He rejoined Mansfield in July 2005, but did not play regularly in his one-and-a-half-year stay, and was loaned out to Conference National club Rushden & Diamonds in January 2007.

Beardsley joined York City in June 2007, but suffered a broken jaw in a match against Grays Athletic, and failed to establish himself in the team.

[5] Beardsley played junior football for Mickleover Sports[6] and aged 11 joined the youth system of hometown club Derby County, where he stayed for five years.

[5] He missed the second year of his scholarship from a double stress fracture in his back, but within six months of returning to full training[8] made his first-team debut aged 18 as a 57th-minute substitute in a 1–0 away defeat to Brentford on 28 December 2002.

[30] His 2005–06 season came to an end during a 3–2 home defeat to local rivals Notts County on 29 August 2005, when he collided with goalkeeper Kevin Pilkington and broke his leg.

[33] As he was not playing regularly for Mansfield, Beardsley joined Conference National club Rushden & Diamonds on 19 January 2007 on a one-month loan.

[35][36] Having helped Rushden move up the table with two goals from three matches,[37] he signed for the club permanently on 31 January 2007 on a one-and-a-half-year contract on a free transfer.

[40] Beardsley was signed by Conference Premier club York City on 19 June 2007, to provide competition for Richard Brodie, Craig Farrell and Onome Sodje.

[43] Despite struggling for a place in the team, Beardsley turned down a loan move to Conference North club Tamworth in September 2007, in order to prove his worth at York.

[44] He suffered a broken jaw in two places during York's 2–0 away win over Grays Athletic on 22 September 2007, after being elbowed by Jamie Stuart in an off-the-ball incident, which was likely to rule Beardsley out for at least three months.

[42] To aid his return from injury, Beardsley joined Conference North club Kettering Town on 31 December 2007 on a one-month loan.

[48] He made an immediate impact, scoring two goals in a 6–1 home win over Solihull Moors a day later, after which he was praised in the Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph for a "magnificent debut performance".

[58] Only weeks after returning, he entered Kettering's 4–2 home loss to Premier League team Fulham in the FA Cup on 24 January 2009 as a 73rd-minute substitute.

[67] Beardsley's goal tally reached double figures when he scored twice in a 5–1 away win over Kidderminster in the FA Trophy semi-final first leg on 13 March 2010.

[68] His 2009–10 season was successful, with Beardsley scoring 10 times from 45 appearances[65] as Stevenage won promotion to League Two after winning the Conference Premier championship.

[70] He made his first appearance of the 2010–11 season in Stevenage's first ever Football League fixture, coming on as a 60th-minute substitute in a 2–2 home draw against Macclesfield Town on 7 August 2010.

[73] Beardsley suffered a dislocated shoulder in Stevenage's 1–0 home loss to Brentford in the Football League Trophy on 31 August 2010, consequently ruling him out of the team for six weeks.

[71] Beardsley's goal was scored in the 90th minute with a shot into the bottom left corner, having come on as a 77th-minute substitute, and ensured Stevenage won the tie 3–0 on aggregate.

[71] Beardsley made his first appearance of the 2011–12 season as a 95th-minute substitute in a 4–3 extra-time defeat at home to Peterborough United in the League Cup, scoring Stevenage's third goal with a header on 117 minutes, although they lost 4–3.

[86] Beardsley signed for League One club Preston North End on 12 August 2012 on a free transfer, linking up again with manager Graham Westley.

[87] Beardsley made his Preston debut in a 2–0 home win over Huddersfield Town in the League Cup on 14 August 2012,[88] assisting the club's second goal of the match, with his low cross being scored by Nicky Wroe.

[88][90] Beardsley scored one further goal that month,[88] heading in Jeffrey Monakana's cross on 64 minutes as Preston came from behind to beat Yeovil Town 3–2 at home.

[96] Having failed to make an appearance for Preston at the start of the 2013–14 season, Beardsley joined League Two club Bristol Rovers on a one-month loan on 31 October 2013.

[105][106] He missed the start of the 2014–15 season through injury,[107] and only made his debut on 16 September 2014 as a starter in Stevenage's 2–1 away defeat to Bury, in which he was substituted on 62 minutes.

[118] Beardsley played as a striker, and was described by his Stevenage teammate Mark Roberts as the "perfect man to lead the line", because of his work ethic.

[123] On 30 August 2023, Beardsley's imminent departure from Burton Albion was announced with him set to take up a role as a talent coach with FIFA in the Caribbean, based in Aruba on a two-year contract from 9 September.