Career
He also managed Mossley from 2003 to 2007, taking the club to two promotions. Beckford began his career at Manchester City in 1987-1988, who were then a Second Division side under the stewardship of Mel Machin. Towards the end of the 1990-1991 season, new manager Peter Reid allowed Beckford to drop down a division to play four games on loan at Don Mackay"s Blackburn Rovers.
After returning from Ewood Park, he found himself out of the first team picture at Maine Road.
He moved on to Birmingham City in the 1991-1992 season for a £50,000 fee, though would never force himself into manager Terry Cooper"s first team plans. Beckford"s only appearances in the 1993-1994 season came at Gigg Lane in a three-game loan spell with Mike Walsh"s Bury.
Beckford spent the first half of the 1994-1995 season at Stoke City, but made just three starts for the "Potters". He then joined Mick McCarthy"s Millwall, and played nine First Division games in the second half of the 1994-1995 season.
However he left The Old Den at the end of the season, and arrived at Third Division side Northampton Town for the start of the 1995-1996 campaign.
He made four substitute appearances for Ian Atkins"s "Cobblers", before announcing his retirement at Sixfields due to injury. Beckford arrived at Mossley after coaching Bolton Wanderers" Academy side. He was appointed assistant manager in June 2002 and, following Ally Pickering"s sudden departure in July 2003 he was appointed team manager.
He led the "Lilywhites" to second place in the North West Counties League in 2003-2004, which was enough to secure a place in the Northern Premier League.
However they could not survive in the Premier Division, and Beckford left the club after relegation in 2006-2007. After leaving this post in April 2007, he returned to Bolton in 2008 as part of the club"s restructured youth academy, and also worked as the under-16 coach alongside Steve Morgan at Oldham Athletic.
In August 2012, he moved to Canada to work as Newmarket Soccer Club"s technical director