Sydney Beaumont

Sydney Beaumont (8 October 1884 – 1939) was an English professional footballer and football manager, runner and cricketer. He played at both half-back and left-wing during his football career and many trophies for middle-distance running.

Sydney Beaumont
Beaumont with his athletics trophies
Personal information
Date of birth (1884-10-08)8 October 1884
Place of birth Wrestlingworth, England
Date of death 1939 (aged 5455)
Position(s) Half Back / Left Winger
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Colchester Town
1904–1905 Lincoln City 5 (0)
–1909 Biggleswade & District
1909–1911 Watford 27 (1)
1911–1912 Preston North End 1 (0)
1912–1913 Merthyr Town
1913–? Troedyrhiw
? Llanelli
Teams managed
1920–1923 Barry Town
1923–1927 Aberdare Athletic
1927–1928 Blackpool
1928–? Bangor City
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Beaumont was born in Wrestlingworth, Bedfordshire, and began his career with Colchester Town. He moved on to Lincoln City, making his league debut in the 1904–05 season. However, he made just five league appearances for the Imps before joining Bedfordshire side Biggleswade & District.

He joined Watford in 1909, playing in the Southern League. He played 25 times for Watford before joining Preston North End in 1911,

Beaumont at Preston North End. Bottom row, third from right

but made just one league appearance before joining Merthyr Town in the 1912 close season. He also played for Merthy Town Cricket Club.

Beaumont at Merthyr Town Cricket Club

He spent just one season with Merthyr, making fifteen appearances, before joining Troedyrhiw in the summer of 1913. He later finished his playing career with Llanelli.

Beaumont at Llanelly FC

After steering Barry Town to their first ever league championship in 1921, the summer of 1923 saw Beaumont appointed as manager of Third Division South side Aberdare Athletic. Aberdare finished 9th in the 1925/26 season, but a combination of circumstances, including industrial action amongst the local mining community which affected attendances and the burning down of a wooden grandstand, meant that Aberdare's poor financial situation deteriorated. At the end of the 1926/27, Aberdare failed to gain re-election to the league and were replaced by Torquay United.

Beaumont left that summer, but was soon appointed as manager of Blackpool, another club with severe financial problems at that time. He took over from Frank Buckley and immediately began to dismantle the team and bring in big-money names. His outlook was different from that of his predecessor, and his overhaul of tactics resulted in problems. The team struggled, losing five of their first six league games (a draw at Swansea on the opening day being the exception to the rule). One tactic that did work, however, was his moving Billy Tremelling from centre-forward back to half-back, which resulted in a fruitful partnership with Jimmy Hampson (a player Beaumont had brought to the seaside).

Being a former Preston North End player hardly endeared Beaumont to the Blackpool faithful. As the Seasiders struggled in Division Two, criticism of Beaumont grew. Eventually, in May 1928, with the team in the bottom three, he resigned — at the time becoming the club's shortest-serving manager with 42 League games to his name.[1]

Two months later, he took over as secretary-manager of Bangor City.

He served as assistant trainer for Chester AFC during 1936-37

Beaumont died in 1939 at the age of 54 or 55 leaving his widow Elizabeth Beaumont and children, Elsie, Sylvia, Robert, Betty and Joan. His son Robert was a footballer and cricketer.

References

  1. Calley, Roy. Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887–1992, 1992. ISBN 1-873626-07-X
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