Ex Player #11 Joey Beauchamp RIP

werthersoriginal said:
I recall swashbuckling wins over QOR,Sunderland, Wolves and Sheffield Utd in 1996 or 7, inspired by Joey. Really the most exciting player I ever saw in yellow.

I’ve just looked up his debut, it was that 0/0 vs Hull where Alan Judge went off injured. In front of 4000 in div 2! Shortly after that I took a Canadian girl from work to see a dull 0/0 vs Newcastle, a match enlivened only by the young lad on the wing.
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That Wolves game - on a Sunday on Sky if memory serves - is the Joey game I always come back to in my mind when thinking about him. Completely unplayable.
 
UTM said:
My memory is not what it was.
I think I am right in saying the 4.1 win v QPR when he took the ball from the half way line passed 3 to 4 players and scored with a great finish .
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There was a 3-0 vs QPR live on Sky on a Friday night I believe where he was more or less unplayable. Though I still maintain the lob over the keeper was a cross. In any case, different class that night.
 
R.I.P Joey, one of the best players to ever pull on the yellow shirt.
Used to love him terrorising defenders with pure skill.
Thoughts go out to his family and friends
 
Berliner said:
There was a 3-0 vs QPR live on Sky on a Friday night I believe where he was more or less unplayable. Though I still maintain the lob over the keeper was a cross. In any case, different class that night.
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Yes l recall this game .
But this game was a Saturday afternoon game . And QPR played in their white and blue hoops . Can still see Joey picking up the ball from the half line and knocking the ball in the far right of the goal . But l may have got the team wrong who we was against.
 
werthersoriginal said:
I recall swashbuckling wins over QOR,Sunderland, Wolves and Sheffield Utd in 1996 or 7, inspired by Joey. Really the most exciting player I ever saw in yellow.
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I also remember his quality in the bleaker times and in the games when we got beaten or were otherwise hopeless. A few games into the hellish 00/01 relegation season we went to Walsall in midweek - they were top of the early table and got promoted come May if memory serves - and although we lost 3-2 Joey singlehandedly almost got us a result. He opened the scoring after three minutes, then after Walsall equalised he added a second to make it 2-1 at half time, before they got a second equaliser after about an hour and eventually a winner late on. He was superb that night. That squad was utter, utter garbage as we know and Joey was beginning to suffer badly from the injury that would force him into retirement a year or two later, but he was simply a class above anybody on either side, despite the fact that his toe was effectively breaking every time he played.

Those games are an even bigger mark of the man in many ways. Even when things were going badly and there wasn’t much if anything to cheer, and even when there was no glamour to be found in the occasion or opposition, he still believed that he could make something happen and had a deep desire to give people something to remember. For a man who was viewed as a bit of a wimp and a softie by some, he couldn’t half dig in even when those around him couldn’t be arsed.
 
Steve Gilbert said:
OxVox have asked fans to sing his song on the 11th minute of every game for the remainder of the season.

I actually think we should retire the number 11 shirt in his honour.
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We need a fitting tribute for sure but I don’t think retiring shirt numbers is the way. Where do you start and where do you stop ? John Shuker ? Roy Burton ? Ron Atkinson ? Record scorer Graham Atkinson, James Constable, at least six members of the Milk Cup team who were arguably the greatest ever players in their position ? Give it a few years and we’d be starting at number 30 or 40. It’s always emotive but very difficult to gauge those most deserving of accolades like statues or stadium recognition.

Whatever happens, Joey Beauchamp was a fabulous and much revered footballer for Oxford and fully deserves anything that comes his way posthumously. Perhaps his obvious affection for the city itself should carry more weight than those just passing through on a career path, I’m sure the powers that be will honour him accordingly.

RIP to an OUFC great and thanks for the memories.
 
If not a statue a big mural on the outside of one of the stands of that Blackpool photo.
 
I'm not a fan of having shirts retired as I believe that the shirt always belongs to the club. However, I have no doubt that Joey will be at the very top of the list of those who will be honoured within the new stadium, and rightly so.
 
I did not expect to wake up to this this morning. Lost for words and devastated. When I was in my early 20's, Joey was just one of the greatest and a huge part of our success. What a team we had back then, second only to the greats of the 80's. The forward line of Allen, Beauchamp, Moody and Byrne just had guaranteed thrills and goals.

I could not believe the injustice at the time when he had scored something like 18 goals for the U's as a winger at an average side in the Championship (Div 1), which is remarkable. Hoddle named the England B side and was openly targeting 2nd tier players and went for Darren Eadie of Norwich, who's stats at the time were not even close. That was his moment to get the recognition he deserved and Hoddle took it from him.

It is just such a waste and I wish he did not feel he had no choice but to go down this road. He had/has so much love for him forever. There are tens of thousands deeply affected by this but it will hit his close family the hardest and unfortunately nothing any of us can say will ease the pain.

RIP Joey
 
mickbrownsconscience said:
Spot On. A tragic end to the fragile life of an inspirational player, so sad.
But statues and retired shirt numbers? Hard-hearted maybe, but he has to be way behind Tank, Burtie and maybe even Beano and Briggsy in terms of what we actually achieved while he was playing.
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In my time, then certainly Jim Smith or Trevor Hebberd, possibly Shotton. Briggs, Lanagn, maybe even Maurice Evans, John Aldridge, a cult hero like Billy Hamilton or latterly the likes of Matt Elliott could all legitimately lay claim to being at least on a par with Joey in terms of lasting recognition. Most of this lot got us a cup and into the top flight, so an achievement that is unlikely to be matched or surpassed any time soon. Joey is right up there but those of us over 40 are going to find it impossible to resist mentioning those from a truly golden era.
 
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