Full
International: England (20 caps, 1 goal) upd 1/2/99
David
Beckham was born in Leytonstone on 2 May 1975. After having trials with
Leyton Orient and attending Tottenham Hotspurs' school of excellence, he
signed for Manchester United as a trainee on 8 July 1991. As a schoolboy
he represented Essex Schools.
Beckham
was a member of Manchester United's highly successful F.A. Youth Cup team,
collecting a winners' medal in 1992, (scoring in the away leg at Crystal
Palace) and a runners-up medal in 1993. He also qualified for a Pontin's
Central League medal in 1994, playing 16 games for the Reserves.
It
was during the 1996-97 season that Beckham came of age, proving to be a
permanent fixture in the England and United team. His match winning performances
for Manchester United, during the 1996-97 season were enough to convince
his fellow professionals to vote for him in the P.F.A. awards. He won the
P.F.A. Young Player of the Year award and came second in the P.F.A. Player
of the Year. In the same year he also helped United to the European Cup
semi-final and another Premier League Championship.
On
Saturday 22nd February 1997 David Beckham scored the equalising goal v
Chelsea. The goal was measured at 97.9 mph.
When David Beckham was 12, he
won a Bobby Charlton Soccer Skills award. The award was presented to him
at Old Trafford on a match day. The prize included a trip to the Nou Camp
stadium, Barcelona.