David Beresford (born 11 November 1976) is an English former footballer. A midfielder, he made 236 league appearances in a 12-year career in the Football League. He also won 14 caps for the England under-16s and under-18s.
Beresford began his career at Oldham Athletic, making 64 league appearances between 1994 and 1997, also playing briefly for Swansea City on a loan spell in 1995. He transferred to Huddersfield Town for a £350,000 fee in March but was riddled with injuries which were poorly dealt with at Galpharm Stadium. He enjoyed short loan spells at Preston North End and Port Vale before joining Hull City on a free transfer in June 2001. He switched to Plymouth Argyle in July 2002. Loaned out to Macclesfield Town in October 2003, he was allowed to join Tranmere Rovers the following month. He signed with Macclesfield Town in July 2005 before retiring the following year.
Club career Beresford began his career with Oldham Athletic after graduating at the Lilleshall National School of Football Excellence. He made his debut at Boundary Park in 1993–94 at the age of 17, just as the club suffered relegation out of the Premier League, in the last season in the reign of Joe Royle. They finished 14th in the First Division in 1994–95 under new boss Graeme Sharp, before finishing 18th in 1995–96. He was loaned out to Swansea City in 1995 and made six appearances for the struggling Second Division side. Beresford made 38 appearances in 1996–97, as the "Latics" suffered relegation. New manager Neil Warnock sold Beresford to Brian Horton's Huddersfield Town for a £350,000 fee in March 1997.
He featured six times in the remainder of 1996–97, as the "Terriers" retained their First Division status by holding on to 20th place. He played just nine times in 1997–98, falling completely out of the first-team picture after new boss Peter Jackson arrived at the Galpharm Stadium in October. He scored twice in 23 games in 1998–99 but became frozen out of the first-team picture completely with the arrival of Steve Bruce in 1999–2000. He was loaned out to Preston North End but only made two starts for the "Lambs", who went on to win the Second Division title under David Moyes. He still could not get a run in the Huddersfield team in 2000–01, despite the arrival of Lou Macari in October. He was loaned out to Port Vale for four weeks on 15 September, in a move that reunited him with former boss Brian Horton, but could only make four goalless Second Division appearances for the "Valiants".
He joined Brian Little's Hull City on a free transfer in June 2001. He played 47 games for the "Tigers", who posted an 11th-place finish in the Third Division, losing his first-team place when Jan Mølby was appointed manager in April. Beresford signed for Plymouth Argyle in July 2002."David Beresford". Greens on Screen. Retrieved 8 August 2010. He made 16 appearances for Paul Sturrock's "Pilgrims" in 2002–03. His only contribution to the 2003–04 Second Division title-winning campaign was a late substitute appearance at the start of the season. He was loaned out to David Moss's Macclesfield Town in October 2003. He played five Third Division games at Moss Rose, before he joined Tranmere Rovers permanently the following month, in a move that reunited him with former boss Brian Little. His signing was announced a day after Macclesfield announced that they had extended his loan deal for a further four weeks. He played 31 games for the "Superwhites" in 2003–04, as the club missed out on the Second Division play-offs by two places and six points. He made just 24 appearances in 2004–05, but scored past Hartlepool United in the play-off semi-final second leg at Prenton Park, taking the game into extra time; he scored in the resulting penalty shoot-out, but Rovers were defeated 6–5 after Ian Sharps missed his sudden death penalty. This was to be his last appearance for the club, as Beresford was released at the end of the season. He joined Macclesfield Town in July 2005, signing for manager Brian Horton for a third time. He made just 12 starts for the League Two club, and departed at the end of the season.
International career Beresford won ten caps for the England under-16s between September 1992 and April 1993. He then went on to win five caps for the England under-18s between July 1994 and April 1995.
Later career In April 2025, Beresford was working as a PE teacher at Wardle Academy and as director of football at non-League club Saddleworth.
Career statistics + Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueFA CupOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsOldham Athletic1993–94Premier League100000101994–95First Division200000201995–96First Division28200503321996–97First Division3301040380Total6421090742Swansea City (loan)1995–96Second Division60000060Huddersfield Town1996–97First Division610000611997–98First Division800010901998–99First Division19220202321999–2000First Division000010102000–01First Division20001030Total3532050423Preston North End (loan)1999–2000Second Division40101060Port Vale (loan)2000–01Second Division40000040Hull City2001–02Third Division4111050471Plymouth Argyle2002–03Second Division16000201802003–04Second Division10000010Total1700020190Macclesfield Town (loan)2003–04Third Division50001060Tranmere Rovers2003–04Second Division25160003112004–05League One1920051243Total4436051554Macclesfield Town2005–06League Two1602041221Career total236913032228111
References