Talented Irish left back Jim Beglin has the distinction of being Bob Paisley’s final signing. His career was cut short by a devastating injury but his performances in the mid eighties for Liverpool will never be forgotten.
Jim Beglin was born in July 1963 in County Waterford, Ireland. His senior football career began with the legendary Irish side Shamrock Rovers in 1980. In his final season at Shamrock Rovers, 1982/83, Jim played in the same team as Paul Whelan, brother of Liverpool legend Ronnie.
In May 1983, Bob Paisley signed Jim for a fee of £20,000. This was to be Paisley’s final transfer as Liverpool manager as he was to retire at the end of the 1982/83 season. This was a season in which Liverpool won the League Cup and the First Division championship. New manager Joe Fagan put Jim straight into the reserve squad and spent the next eighteen months developing his abilities.
After several stints as an unused substitute, Jim finally made his first team debut in November 1984. This came in a 1-1 draw with Southampton in the league. At this time Alan Kennedy was well established at left back so Jim played on the left of midfield for his debut. He had to wait a few more months until near the end of the 1984/85 season to play in his favoured position. When Alan Kennedy got injured, Jim took his chance with aplomb and played regularly during the climax to the season. His first goal for Liverpool came in the European Cup semi final against Greek side Panathinaikos at Anfield. Jim scored the fourth goal in a 4-0 victory. He was then chosen in the starting line-up for the 1985 European Cup Final against Juventus. Unfortunately the subsequent disaster at the Heysel Stadium destroyed what should have been the proudest moment so far in his football career.
Joe Fagan stepped down as Liverpool manager at the end of the 1984/85 season to be replaced by Kenny Dalglish, who became the clubs first player manager. Alan Kennedy regained his place in the side at the start of the 1985/86 season but this lasted a mere few weeks. In September 1985, Kennedy was sold to Sunderland and Jim Beglin was handed a permanent place at left back. He went on to make fifty three appearances that season as Liverpool won their first League and FA Cup double.
One of Jim’s greatest, and most famous, performances for Liverpool came in the classic all Merseyside FA Cup Final against Everton in 1986. Jim’s performance in the second half was a major factor in Liverpool’s comeback from a goal down to eventually win the game 3-1. His interception from Everton’s Gary Stevens and subsequent pass to Jan Molby led to the equaliser from Ian Rush. However it was in a different type of situation that Jim is most remembered for. Early in the second half he got into a pushing and shouting match with goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar. There was confusion in the area over who had control of the ball which led to Bruce pushing Jim in the chest and looking furious giving a hand gesture. BBC commentator described the incident with; “Grobbelaar seems to be at sixes and sevens with Beglin”. However before it could get nasty they exchanged in a quick game of pass and all was resolved. Describing the incident years later, Jim said;
“I wish I had a quid for every time someone came up and reminded me about my little head to head with Brucie in the final. But again some people reckon that kind of started everybody into the fact that unless we pull it together, we’re not gonna come out with anything from this game. He called me ‘something’ stupid and I told him were to go and he hit me. I thought, I can’t really hit him back here, there’s a hundred thousand in the stadium and millions watching on telly, and we’re already behind. He was that type of excitable character so I thought, just get on with it, so I ran away and thankfully we won the game and made it up afterwards.”
Jim started the following season where he left off, in fine form, and his position in the side was never under any threat. He seemed to be improving with every game and looking like he would be major player for many years to come. However in January 1987 it would all go horribly wrong in a terrible accident on the pitch. Liverpool were drawn against Everton in the League Cup quarter final and it was set to be a classic game, especially as both rivals were going head to head for the First Division title for the third season in a row.
In one split second Jim’s Liverpool career was over just as he was on the threshold of a long stint as the Reds’ left back. He went into a fifty-fifty tackle with Everton’s Gary Stevens and came out of it with one of the most horrific broken legs ever seen in football.
Jim never played in the first team again. While his leg was mending his place was taken by Steve Nicol and then Gary Ablett came through the ranks. Steve Staunton also came into the side and by the time Jim had regained fitness he was down in the pecking order due to the form of Ablett and Staunton. Jim attempted a comeback with the reserves but ended up damaging the cartilage in his knee.
In June 1989 Jim moved to Leeds United to try and restart his playing career. He hardly made any appearances at Elland Road over the next two seasons and spent two brief loan spells at Plymouth Argyle and Blackburn Rovers. Unfortunately the terrible injuries he suffered at Liverpool had taken too much toll on Jim’s leg and in 1991 he was forced to retire at the young age of just twenty seven.
Fortunately for Jim he has been able to carve out a very successful career with the broadcast media. For many years he has worked as a main presenter and commentator for RTE in Ireland and for ITV. His voice can be heard on a regular basis commentating on Champions League games for ITV.
Despite only playing one full season for Liverpool, Jim Beglin is remembered very fondly by Reds’ fans. The left back position has often been a very difficult one to fill and it is a real tragedy that a player that could have been an all time great was cut down in his prime. Jim regularly appears in a prominent part on the official Liverpool DVD releases and his place in the Liverpool family is not in any doubt.
Liverpool FC | Supporters Club | Vancouver, BC, Canada
