325:, the inexperienced Beel was given little help by his defence as Shrewsbury lost 6–2. Away to Coventry a month later, he was reportedly responsible for only two of the eight goals that Shrewsbury conceded, and his third and final league appearance was in a 1–1 draw away to
398:
as an 18-year-old, and was a regular in the side for the next two seasons. In June 1969, Beel made his only first-class appearance, making 1 not out and taking 0/18 from 2 overs for
379:
in
January 1968. His professional contract with Trowbridge was cancelled by mutual consent in October 1969, but he returned as an amateur to play in the outfield for their reserves.
309:
from which the visitors scored; the winning goal was controversial, as
Coventry claimed the ball had entered the goal via a hole in the side netting. The death of regular goalkeeper
1019:
1059:
1054:
349:
1009:
294:
1014:
371:, which he had played at school, appearing for Bath Spartans and Bath United in September and October 1967, before returning to football with
1049:
1029:
1024:
1004:
975:
306:
889:
1039:
313:
in a swimming accident just before the start of the new season left Beel as
Shrewsbury's only full-time goalkeeper. They brought in
290:
250:
81:
1044:
1034:
836:
345:
298:
1074:
689:
628:
609:
509:
310:
1069:
266:
1064:
415:
818:
764:
571:
728:
800:
782:
711:
553:
411:
357:
918:
590:
297:
squads, but never took the field in an international match. He made his senior debut for
Shrewsbury in the
395:
491:
353:
527:
317:, whose dislocated shoulder a few weeks later gave Beel another taste of first-team football: away to
999:
994:
376:
333:
286:
258:
254:
246:
225:
159:
141:
98:
746:
322:
262:
864:
391:
356:, which finished as a 5–5 draw. Released soon afterwards, he spent two seasons as a regular with
302:
971:
446:
193:
407:
337:
372:
209:
423:
361:
326:
318:
177:
988:
419:
282:
399:
387:
314:
368:
341:
289:
as an apprentice in 1961, and turned professional two years later. As a young
278:
58:
685:
647:
578:. Stoke-on-Trent. 19 August 1963. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
383:
560:. Nottingham. 21 February 1963. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
735:. Bristol. 28 September 1967. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
789:. Bristol. 13 January 1968. p. 20 – via Newspapers.com.
771:. Bristol. 4 December 1967. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
717:. Bristol. 25 October 1967. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
403:
940:
825:. Bristol. 2 December 1969. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
807:. Bristol. 22 October 1969. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
753:. Bristol. 25 October 1967. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
394:
Second XI from 1964 to 1966. He made six appearances in the 1964
348:
already confirmed, he turned out in the penultimate game of the
245:(23 August 1945 – 13 April 2023) was an English professional
837:"Second Eleven Championship matches played by Len Beel (36)"
516:. 21 February 1963. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
498:. 12 November 1962. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
474:
472:
470:
468:
277:
William John
Leonard Beel was born on 23 August 1945 in
890:"Warwickshire v Somerset at Birmingham, 22 Jun 1969"
572:"Goalkeeper dies in Trentham swimming pool accident"
219:
203:
187:
171:
153:
135:
109:
104:
92:
87:
77:
65:
54:
39:
31:
26:
646:
534:. Chris Goodwin & Glen Isherwood. 30 June 2023
859:
857:
616:. Bristol. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
610:"Hamilton hits four goals in career-best display"
597:. Bristol. p. 24 – via Newspapers.com.
912:
910:
340:, but played only once for the first team. With
429:Beel died on 13 April 2023 at the age of 77.
426:-based Lansdown Cricket Club for many years.
8:
21:
16:English cricketer and footballer (1945–2023)
801:"Brother banned so Alan Peacock takes over"
236:*Club domestic league appearances and goals
119:
20:
672:
635:. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
478:
438:
1020:Men's association football goalkeepers
692:from the original on 23 September 2015
510:"Pleat blotted out by England tactics"
301:on 20 May 1963, helping his side beat
608:Gillam, Herbert (24 September 1963).
7:
591:"Rovers unchanged: three pass tests"
492:"Seaside get-together for Rams team"
285:. He began his football career with
127:
422:in 1970, and was a mainstay of the
968:Birmingham City: A Complete Record
917:Longstaff, Scott (13 April 2023).
648:"Player search: Beel, WJL (Lenny)"
629:"City fulfil promise of goal riot"
589:Perry, Robin (23 September 1963).
528:"Match results under 18 1960–1970"
14:
653:English National Football Archive
1060:Southern Football League players
943:. D. J. Bewley Funeral Directors
1055:English Football League players
819:"Trowbridge Town are unchanged"
1010:Footballers from Herefordshire
712:"Allen Gay's valuable boot..."
299:Football League Third Division
1:
765:"Minehead sunk by shock goal"
336:in January 1965 as cover for
1050:Trowbridge Town F.C. players
1030:Birmingham City F.C. players
1025:Shrewsbury Town F.C. players
1005:Sportspeople from Leominster
729:"Len Beel switches to rugby"
267:Somerset County Cricket Club
554:"'Benefit' draws best gate"
1091:
951:– via MuchLoved.org.
783:"Trowbridge sign Len Beel"
747:"Bath call up Army winger"
633:Coventry Evening Telegraph
305:2–1 despite conceding the
1040:Shifnal Town F.C. players
1015:English men's footballers
243:William John Leonard Beel
235:
97:
80:
68:
57:
42:
35:William John Leonard Beel
34:
970:. Derby: Breedon Books.
627:Nemo (23 October 1963).
1045:Minehead A.F.C. players
966:Matthews, Tony (1995).
532:England Football Online
514:Nottingham Evening Post
496:Derby Evening Telegraph
265:. He also appeared for
1035:Bath City F.C. players
396:Second XI Championship
293:, he was selected for
941:"Tribute to Len Beel"
919:"Len Beel, 1945–2023"
414:. He played in three
1075:Wiltshire cricketers
558:The Guardian Journal
27:Personal information
1070:Somerset cricketers
769:Western Daily Press
751:Western Daily Press
733:Western Daily Press
614:Western Daily Press
367:He briefly took up
263:the Football League
23:
1065:English cricketers
977:978-1-85983-010-9
688:. Bath City F.C.
686:"Past players: B"
375:and then joining
240:
239:
1082:
981:
953:
952:
950:
948:
937:
931:
930:
928:
926:
914:
905:
904:
902:
900:
886:
880:
879:
877:
875:
861:
852:
851:
849:
847:
833:
827:
826:
815:
809:
808:
797:
791:
790:
779:
773:
772:
761:
755:
754:
743:
737:
736:
725:
719:
718:
708:
702:
701:
699:
697:
682:
676:
670:
664:
663:
661:
659:
650:
643:
637:
636:
624:
618:
617:
605:
599:
598:
586:
580:
579:
576:Evening Sentinel
568:
562:
561:
550:
544:
543:
541:
539:
524:
518:
517:
506:
500:
499:
488:
482:
476:
463:
462:
460:
458:
451:UK A–Z Transfers
443:
354:Blackburn Rovers
338:Johnny Schofield
249:who played as a
222:
206:
190:
174:
156:
138:
129:
121:
95:
72:
49:
47:
24:
1090:
1089:
1085:
1084:
1083:
1081:
1080:
1079:
985:
984:
978:
965:
962:
957:
956:
946:
944:
939:
938:
934:
924:
922:
916:
915:
908:
898:
896:
888:
887:
883:
873:
871:
863:
862:
855:
845:
843:
835:
834:
830:
817:
816:
812:
799:
798:
794:
781:
780:
776:
763:
762:
758:
745:
744:
740:
727:
726:
722:
710:
709:
705:
695:
693:
684:
683:
679:
673:Matthews (1995)
671:
667:
657:
655:
645:
644:
640:
626:
625:
621:
607:
606:
602:
588:
587:
583:
570:
569:
565:
552:
551:
547:
537:
535:
526:
525:
521:
508:
507:
503:
490:
489:
485:
479:Matthews (1995)
477:
466:
456:
454:
445:
444:
440:
435:
377:Trowbridge Town
358:Southern League
334:Birmingham City
287:Shrewsbury Town
275:
273:Life and career
259:Birmingham City
255:Shrewsbury Town
226:Trowbridge Town
220:
204:
188:
172:
160:Birmingham City
154:
142:Shrewsbury Town
136:
99:Shrewsbury Town
93:
70:
45:
43:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1088:
1086:
1078:
1077:
1072:
1067:
1062:
1057:
1052:
1047:
1042:
1037:
1032:
1027:
1022:
1017:
1012:
1007:
1002:
997:
987:
986:
983:
982:
976:
961:
958:
955:
954:
932:
906:
881:
869:CricketArchive
853:
841:CricketArchive
828:
810:
792:
774:
756:
738:
720:
703:
677:
675:, p. 200.
665:
638:
619:
600:
581:
563:
545:
519:
501:
483:
464:
437:
436:
434:
431:
416:Minor Counties
406:match against
392:Worcestershire
350:1964–65 season
346:First Division
319:Bristol Rovers
274:
271:
238:
237:
233:
232:
230:
228:
223:
217:
216:
214:
212:
207:
201:
200:
198:
196:
191:
185:
184:
182:
180:
175:
169:
168:
165:
162:
157:
151:
150:
147:
144:
139:
133:
132:
123:
116:
111:
107:
106:
105:Senior career*
102:
101:
96:
90:
89:
85:
84:
79:
75:
74:
73:(aged 77)
67:
63:
62:
56:
55:Place of birth
52:
51:
50:23 August 1945
41:
37:
36:
33:
29:
28:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1087:
1076:
1073:
1071:
1068:
1066:
1063:
1061:
1058:
1056:
1053:
1051:
1048:
1046:
1043:
1041:
1038:
1036:
1033:
1031:
1028:
1026:
1023:
1021:
1018:
1016:
1013:
1011:
1008:
1006:
1003:
1001:
998:
996:
993:
992:
990:
979:
973:
969:
964:
963:
959:
942:
936:
933:
921:. Lansdown CC
920:
913:
911:
907:
895:
894:ESPN Cricinfo
891:
885:
882:
870:
866:
860:
858:
854:
842:
838:
832:
829:
824:
820:
814:
811:
806:
802:
796:
793:
788:
784:
778:
775:
770:
766:
760:
757:
752:
748:
742:
739:
734:
730:
724:
721:
716:
713:
707:
704:
691:
687:
681:
678:
674:
669:
666:
654:
649:
642:
639:
634:
630:
623:
620:
615:
611:
604:
601:
596:
592:
585:
582:
577:
573:
567:
564:
559:
555:
549:
546:
533:
529:
523:
520:
515:
511:
505:
502:
497:
493:
487:
484:
481:, p. 71.
480:
475:
473:
471:
469:
465:
452:
448:
442:
439:
432:
430:
427:
425:
421:
417:
413:
409:
405:
404:Sunday League
401:
397:
393:
389:
385:
380:
378:
374:
370:
365:
363:
359:
355:
352:, at home to
351:
347:
343:
339:
335:
330:
328:
324:
320:
316:
312:
308:
304:
303:Coventry City
300:
296:
295:England youth
292:
288:
284:
283:Herefordshire
280:
272:
270:
268:
264:
260:
256:
252:
248:
244:
234:
231:
229:
227:
224:
218:
215:
213:
211:
208:
202:
199:
197:
195:
192:
186:
183:
181:
179:
176:
170:
166:
163:
161:
158:
152:
148:
145:
143:
140:
134:
131:
124:
122:
117:
115:
112:
108:
103:
100:
91:
86:
83:
76:
69:13 April 2023
66:Date of death
64:
60:
53:
40:Date of birth
38:
30:
25:
19:
967:
945:. Retrieved
935:
923:. Retrieved
897:. Retrieved
893:
884:
872:. Retrieved
868:
844:. Retrieved
840:
831:
823:Evening Post
822:
813:
805:Evening Post
804:
795:
787:Evening Post
786:
777:
768:
759:
750:
741:
732:
723:
715:Evening Post
714:
706:
694:. Retrieved
680:
668:
656:. Retrieved
652:
641:
632:
622:
613:
603:
595:Evening Post
594:
584:
575:
566:
557:
548:
536:. Retrieved
531:
522:
513:
504:
495:
486:
455:. Retrieved
453:. Neil Brown
450:
441:
428:
418:matches for
408:Warwickshire
382:Beel played
381:
366:
332:Beel joined
331:
315:Alan Boswell
276:
242:
241:
194:Shifnal Town
125:
118:
113:
88:Youth career
71:(2023-04-13)
18:
1000:2023 deaths
995:1945 births
388:fast bowler
369:rugby union
311:Paul Miller
78:Position(s)
989:Categories
865:"Len Beel"
447:"Len Beel"
433:References
342:relegation
323:League Cup
291:goalkeeper
279:Leominster
251:goalkeeper
247:footballer
82:Goalkeeper
59:Leominster
46:1945-08-23
947:22 August
925:22 August
658:22 August
538:22 August
457:22 August
420:Wiltshire
412:Edgbaston
362:Bath City
344:from the
327:Brentford
221:1968–1970
205:1967–1968
178:Bath City
173:1965–1967
137:1963–1965
94:1961–1963
61:, England
32:Full name
690:Archived
400:Somerset
373:Minehead
210:Minehead
22:Len Beel
960:Sources
899:22 June
874:22 June
846:22 June
696:22 June
384:cricket
321:in the
307:penalty
974:
402:in a
386:as a
360:club
110:Years
972:ISBN
949:2023
927:2023
901:2023
876:2023
848:2023
698:2015
660:2023
540:2023
459:2023
424:Bath
390:for
257:and
253:for
189:1967
155:1965
120:Apps
114:Team
410:at
261:in
167:(0)
149:(0)
128:Gls
991::
909:^
892:.
867:.
856:^
839:.
821:.
803:.
785:.
767:.
749:.
731:.
651:.
631:.
612:.
593:.
574:.
556:.
530:.
512:.
494:.
467:^
449:.
364:.
329:.
281:,
269:.
980:.
929:.
903:.
878:.
850:.
700:.
662:.
542:.
461:.
164:1
146:3
130:)
126:(
48:)
44:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.