work as a bookmaker. He battled with alcoholism and was convicted of drink-driving in 2009.{{Cite news|title=Ex-U's star Beauchamp admits drink-driving|url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/4557881.ex-us-star-beauchamp-admits-drink-driving/|date=21 August 2009|access-date=23 February 2022|work=Oxford Mail|language=en}} He had depression for which he sought help from the charity Sporting Chance. In 2010, Beauchamp said that his battle with drink and depression had made him consider suicide.{{Cite news|url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/8218514.joey-beauchamp-fight-booze-blues/|title=Joey Beauchamp: My fight against booze and blues|date=15 June 2010|work=Oxford Mail}} He was sectioned in 2020 after a suicide attempt.

Death

Beauchamp died on 19 February 2022, at the age of 50.{{Cite news |url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/sport/19937822.oxford-united-legend-joey-beauchamp-dies-aged-50/|title=Oxford United legend Joey Beauchamp dies aged 50 |newspaper=Oxford Mail |date=19 February 2022 |first=Liam |last=Rice |access-date=19 February 2022}} At the time of his death, he was tenth and fifth respectively in Oxford United's all-time lists having made 428 appearances and scored 80 goals for the club.{{Cite news|url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/18939/12546669/joey-beauchamp-former-oxford-united-winger-dies-at-age-of-50|title=Joey Beauchamp: Former Oxford United winger dies at age of 50|date=19 February 2022|work=Sky Sports}} The cause of death was suicide by hanging.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-60605936|title=Joey Beauchamp: Oxford United legend found was dead at home - inquest|date=3 March 2022|work=BBC News}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-61479291|title=Joey Beauchamp: Oxford United legend took his own life, coroner concludes|work=BBC News |date=17 May 2022}} In July 2022, following his death, a bar at Oxford Stadium was named after him.{{Cite news |date=15 July 2022 |title=Oxford Stadium opens bar in footballer Joey Beauchamp's name |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-62178734}}