Travelling down to Brighton on Saturday when I thought the man sitting next to my Brighton supporting nephew looked familiar. Having checked with my two sons who were 10 year olds in the Jimmy Mullen era I was sure he was a former player.
He seemed genuinely pleased when I asked him if he was a Burnley fan and then admitted he was the one and only Marlon Beresford. He was amused when I told him the last time I saw him play he had to pick the ball out of the net 3 times from Ade Akinbiyi and we had John Spicer in goal for most of the game after the Beast was sent off. He was also amused when I explained to the carriage of Brighton fans that this man had a fanzine named after him. We enjoyed travelling to the Amex with him and exchanged pumps of jubilation with him as he was sitting in the press box summarising for Radio Lancashire. Its great when one of your heroes turns out to be a really nice bloke.

Didn't know he'd been on RL this week. He did the Arsenal game I think last month.

He lives in Hertfordshire Tony so I guess they ask him to do the games down south.He wasn't sure how to get to the ground so we were happy to escort him. Unfortunately we arrived just before he was due to go on air at 2 otherwise I would have loved to have a beer with him him.

Met him at Southampton away commentating a few years ago. And got a picture with him and my brother replicating one we had with him around 1993! He was amused I had the picture and was great to talk to.

Only problem was he doesn't look much older. We obviously did mind!

Was the story about him, a lass and the centre spot true?

Foulthrow wrote:Was the story about him, a lass and the centre spot true?

Oh yeah he was really going to ask that on a crowded train

Back o’ the net!!

Met him a few times, really nice bloke.

Vegas Claret wrote:Met him a few times, really nice bloke.

Bloody awful keeper though

Although I accept we've had worse!

Myself and 2 mates once met our former assistant manager Sam Ellis in a pub off Deansgate many years ago after we'd played a 1-1 draw with Man City at Maine Road.

He was talking with a small group of friends so we didn't bother him but when he spotted our Burnley colours he made the effort to come over to where we were sat and chat with us for about 10-15 mins about the game we'd just seen and football related topics in general-really nice chap.

Nice bloke Marlon. I watched a program last night on BBC2 called I love 1997 and they heavily featured Chumbawumba. They interviewed Boff who said it was strange to be sat at Turf Moor (I am a Burnley fan and have a season ticket) and hearing your song being played over the PA. It then showed a packed Bee Hole End and Longside and then the players coming out of the tunnel. Marlon was in goal wearing the shirt that I now have in my cupboard upstairs, the multi coloured monstrosity from 1996/97 season....

fidelcastro wrote:Bloody awful keeper though

Although I accept we've had worse!

He was excellent in his first spell with us and was the best keeper we'd had in donkeys years (Mariott and Walker in the same bracket but were just loanees)

Following the 4th Div promotion we stayed up comfortably but without either Heath or Beresford we would have been struggling cos they really carried us that season

Think Beresford made the divisional team of the year in both his first two seasons with us

Devils_Advocate wrote:He was excellent in his first spell with us and was the best keeper we'd had in donkeys years (Mariott and Walker in the same bracket but were just loanees)

Following the 4th Div promotion we stayed up comfortably but without either Heath or Beresford we would have been struggling cos they really carried us that season

Think Beresford made the divisional team of the year in both his first two seasons with us

Tell me about the 1994-95 season. Was he good then?

Yes I'm hoping to meet longside lenny next summer when Burnley play Colne

fidelcastro wrote:Tell me about the 1994-95 season. Was he good then?

No, which is probably why DA said "He was excellent in his first spell".

SalouClaret wrote:No, which is probably why DA said "He was excellent in his first spell".

The 1994-95 season WAS during his first spell.

Please get your facts right before having a go!

fidelcastro wrote:The 1994-95 season WAS during his first spell.

Please get your facts right before having a go!

Touchè

Devils_Advocate wrote:He was excellent in his first spell with us and was the best keeper we'd had in donkeys years (Mariott and Walker in the same bracket but were just loanees)

Following the 4th Div promotion we stayed up comfortably but without either Heath or Beresford we would have been struggling cos they really carried us that season

Think Beresford made the divisional team of the year in both his first two seasons with us

Fantastic keeper at the level we were at, but maybe hefound his level in 94/95.

His penalty-saving record was truly outstanding during that first spell - something around 50%.

fidelcastro wrote:Tell me about the 1994-95 season. Was he good then?

Pretty much the whole team struggled that season partly because players like Beresford and a few others had got a bit better than average third tier team into the play offs and promoted.

Beresford was exceptional in his first two seasons for us and continued to be a good keeper for the majority of the other 4 years. Im sure he ended up going to Boro for nearly £0.5m which back then was probably one of the highest transfer fees we'd ever received for a player

He was crap when he came back but that was a short live disaster

scouseclaret wrote:Fantastic keeper at the level we were at, but maybe hefound his level in 94/95.

His penalty-saving record was truly outstanding during that first spell - something around 50%.

Of course but its got to be relative. I would say players like Mike Conroy, John Deary and John Pender were excellent players but lets face it they excelled in the bottom tier and maybe did ok in the third but relative to our position at the time they were brilliant

Made one of the best double saves I've ever seen in one of his first games for us. Came out and blocked a shot near the edge of the box then somehow got back to stop the follow-up on the line. Pretty sure it was against Plymouth.

fidelcastro wrote:Bloody awful keeper though

Although I accept we've had worse!

I thought he was decent tbh, Mark Kendall and Joe Neenan were awful !

When Beresford joined he was streets ahead of anything we had since Stevenson, excluding Nicky Walker on loan. Whilst we have been spoiled with Heaton, Pope and Hart recently, Marlon was a very competent keeper in his first spell hence twice being in the PFA team of the year. I think Championship was a step too far for him and later in his career he seemed to tail off rather than improve with age as many keepers do.

Always remember a couple of one on one saves against Robbie Keane when Spurs came to the turf in the cup

fidelcastro wrote:Bloody awful keeper though

Although I accept we've had worse!

Not in the leagues we were in at the time.




Edit- as already mentioned.......

Devils_Advocate wrote:Of course but its got to be relative. I would say players like Mike Conroy, John Deary and John Pender were excellent players but lets face it they excelled in the bottom tier and maybe did ok in the third but relative to our position at the time they were brilliant

Convoy was on the crest of his career, he’d have done it at any level that season.
The John Deary of that time would still make the match day squad too. Pender of course had nothing to prove by the time he graced us.

fidelcastro wrote:Bloody awful keeper though

Although I accept we've had worse!

He got a 10/10 review after his debut.

elwaclaret wrote:Convoy was on the crest of his career, he’d have done it at any level that season.
The John Deary of that time would still make the match day squad too. Pender of course had nothing to prove by the time he graced us.

Yes, Conroy and Deary would get in a Div 1-2 squad. But take your claret specks off, they wouldn’t be in the current squad!

I only have one hero,my Dad,I would give anything to meet him again

quoonbeatz wrote:Made one of the best double saves I've ever seen in one of his first games for us. Came out and blocked a shot near the edge of the box then somehow got back to stop the follow-up on the line. Pretty sure it was against Plymouth.

The best save I have seen live was Marlon away at Liverpool in the cup on a Tuesday night. Jan Molby shot from outside the box into the top corner. Out of nowhere came Marlons hand to put it over the bar.

The save was on the opening bit of Granada soccer night for a few years.

First couple of seasons he was good for us but then it tailed off and he was having a shocking time when we sold him. Very poor when he came back.

quoonbeatz wrote:Made one of the best double saves I've ever seen in one of his first games for us. Came out and blocked a shot near the edge of the box then somehow got back to stop the follow-up on the line. Pretty sure it was against Plymouth.

Rotherham wasn’t it?

If I remember correctly he made his debut at home to Rotherham. Billy Mercer in goal for The Millers that day.

Can remember him being announced as “Marion” Beresford at Hull in a game ~95

We had the last laugh with a John Deary winner though.

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Herts Clarets wrote:Billy Mercer in goal for The Millers that day.

Billy Mercer - what does he know about goalkeeping, eh?

Bordeauxclaret wrote:Rotherham wasn’t it?

Could well have been, not sure it was on his debut though, it was a Tuesday night game.

Quickenthetempo wrote:The best save I have seen live was Marlon away at Liverpool in the cup on a Tuesday night. Jan Molby shot from outside the box into the top corner. Out of nowhere came Marlons hand to put it over the bar.

The save was on the opening bit of Granada soccer night for a few years.

I remember that well. Molby's shot was deflected and Marlon was going the wrong way but tipped it round the post. Amazing save.

Herts Clarets wrote:If I remember correctly he made his debut at home to Rotherham. Billy Mercer in goal for The Millers that day.

It was Rotherham

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Definitely Rotherham. For some reason I didn’t go on that night. Sure it was a Tuesday night. And my dad came home and said you’ve just missed seeing the best keeper weve ever had. Apparently he was outstanding. Loved Marlon. He was very good for us. Especially in the third tier.

Rotherham was a Saturday.

Bordeauxclaret wrote:Rotherham was a Saturday.

My dad mustve been to the pub