FORMER Grimsby Town keeper Dave Beasant was agonisingly close to becoming English football's oldest ever professional at the weekend.
The ex-Wimbledon, Chelsea and Newcastle United stopper was named as a substitute for League Two Stevenage on Saturday – at the age of 55!
Beasant didn't make an appearance on the field. If he had been called upon he would have surpassed the record of Neil McBain, the manager of New Brighton, who in 1947 played in goal against Hartlepool at the age of 51.
Former England gloveman Beasant enjoyed a brief, but successful, loan spell with the Mariners in 1992/93.
And the keeper also played his final professional game at Blundell Park – 11 years ago when Brighton visited Cleethorpes.
