Jim Beglin
An Irish left-back whose promising career was brutally cut short by injury, who then forged a second act as a sharp, respected voice in the commentary box.
Born 1963 (age 63)·Irish Footballer·Birthday: July 29·Baby Boomers
Biography
Jim Beglin's story is one of two distinct, successful lives in football, divided by a moment of catastrophic bad luck. The first was as a tenacious, attacking full-back for Liverpool in the mid-1980s, part of a formidable team that won a league and FA Cup double in 1986. He possessed the skill and temperament for a long career at the summit of the English game. That trajectory ended abruptly in January 1987 with a horrific leg break during a Merseyside derby, an injury from which he never fully recovered as a player. The second act began in front of a microphone. Beglin cultivated a new expertise, becoming a co-commentator known for his insightful, measured analysis and a deep understanding of the defensive side of the game. His voice, often paired with Peter Drury's, has become a familiar and authoritative soundtrack for major matches across Irish and international broadcasts.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Jim was born in 1963, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jim Was Born
The biggest hits of 1963
#1 Movie
Cleopatra
Best Picture
Tom Jones
#1 TV Show
Beverly Hillbillies
Jim's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1963Born
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1968Started school
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1976Became a teenager
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1979Could drive
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1981Could vote
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1984Turned 21
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1993Turned 30
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 40
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 50
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 60
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 63 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the English First Division and FA Cup double with Liverpool in the 1985-86 season.
- Earned 15 caps for the Republic of Ireland national football team.
- Became a lead co-commentator for RTÉ Sport's coverage of major tournaments like the UEFA Champions League and FIFA World Cup.
- Works as a co-commentator for Premier League Productions and other major international broadcasters.
Did You Know?
He made his Liverpool debut in the 1985 European Cup Final, which was abandoned due to the Heysel Stadium disaster.
His final professional playing appearance was for Leeds United in 1990.
He is a qualified optician, having pursued that qualification during his playing career.
He provided co-commentary for the CBS/TNT coverage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in the United States.
“My career was cut short, but the game gave me a second life in commentary.”
