Having signed professional terms with Premier League Chelsea FC from Southampton FC in June 2022, Milford on Sea goalkeeper, Eddie Beach has just signed a season-long loan to play for Crawley Town in Football League One for the 2024/25 season.
Eddie spent this summer training with the Chelsea FC Senior Squad and was included on the club's 2024 Tour of the USA.
Still just 20, this loan spell continues Eddie's career experience as he works towards making the Chelsea FC first-team in the Premier League.
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About Eddie Beach - Professional Footballer
Milford on Sea raised Eddie Beach was born on 9th October 2003, and he is a goalkeeper who signed professional terms with Chelsea FC from Southampton FC in June 2022.
Eddie first played football for Milford on Sea Youth FC,. and his football career has impressively developed from the days when he was a Priestlands School pupil.
He regularly attended their holiday football courses in Woodside Park in Lymington. During the New Forest Football Academy’s first fixture against Arsenal Soccer School, he scored a screamer of a free-kick while playing a commanding role in midfield.
In 2015, he became one of the first players to join the Academy’s newly established Elite Development Centres.
At the time, Eddie was playing as a talented midfielder and he represented Southampton Schoolboys at county level.
After that, it was not long before Premier League scouts came to watch Eddie play in goal for Milford on Sea Youth FC, and at the New Forest Football Academy.
In 2019, he was invited to join the Southampton FC Academy.
In 2020, Covid hit and the enforced lockdowns kicked in. Eddie used this time to make himself stronger and to learn more about his craft as a goalkeeper.
Not long after, Eddie was offered a two-year Academy Scholarship with The Saints. Hs first season was affected by a knee injury. His second season saw Eddie and his Southampton FC teammates crowned champions of the U18 Premier League South. He also went on to play a full 90 minutes in the U18 Premier League Final against Manchester City at St Mary’s Stadium in front of 13,000 fans.
Whilst at Southampton FC, he was regularly called up to international duty with Wales U19's, receiving caps while playing in the U19 European Championship Qualifiers.
Not forgetting his roots, during this time, he returned to support the coaches and upcoming football talent at the New Forest Football Academy’s summer courses.
On arriving, he trained regularly with the Chelsea first-team goalkeepers and he was involved in seven first-team matchday squads. He also featured regularly for Chelsea's U21's Development Squad and in the first half of the 2022/23 season he made14 appearances.
In order to gain matchday experience, in January 2023 he was loaned to Chelmsford City FC in the National League for the 2022/23 season,
He made 21 first team appearances for Chelmsford City FC and achieved Man of the Match Awards. During his loan period, Eddie continued to train with the Chelsea senior team during the week.
In February 2023, a really interesting, open and honest article was published in 'Football London', where Eddie gives a frank interview on his journey from Sunday league football, both outfield, as well as between the posts. Click here to read article.
On his return to Chelsea FC for the 2023/24 season, Eddie was rewarded with the No.50 squad number, and on Friday 25th August 2023 he was on the substitutes bench for the Premiership match against Luton Town.
He continued to play for Chelsea the U23 team, making 11 appearances in the first half of the 2023/24 season, as well as being named on the bench for several first-team squad fixtures.
Later in the 2023-24 season he also had a brief 5 match loan spell at Gateshead FC, but his time with the Tynesider's was interrupted due to illness.
In the Summer of 2024, Eddie spent the time pre-season training with the Chelsea FC Senior Squad and was included on the club's 2024 Tour of the USA.
The 2024/25 season saw Eddie join Crawley Town in Football League One for a season long loan.
To read the full 2023 article in 'Football London', please click here.
To read Eddie's professional profile at Chelsea FC, please click here.
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MILFORD ON SEA FAMOUS FOOTBALLERS
Milford on Sea has also has had some other famous professional footballers as village residents in the past:
David Peach: (born 21 January 1951) is a former professional footballer, who played at left back for Southampton FC.
In 1979 he played and scored for Southampton in their losing appearance in the League Cup Final. Later that year he became the highest scoring full-back in the history of the Football League.
Michael Keeping: Southampton FC and Fulham FC professional footballer in the 1920/30's, and manager of Real Madrid 1948 to 1950.
Michael Keeping, who has proved a worthy successor to such notable players as Parker and Titmuss in the Southampton defence, had already received recognition by the F.A. selectors in being picked for International trial matches, and the greater honour of an International cap should not long be delayed. A native of Milford-on-Sea (Hants), Keeping played for the local club prior to joining Southampton in 1920, and when promoted to the senior side he made his position secure. He was a member of the F A. team which maintained an unbeaten record when touring Canada in 1926.
He went on to manage the giant Real Madrid from January 1948 to October 1950. During this time Real Madrid won the Copa Eva Duarte de Perón beating Valencia 3-1 in 1948.
The building still exists, and still trades servicing cars in Milford on Sea village centre. Now known as 'The Garage', todays signage harks back to the days when the big sign above Fred's door simply read 'Garage'.
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