Chris Beardsley

He played 25 times for Kidderminster, scoring 5 goals, but they were relegated to the Conference National after ranking in 23rd place in League Two.

He made his debut two days later as a 78th-minute substitute in a 2–1 home win over Rochdale.

Christopher Kellan Beardsley (born 28 February 1984) is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker.

He is currently a Caribbean based talent scout for FIFA.

Beardsley played youth football with Mickleover Sports and Derby County before starting his senior career with Mansfield Town.

He was born in Derby, Derbyshire and attended Allestree Woodlands School from 1995 to 2000 and The Manor Academy from 2000 to 2003.

Beardsley played junior football for Mickleover Sports and aged 11 joined the youth system of hometown club Derby County, where he stayed for five years.

He joined Mansfield Town's youth system on a three-year scholarship in June 2000 after leaving school.

He broke into the first team in December 2002, and spent a brief period on loan at Worksop Town in the 2003–04 season.

He missed the second year of his scholarship from a double stress fracture in his back, but within six months of returning to full training made his first-team debut aged 18 as a 57th-minute substitute in a 1–0 away defeat to Brentford on 28 December 2002.

Beardsley made five appearances in the 2002–03 season, after which Mansfield were relegated to the Third Division with a 23rd-place finish in the Second Division.

He signed a one-year professional contract with the club on 4 July 2003.

His first career goal came with a header in Mansfield's 2–0 away win over York City on 11 October 2003.

Beardsley made 17 appearances and scored once for Mansfield during the 2003–04 season, in which they finished in fifth place in the Third Division.

He left Mansfield in June 2004 and joined Doncaster Rovers a month later.

He failed to make an impact, and signed for Kidderminster Harriers in December 2004.

In January 2004, Beardsley was sent on a one-month loan to Northern Premier League Premier Division club Worksop Town, who had tried to sign him at the start of the 2003–04 season.

He made his debut in Worksop's 4–1 home win against Radcliffe Borough on 17 January 2004, in which he was substituted on 80 minutes.

In the following match, Beardsley scored the only goal of a 1–0 home win against Blyth Spartans on 7 February 2004 with a volley.

His fourth and final appearance for Worksop came in a 1–1 home draw with Whitby Town, playing 76 minutes before being substituted.

He was released by the club in June 2004.

Beardsley joined newly promoted League One club Doncaster Rovers on 19 July 2004 after a successful trial.

He debuted in their 4–3 away loss to Brentford on 10 August 2004, which he entered as a 79th-minute substitute.

Having struggled to establish himself at Doncaster, Beardsley moved to Kidderminster Harriers of League Two on 9 December 2004 on a contract until the end of the 2004–05 season.

He rejoined Mansfield in July 2005, but did not play regularly in his one-and-a-half-year stay, and was loaned out to Conference National club Rushden & Diamonds in January 2007.

He signed for the club permanently later that month, but struggled for appearances after a change in management.

Beardsley scored his first goal for Kidderminster with a close-range finish in their 3–1 home defeat to Southend United on 3 January 2005.

He was offered a new one-year contract with the club in May 2005.

Beardsley's former club Mansfield spoke to him about re-signing for them in May 2005, although Kidderminster demanded a £5,000 fee for him, half of which would go his former club Doncaster.

Beardsley joined York City in June 2007, but suffered a broken jaw in a match against Grays Athletic, and failed to establish himself in the team.

He joined Kettering Town in December 2007, initially on loan, and helped the club win promotion to the Conference Premier during the 2007–08 season.

He rejoined Kidderminster on loan in November 2008, making a handful of appearances before being released by Kettering in May 2009.

He signed for Stevenage Borough later that month, and helped them earn promotion to League Two in the 2009–10 season.

Beardsley was part of the team that earned promotion to League One after winning the 2010–11 League Two play-offs.

He left Stevenage when his contract expired in June 2012, and signed for Preston North End two months later.

He struggled for appearances after a change in management, and spent most of the 2013–14 season on loan with Bristol Rovers.

Beardsley returned to Stevenage in July 2014, and helped them to the 2014–15 League Two play-offs.

His only goal for Doncaster came after being assisted by Ben Jackson in the 77th minute of a 1–0 away win over Lincoln City in the Football League Trophy on 28 September 2014.

After being released in May 2015, he started a third spell with Mansfield a month later, where he stayed for one season before his release in May 2016.

He joined club Burton Albion as a fitness coach in July 2016, and took charge for one match as caretaker manager in January 2021.