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Town Topic: Memories of The Beat
Sunday, 16th Sep 2018 18:02

Kevin Beattie, widely viewed as the greatest player in the Town’s history, died earlier today aged 64, what are your memories of his career? Or do you have a tale of having met him at the club or around town? Add them to the Comments section below.


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muccletonjoe added 18:07 - Sep 16
I met him outside the Bobby Robson stand while he was on BBC radio suffolk. I went over to him and asked him if he had time for a photo. He was an absolute gentleman and not only did the photo which is a treasured procession, he spent 10 minutes talking to me about the game. A wonderful guy. Sadly missed.
3

itfctim added 18:14 - Sep 16
Was blessed to meet him on many occasions, notably when he was proud (not balshy) to take me and a few mates to the car park to show us his Mk2 Cortina, and also Sat next to him in the Gaumont watching the George Best and Rodney Marsh road show. They spotted him, and respected him. Kind of speaks volumes really. RIP my ITFC legend.x
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ITFC_Forever added 18:17 - Sep 16
I never had the privilege of seeing him play, his last game in the 1981 Semi was a year or two before I started going to games.

But in the early 00's, I was secretary of our Sunday league club in the LTL, and he was part of the committee from one of the other teams and I knew someone who knew him who was also at the League meetings.
He was a friendly guy, very down-to-earth and would talk to anyone - no airs or graces whatsoever. If you didn't know who he was and what he had done as a younger man, you'd have just thought he was just another guy.

More recently, I've seen him in the Fanzone, again, talking to anyone who would come up for a chat, including men 10+ years older than me who were proper star-struck and could barely get their words out.

RIP The Beat.
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RobITFC added 18:17 - Sep 16
I remember playing against him in the Ipswich Sunday league , playing for Belstead Arms as a centre forward. I could not believe I was playing against my favourite Town player and even though he was retired I recall going up for a header and his knees were by my head, he could still leap like a salmon. RIP Kev , the best player Ipswich ever has had and would have been an England legend too if it was not for the injuries.
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Clarktodd added 18:17 - Sep 16
I met him at a restaurant near Dedham, he was a gent he bought me a couple of drinks and let me ramble on about how much my grandad loved him as a player. The 30 odd mins we talked were magic and what a Gent..The Beat is dead long live the Beat
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carlisleaway added 18:18 - Sep 16
Kevin Beattie did not score tap ins, it was either a bullet header or a rocket of a shot from outside the 18 yard box. Had the privilege to watch him play in his debut at Old Trafford, watched him home and away and possibly the best being present at Wembley when he scored a great header to beat Scotland 5-1. The rocket of a shot when WBA were thrashed 7-0 at Portman Road and also when he came on a substitute in a EUFA cup game for the third goal.
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cfmoses added 18:23 - Sep 16
Voted for the Beat on numerous Club polls. I had the privilege of watching him at his very best. Despite the erroneous decisions of a certain Clive Thomas at Stamford Bridge I can still recall the placards of ‘Beattie Walks on Water' when a spotty Alan Taylor broke all our hearts in 75. I was at Villa Park for more pain in the Cup semi against Man City and looked to the skies when he was carried off injured...his last game for Town? As usual he was in confident mood yesterday on Radio Suffolk predicting a 3-1 win for the Blues at Hull. Delighted he got his UEFA Cup medal eventually. My eldest daughter Caroline aged 3 and dressed in a blue and white romper suit is on tape reciting the names of those great players but not quite right....Super Ooper, Mucky Mills and of course the greatest and so sadly missed....Kardu Beattie. Thanks Kevin for your many years of service to my beloved club.
6

Cheshire_Tractor added 18:28 - Sep 16
I was on the small coach of fans that went to see Fabian Wilnis' final game at Grays Athletic some years ago.

Just before the coach left Kevin drove past in his car, shouted something then parked up and joined us for the day, (no idea if he planned to or whether it was just on the fly).
He was so entertaining on the coach, at the match and afterwards in the bar. When I left the coach at the end of the day he gave me a big hug saying " see ya later, big fella".

To think Town's greatest ever player called me 'big fella' filled me with such pride.

He was an entertaining down-to-earth man and a true gent. RIP Kevin
4

BluJu added 18:35 - Sep 16
What a legend. My friend & I met The Beat on the train to Leeds, when we were both in the Prem (we won!). Sat in the seats in front of him, his phone went, an old school ring tone, theme to Dambusters which was answered with "Kevin Beattie'?".
My mate and I looked at each other then looked through the seats to see KB traveling alone.
We had a chat about him starting out on his punditry career. Could have been his first game in fact. He shared his Carling with us and suggested we shared a taxi to the ground!
We saw him on the train back, eagerly chatting to fans about Town - obviously knackered but had time for everyone.

What an absolute shame - he never seemed to get a break in life but always seemed as happy as anyone. He'll be missed.
3

Slambo added 18:56 - Sep 16
Jeez, I was sat next to the great man only yesterday in the BBC Radio Suffolk studio only yesterday. Sweet, funny, affable, absolutely loved this club. Stunned...
4

Westy added 18:59 - Sep 16
Sad news. He was in the team when I started watching Town and remember him scoring some great goals including almost breaking the net in a 7-0 win over West Brom.
4

grumpyoldman added 19:04 - Sep 16
He only scored once for England but what a goal, against Scotland who had a corner, the ball broke and some England nonentity ran down the wing and crossed and there was Beattie out jumping goalkeeper Alan Rough at the far post to head in after sprinting the entire length of the field. Legend, Hero, doesn't come close to describing what I think of that man. Tears rolling when I think of the loss of the greatest!
3

ChrisFelix added 19:05 - Sep 16
Hard to believe he played for England at full back & also at Town when Terry Butcher arriced. Also in his early days was ever present in one season not missing a game.
Such a sad day buto SO MANY happy memories
2

baxter7 added 19:05 - Sep 16
Spoke to him a few times in the seventies at my local labour club fantastic bloke as well a footballer r.i.p kevin
3

mikepc added 19:14 - Sep 16
Proud to have call him my friend , First saw him play when I was 7 and he was a youngster in the reserves . I still have his game worn shirt from that day. He became my footballing hero . TODAY I MORN A VERY GOOD MAN .
2

billlm added 19:21 - Sep 16
Saw him play many times always a 110%, also a few times at the Henley cross keys the life and soul,
2

brazil1982 added 19:28 - Sep 16
A top man, and how I wish I'd seen him play. Managed to obtain his autograph and a photo last season. It's shocking and very sad for the club and town.
2

thorpedo added 19:28 - Sep 16
Used to play 7/8 a side on Monday's at Coppleston with him for a year about 15 years ago. Although he could barely run he was still a superb player.
More importantly, he was a superb man. Never had a cross word with anyone, had time for all and always made you feel good about yourself. I am a pretty poor player but he told me I have "a gvood turn (Cruyff) and a good shot on you". I felt a million. A true ITFC player
RIP The Beat.
2

baxter67 added 19:30 - Sep 16
Simply the best. He once presented me with a supportrs club award. He was really one of us, very down to earth personable and friendly. I was amazed meeting him a few years later that he remembered my name. A great loss to the Ipswich Town family
2

Superfrans added 19:34 - Sep 16
When I first started going to matches at Portman Road with my dad in 1976/77, Beattie was already a legend, but the injuries had started too. I saw him a few times and he was just a huge presence, he had everything - pace, strength, subtlety, he could head, tackle, shoot, pass and dribble as well as anyone he shared a pitch with. He just dominated games.
The seasons I started going more regularly, the injuries had set in and he had become a bit part player - Beattie and Osman had started to take over, Beattie was out for long periods, but his legend lived on.
I remember vividly being driven across through Essex into Suffolk to Portman Road for the UEFA Cup match vs Bohemians Prague in 1980, we were hearing that Beattie might be on the bench and he was. There was such a buzz around the ground, as he hadn't played much over the previous year or two. And then he came on.
We got a free kick just outside the box, Thijssen passed it a yard to the left and, with what my memory tells me was his first touch, Beattie struck the ball. We stood on the old terrace which filled the gap between the old north stand and the west stand, below the floodlight pylon, and it was one of those strikes which stay with you, directly behind the flight of the ball as it flew into the top left hand corner of the net. One of the most memorable goals I'd ever seen and still is.
In recent years, Beat had been a common presence around Portman Road. How many of us have pictures with him? Hundreds and thousands, I'm sure.
Today, a player as good as Beattie would probably earn more in a month than he did in his entire career. We all know that football didn't make him a rich man, work was difficult because he spent much of his recent years caring for his wife who has MS. But he never seemed bitter, always welcomed the attention he received on match days and was so giving of his time, to sign programmes, have photos taken and generally talk about football.
He symbolises in many ways what is great about our club. He came from many miles away, became a great player, won matches and trophies under one of England's great managers in some legendary years for the club, and then stayed in the area, attending matches, mixing with fans. Like so many others, I have pictures and programmes signed by him, a couple of pictures with him, I can remember chats with him.
I will miss seeing him around Portman Road. RIP Beat.
10

Geomorph added 19:51 - Sep 16
RIP Kevin. My first hero and later a friend as we brought him in to be honourary chair of the nw supporters club. A mighty legend and a real gentleman.
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pascol added 19:51 - Sep 16
When we played in Milan he was on the same flight as us.several calls were made for him to board he eventually turned up saying he just wanted to hear his name called 😂.stayed in the same hotel as us,never know how he assisted with the radio commentary with the drinks that were consumed throughout the day.RIP Beat a true legend
2

Pencilpete added 19:57 - Sep 16
I was lucky enough to meet Kevin Beattie at an event in the Sir Bobby Robson suite a couple of years ago and being quite a nervous person anyway and in awe of seeing a club legend I didn't have the courage to go over and talk to him, my wife went over and spoke to him and he came over to me ! Was an absolute gent and was chatting to him for a good 10 minutes, he signed my programme and had a picture and I just remember him joking about how they had put his picture up over the door to the gents !! I am gutted tonight and my thoughts are with his family
4

Pendejo added 19:58 - Sep 16
The first Town game I can recall was the 7-0 v WBA in 1976, he scored a cracker in that game. As I was going I guess my memories are mainly goals.
Leeds free kick from halfway line and coming on to replace John Warm v Bohemians of Prague and hammering home a free kick with more or less his first touch.

But more than that, my sister has a photo of him lifting her up to draw a raffle ticket from the FA Cup.

From kid to adult I've enjoyed meeting him a few times.

The Beat, legend, father, grandfather.

Rest in Peace
3

PJH added 20:07 - Sep 16
I had the pleasure of a few brief chats with him.
One of my proudest possessions is a framed photo of Mick Mills,John Wark,my son,myself,The Beat and Roger Osborne along with the F.A. Cup. It was taken at a Blues Foundation do as part of the 30 year celebrations.
The great man has his arm on my shoulder and I have my Kevin Beattie Ipswich Legend sweatshirt on.

My last contact with him was shaking his hand in Fanzone at the back end of last season.

RIP The Beat you will always be loved and remembered by all of us lucky enough to have seen you play.
2


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