Steve Beeks

Ever since his early days at Aldershot, Beeks had been interested in coaching and passed his Preliminary coaching badge with Dale Banton. Upon his release, he coached children as a career, firstly working with Colin Smith then working successfully with numerous local schools and clubs, achieving unprecedented success with the tiny Our Lady of the Rosary School (Staines). In 1994, he took a Staines Town under-10+1⁄2 team to Åland, a tour he continued to make annually, winning the Alandia Cup – which at that time was Europe's largest single age-group competition – in '95 & '96 as Staines Town, and six more times as Steve Beeks Soccer School (England) - SBSS. Remarkably, they were semi-finalists 15 out of 20 years, in a tournament which typically includes around 90 teams. His sides have also performed well in the Arsenal Invitational Tournament, and at events in Denmark. He was also co-founder of Colne Valley Girls FC.

Beeks' senior coaching career started in June 1999 when he was appointed Player-Manager of Cove, taking this perennially under-achieving club to a Combined Counties Football League and League Cup double, and the last 16 of the FA Vase. Another highlight of his two seasons there was knocking Bognor Regis Town out of the FA Cup, followed by a narrow loss in a replay to Lewes.

Beeks left Cove in Sept '01, and a couple of months later accepted a similar post at Fleet Town, who had made a poor start in the Wessex League. However, only two defeats in 36 games saw them finish runners-up and gain promotion to the Southern League. Fleet were also League Cup finalists. He left Fleet in the wake of budget cuts early the next season, and signed as a player for Winchester City, who romped the Hampshire League (181 goals, 109 points), reached the FA Vase quarter-finals, and lifted the Southampton Senior Cup at St Mary's Stadium.

Beeks started the 2003/4 season playing at Conference club Farnborough Town, but having regained fitness and reached the brink of a 1st Team call, he accepted the offer to manage Molesey. Despite The Moles' recurrent off-field problems, Beeks twice built up a side from scratch, discovering Sergio Torres, and guiding the side to their best ever FA Trophy run, whilst playing himself at the back. Three years of progression resulted in a higher league table position each year, culminating in Molesey's highest position in over a decade, including an unbeaten 19 match run, and an Isthmian League Manager of the Month award. Boardroom wranglings and a desire to concentrate on his coaching qualifications saw him step down in summer '07. He had then already become Academy Director for Wealdstone F.C. at Stanmore College.

In the 2008/9 season he took on the role of chief scout at AFC Wimbledon under Terry Brown and was instrumental in the Dons finding Steve Gregory, who was later sold to AFC Bournemouth. AFC Wimbledon were promoted as champions In 2009. Later in the same year he passed the UEFA 'A' Coaching Licence and in 2009/10 season he had a short spell as coach at Mark Butler's Margate F.C.

In late 2010 Beeks was appointed head coach of Åland United, a professional team in the Naisten Liiga, the top division of women's football in Finland. Åland United finished fourth in 2011, 6 points from gold, and 2nd in 2012, 2 points off the title, and with a new league record for goals scored, which was quite an achievement as the club came through some big financial problems under the guidance of newly appointed Peter Lindbäck in 2012. During this time Åland United signed and developed international players like Pille Raadik (Estonia), Hayley Lauder (Scotland),[4] and numerous Finnish internationals such as Adelina Engman (latterly at Chelsea).

In 2012 Beeks, was head-hunted by IFK Mariehamn to become their academy director. He has overseen the progress of numerous players to Finnish youth National teams and IFK's 1st team. IFK Mariehamn won the Finnish Cup in 2015, and played in the UEFA Europa League 2016. In 2016 IFK won the Finnish top league, and played in the UEFA Champions League in 2017. In February 2018 he completed the UEFA Pro Licence: his tutor was the Finnish national men's team Head Coach Markku Kanerva.