Former Liverpool Women’s manager Matt Beard died in hospital after being found hanged at his home, an inquest in North Wales has heard.
The 47-year-old was discovered by paramedics at his residence in Deeside, Flintshire, and taken to hospital in Chester, where he was pronounced dead shortly after 9pm on September 20. The hearing was adjourned for a full inquest to be held at a later date.
Beard, who leaves behind his wife and two children, had spent his entire professional career in women’s football. He began at Millwall Lionesses in 2008 before moving to Chelsea, and later guided Liverpool to back-to-back Women’s Super League titles in 2013 and 2014. He also managed Boston Breakers in the US, West Ham United Women, taking them to the Women’s FA Cup final in 2019, and Bristol City Women. He returned to Liverpool in 2021, leading the club back into the WSL, before a short spell at Burnley earlier this year.
Tributes have poured in from across the football community. Liverpool FC said in a statement: “Liverpool Football Club is deeply shocked and saddened by the sudden passing of former LFC Women manager Matt Beard. The thoughts of everyone at the club are with Matt’s family and friends at this devastating time. Matt was not only an extremely committed and successful manager, he was also a person of real integrity and warmth.”
Bristol City Women added: “We are deeply shocked and saddened by the passing of former Bristol City Women Manager Matt Beard. All our thoughts are with Matt’s family and friends at this tragic time.”
The Women’s Super League also paid tribute, saying Beard had played “an instrumental role in the growth of women’s football.”
Beard’s son shared a personal message on X following his father’s death: “Never failed to make me laugh, even when having a bad day he always used to say ‘I bet I can make you smile’ and he always did.”
A fundraiser launched to support his family has already raised more than £50,000.
