Matt Beard

Matthew Beard (9 January 1978 – 20 September 2025) was an English professional football coach. Active primarily in women's football, he managed Millwall, Chelsea, Liverpool, Boston Breakers, West Ham United, Bristol City, and Burnley.

In April 2026, it was announced that Beard had been posthumously named to the WSL Hall of Fame.

Career Early career and Millwall Lionesses Beard had his first coaching job as reserve team manager at non-league Kingstonian. He then had coaching stints at Tooting & Mitcham, Hampton & Richmond Borough, and Charlton Athletic Ladies. After Keith Boanas moved to Millwall Lionesses in June 2008, Beard went too and succeeded in the Lionesses job when Boanas quit after six months. In Beard's first fledgling steps in management, he guided the team to the FA Women's Premier League Southern Division title and promotion to the top tier in the 2008–09 season.

Chelsea Ladies Beard was named first-team manager of Chelsea Ladies for the 2009–10 season on the recommendation of team captain and former player-manager Casey Stoney, who had played for Beard when he was an assistant at Charlton. the FA Premier League Cup semi-finals in 2009, and a third-place finish in the FA Women's Premier League National Division at the end of the 2009–10 season.

Liverpool Women and Boston Breakers Beard then took a position with Liverpool Women for the 2013 and 2014 seasons, and was named FA Women's Super League Manager of the Year in 2013 and 2014. On 22 September 2015, it was announced that he was leaving Liverpool, and had accepted a head coaching position with the Boston Breakers.

West Ham United Women On 7 June 2018, Beard was appointed manager of West Ham United Women. In May 2019, he took the club to the FA Cup final, where they lost 3–0 to Manchester City at Wembley. On 19 November 2020, Beard and West Ham agreed on his departure from the club by mutual consent.

Return to Liverpool Women On 13 May 2021, it was announced Beard was re-appointed manager of Liverpool Women, and would return six years after he left. He won the FA Women's Championship with them by the end of the season.

On 27 February 2025, it was announced that Beard had departed Liverpool with immediate effect.

Burnley Women On 19 June 2025, it was announced that Beard had taken over as head coach of Burnley Women. On 27 August 2025, after two months in the role, Burnley announced that he had resigned with immediate effect, as he wanted to pursue other opportunities.

Personal life and death Beard was born in Roehampton on 9 January 1978. He and his wife, Debbie, had two children. Beard also had a stepson from his wife's first marriage, who was a youth coach for Chelsea for over 10 years. Beard's older brother Mark Beard played professionally for Millwall, Sheffield United and Southend United.

Beard died on 20 September 2025, at the age of 47. At a coroner's court hearing into his death held on 29 September the court was informed that Beard had been found hanged in his home in Deeside, Flintshire, and that he had died in hospital in Chester later the same day. The inquest concluded that Beard had taken his own life.

Managerial statistics

All competitive games (league, domestic and continental cups) are included.

+ Managerial record by team and tenure Club From To Record Millwall 2009 2009 Chelsea 2009 2012 Liverpool 2013 2016 Boston Breakers 2016 2017 West Ham United 2018 2020 Bristol City 2021 2021 Liverpool 2021 2025 Total

Honours Liverpool Women FA Women's Super League: 2012–13, 2013–14 FA Women's Championship: 2021–22 WSL Hall of Fame: inducted April 2026 2023–24 LMA FA Women's Championship Manager of the Year: 2022