Luke Beckett

Football player infobox
playername = Luke Beckett


fullname = Luke John Beckett
nickname =
height = height|ft=5|in=11
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1976|11|25|df=y
cityofbirth = Sheffield
countryofbirth = England
currentclub = Huddersfield Town
clubnumber = 19
position = Striker
youthyears = 1991–1998
youthclubs = Barnsley
years = 1998–2000
2000–2002
2002–2004
2004–2006
2005
2005
2005–2006
2006–
clubs = Chester City
Chesterfield
Stockport County
Sheffield United
→ Huddersfield Town (loan)
→ Oldham Athletic (loan)
→ Oldham Athletic (loan)
Huddersfield Town
caps(goals) = 74 (25)
62 (22)
84 (45)
05 0(0)
07 0(6)
09 0(6)
34 (18)
78 (23)
nationalyears =
nationalteam =
nationalcaps(goals) =
pcupdate = August 9, 2008
ntupdate =

Luke John Beckett (born November 25, 1976 in Sheffield, England) is an English footballer who plays for Huddersfield Town in League One.

Career

Beckett made his name as a prolific striker since making his Football League début for Chester City in a 2–0 defeat by Leyton Orient in August 1998. He had been signed on a free transfer from Barnsley and was to be a big hit in his two years with Chester, winning the club's player of the season award in 1999–2000. Unfortunately this season saw Chester relegated from the Football League and Beckett moved to Chesterfield.

Port Vale must have dreaded the League Cup first round coming around between 1998 and 2001 due to Beckett. In 1998–99 he scored twice as Chester completed a surprise 4–3 aggregate win in the first round, before bagging three the next year as Chester won 6–5 over the two legs. Almost inevitably Chesterfield were paired with Vale after Beckett joined them in 2000–01 and he duly scored twice as Chesterfield narrowly won 4–3 on aggregate. History looked like repeating itself in 2001–02 as Vale and Chesterfield were paired together yet again, but Beckett missed Vale's 2–1 win in a one-off tie as they finally escaped his curse.

Despite the Spireites suffering a points deduction for off-field matters, Beckett helped them win promotion from Division Three in 2000–01 and he would go on to be similarly prolific for Stockport County. This prompted a move to Sheffield United in November 2004 for £50,000.

However, he never scored for the Blades and spent most of the his two seasons as a United player out on loan at Oldham Athletic. £20,000 of his loan fee to Oldham was subsidised by Trust Oldham. He was also on loan at Huddersfield Town where his six goals in seven appearances in 2005 persuaded Terriers manager Peter Jackson to sign Beckett on 3 July 2006, for £85,000, on a three-year deal. [http://ichuddersfield.icnetwork.co.uk/0400huddersfieldtown/0100news/tm_objectid=17325864&method=full&siteid=50060&headline=-i-ll-fire-us-up---name_page.html]

On 5 January, 2008, Beckett scored the opening goal in a 2–1 defeat of Premier League side Birmingham City in the FA Cup third round. He scored in the following round as Huddersfield defeated Oldham Athletic 1–0. He was believed to be close to signing for League Two side Bradford City in May, and was later ready to sign for York City in the Conference National, but could not reach an agreement over the remainder of his contract with Huddersfield.cite news
title = Beckett set for move to Bradford
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/bradford_city/7387932.stm
publisher = BBC Sport
date = 2008-05-07
accessdate = 2008-06-03] cite news
first = Dave
last = Flett
title = Beckett blow for Minstermen chief
url = http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/sport/yorkcityfc/news/display.var.2314634.0.beckett_blow_for_minstermen_chief.php
publisher = The Press
date = 2008-06-03
accessdate = 2008-06-03]

Personal life

A boyhood Manchester City fan, Beckett is married to Tracy and has three daughters, including twins.

Notes

External links

*soccerbase|9511|Luke Beckett
* [http://www.htafc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Squad/FirstTeamDetail/0,,10312~10187,00.html Profile]