Chauffeur so good for former keeper Beeney

She sits in his Mercedes with husband David following in his own motor.

The Seagulls, club and fans alike, will be forever grateful to the ambitious Beeney for moving to the Premiership with Leeds for £350,000 (plus £250,000 in first team appearances) on April 20, 1993.

But an Achilles rupturing twice in eight months put paid to his professional playing career and launched him into the executive driving business that led to the close encounter with Britain's most celebrated celebrity couple.

He said: "It was at the time Victoria was doing her single with Dane Bowers and I was driving them to and from the studios with David coming with us.

"I'd played against David but he didn't recognise me as a footballer. Chauffeuring's not the sort of field you expect to see footballers in anyway. Also I'd put on a couple of stone.

"I'd packed up playing totally two years before because of injury and I just wasn't interested, although building up the business took a lot of my time."

But the 6ft 4in custodian, who made 88 first team appearances for Albion between 1991 and 1993, has slimmed down, got fit and is playing again.

He was on the bench for Dover at Barnet watching his new side slip to the bottom of the Conference, while a few miles across North London his former Leeds buddies were beating Arsenal.

Beeney said: "I thought to myself, 'I'd rather be warming the bench at Highbury'. But really I'm just pleased to be back involved as a player."

Beeney, who moved to Kent after eight years living in Yorkshire last December, added: "I got the bug again when I was still living in Yorkshire and phoned Steve Wignall, who was an old pal of mine who was managing Doncaster. I just wanted somewhere to train. He said they needed cover as a goalkeeper so I might as well sign on. I played four reserve games and was substitute for the first team.

"When we moved back south so our two children, Mitchell and Jordan, could be closer to their grandparents, I was looking to continue getting fitter and stronger and approached Dover. I am there on a non-contract basis. I played in a couple of pre-season matches but I'm understudy to Paul Hyde who is an experienced Conference keeper.

"I am fit but want to get fitter and feel I can do a decent job now and I aim to put pressure on Paul. You've got to treat the Conference with respect because it is full of former pros and younger players tipped to go on to be pros. It's certainly not Micky Mouse. I played non-league (with Maidstone) and am happy to return to it."

Beeney has no illusions of returning to the top flight.

He said: "It was David O'Leary who advised I should retire because he'd been forced out of playing by a similar injury. The medical people said the Achilles would not hold up to what was needed at the level I was at. I sought a second opinion afterwards and was told the Achilles was strong but it's so short it doesn't give me the spring I need to play at the top. Yet I am still able to play outside the League."

Beeney also works for Chelsea as a goalkeeping coaching two days a week.

He said: "I love working with the kids and I'm helping the under-21s, under-17s and under-16s at Chelsea. "

Beeney is prepared to give up football again if a full-time coaching job came up.

He said: "My wife Nicola and I have discussed it. I could carry on playing for another five years, but a full-time job wouldn't allow me the time to carry on. The car business can run without me so I would definitely be interested."

Beeney, 33, hopes to see more of Albion this season. He said: "I saw them a couple of times last season but now I'm only an hour away rather than 250 miles.

"There are still a few of the lads there from when I played like John Byrne, Russel Bromage and Martin Hinshelwood. I know their goalkeeping coach. John Keeley too.

"Brighton was always the club I intended to go back to but circumstances and personnel change. Everything's hunky dory down there and John's doing a good job. I'd be interested in returning if an opportunity came up."

Beeney still has great affection for the Seagulls.

He said: "I remember it as a friendly club even though they didn't have much to be cheerful about with the taxman trying to shut them down and the players were wondering whether they would get paid.

"There was a good spirit in the dressing room with experienced types like Fozzie (Steve Foster) and Johnny Byrne around the place who had seen it all before. I spent the least time there but it is the one former club that makes me most welcome. I appreciate that and I'm delighted things are going so well for them."

Beeney remembers the circumstances which took him to Elland Road.

He said: "Albion were at Plymouth and the night before the game manager Barry Lloyd told me that he had given Leeds permission to talk to me and that he wanted me to negotiate a deal or otherwise the club were history. I didn't really have much choice because if I'd have turned down the chance I'd have been unemployed anyway with the financial situation at Albion."

He played 68 times for Leeds, 49 in the league, but the writing was on the wall with the arrival of Nigel Martyn.

Beeney said: "I thought I was going to be No. 1 and Paul Evans No. 2 in 1995 and both Paul and I were told a deal with Nigel was not going through. A couple of days later he had joined. I was disappointed. But I decided to buckle down as we were happy at the club and in the North with my family. I ended up playing more than 400 reserves games, I was hardly ever injured, and it was frustrating.

"There was no animosity with Nigel over it. He's a lovely lad and we have a good natter when I drive him around when he comes down to London for England."

Former Prime Minister Ted Heath, model Nell McAndrew, ex world boxing champion turned pundit Barry McGuigan have had the owner of Platinum Premier Cars giving them a spin in his motor. But Beeney still wants to drive back into a full-time role in the game he loves. Perhaps that chance might crop up with the Seagulls.