Derry City legend Gary Beckett on the frontline praises NHS workers amid coronavirus crisis

When you think of key workers during the coronavirus pandemic, you automatically think of doctors, nurses and other first responders but spare a thought for ex-Derry City striker Gary Beckett as the Enniskillen native continues to work on the frontline as a postman.

While his job doesn’t pose the same risks as those brave NHS staff but Beckett admits he has had some sleepless nights and has warned the public to listen to the government guidelines during the COVID-19 health crisis.

The 46-year-old, who has been a postman for 19 years, insists he takes all the necessary precautions when he sets off to work for the postal service.

“I’m just out delivering some mail and people are talking about us being key workers,” said Beckett. “But, no, there’s only one set of key workers and that’s the nurses, doctors and people like that, they are the only key workers I see,” he insisted.

“I want to be like everybody else, I want to congratulate the frontline workers like the nurses, doctors and other people in that line of work. We should all be very proud of what they are doing and hopefully they too get through this as safely as they can.

“At the start it was okay and then you start hearing about young people now getting the virus and then it started to get really serious, everything at the start was the virus was only really serious for older people, so from my point of view my father (Terry) is down in the south, so that was never going to be a problem and I’m just hoping he stays safe, but my wife’s mother (Chubby) and father (Damian) are both 70 and have underlying conditions, so we had to think about them.

“Because of my job I was a threat to them, so I have stayed completely away from them and that’s all I can do.

“Look, as I said we have found out that this coronavirus doesn’t care who you are, or what you are or where you are from or what age you are and if it gets the chance to jump on you it will and that’s scary.”

The former Coleraine, Finn Harps, Omagh Town and Dungannon Swifts front man still worries going home to his wife Leanne and children Nathan, Adam, Lara and Alex and so he has taken measures to be extra careful during his delivery round.

“I have to be nervous and I think you’re a fool if you aren’t,” he explained.

“It’s a wee bit eerie working. Yes there’s always those wee sleepless nights, in terms of ‘what if this happens, or what if that happens’. So whenever this is over I really just want to be able to talk with my family about ‘do you remember that bloody disease, that time when we were all in the house for weeks’.

“I do everything I’m supposed to do, in terms of staying two metres away from the customers. I drop the parcels at the door. I wash my hands after every parcel drop off.

Gary Beckett admits he can't wait to get back to the Brandywell. Copyright: jpimedia

“At the end of the day if this coronavirus thing comes, I won’t be turning around saying I could have done this or I could have done that, to prevent it, because I have done everything that I have been asked to do in terms of the Government guidelines.

“Look you just don’t want the coronavirus in your house or with your family or friends, that’s first and foremost.

“Yes as I said it’s a wee bit eerie, but thankfully I’m off now for a week, although some of the jobs my wife has given me around the house means I’m not really off. Jokes aside, I have a family of six in my house, myself, the wife and four kids, but at the minute everyone is fine.

“If people think they are immune to the coronavirus and you can rip your shirt off and you have a Superman t-shirt underneath, then believe me you are a fool.”

Gary Beckett admits he isn't shocked that his former boss Stephen Kenny has become the Ireland manager. Copyright: jpimedia

Beckett continues to play a bit with his hometown club Enniskillen Town Reserves and Derry City Legends.

In fact, only last season Beckett played his part in their Reihill Cup triumph alongside his son, Nathan. And he hopes that he can stay on to be able to play with both his sons and like everyone else can’t wait to get back to the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium in the not too distant future.

Having been to the Lone Moor Road venue already this season, Beckett hopes to get back sooner rather than later and feels that the squad Declan Devine, Paddy McCourt and Co have built, showed great spirit against Finn Harps when despite not playing well they managed to get a point thanks to Adam Liddle’s stoppage time equaliser, however it was their impressive victory over Keith Long’s Bohemians, which impressed Beckett.

He felt that evening Derry were getting back to their old selves and totally dominated the Dubliners at a packed Brandywell.

“That was great and hopefully I will have the experience of playing in the same side as both my boys at some stage,” he confirmed.

“I have been to a few games but yeah like everyone I can’t wait to get back to the Brandywell to watch a bit of football, because then we’ll be back to a bit of normality. I think I have a 99 per cent record of going to games, I think they have lost just one game since I have been going to the Brandywell

“I really enjoyed the Bohs game, because I watched the Harps match on TV and to be honest I think they were very, very lucky that night, I think Decky, like most other teams don’t realise how good a side Harps have and Ollie (Horgan) and Higgsy’s (Paul Hegarty) team played well and probably should have won that night, but to Derry’s credit they never gave up and got a point in the last minute, that spirit and scoring late on is massive for any team, but the Bohs game was very encouraging.

“I thought they were excellent against Bohs, yes I know that was the weekend when Bohs played two games and Derry played one, but regardless of that I thought Derry were just too good for them that night and deserved the win.

“So yeah absolutely 100 per cent, as soon as the football is back I’ll be the first one in the door at the Brandywell and with a bit of luck the League of Ireland is the only sport on and that will help all the clubs, but yeah I’m looking forward to going back to the Brandywell, which to be honest I always do, but especially this next time, because of the way things are at the minute.”

Brandywell fans’ favourite Beckett admits he isn’t shocked that his old boss Stephen Kenny, has got the Ireland job.

Beckett, who played under the Dubliner for two years, always knew there was something special about him and that he was an ambitious guy.

The 46-year-old has also warned the current Ireland squad that they better respect their new gaffer and if they don’t then they’ll probably be sitting in the stand watching games.

“No I’m not surprised Stephen is the new Ireland manager,” he explained.

“You could see his ambition the minute he came into the Derry City job and when he went to Dunfermline, because he wasn’t settling for just that and I would say Dunfermline was just another stepping stone.

“For him to get this job, is probably fantastic for the League of Ireland, more than anything else and deservedly so. I’m hoping and praying that he does really, really well.

“I’m also hoping and praying that the professionals will respect him and I’ll tell you what they better respect him, because if they don’t, then they won’t be playing.

“I have seen players in our dressing room fall out with him and they have never played again. They said the wrong thing at the wrong time and they didn’t play another game for Derry City.

“When he spoke, you listened, because if you didn’t well you were possibly in trouble and thankfully I listened to him,” concluded the former striker.

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