Former Liverpool Women manager Matt Beard passes away aged 47

Former Liverpool Women manager Matt Beard has died at the age of 47.

Beard first joined Liverpool Women in 2012 and helped guide the club to back-to-back Women’s Super League titles in 2013 and 2014, and oversaw the club during its first ever Champions League campaign.

He left in 2015 for the USA and later rejoined the club in 2021. At the first time of asking, he took Liverpool back to the topflight by emphatically finishing first in the Championship.

Beard was instrumental in Liverpool re-establishing themselves in the topflight and only left the club in February.

Liverpool announced the devastating news of his passing on Saturday evening, saying 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, who will always be remembered with genuine fondness by everyone he worked with at the club.

As well as taking charge of Liverpool, Beard also led the Boston Breakers in the US, West Ham United Women, Bristol City Women and most recently Burnley Women.

Beard championed women’s football and played a significant role in its growth, not only with Liverpool but across two different continents.

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