It is unfortunately all too easy to forget that in the turmoil of Liverpool Women’s current season, they are also grieving the loss of Matt Beard, still. The former manager passed away on September 20th,
and family, friends, and fans said farewell on Friday, at the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral.
His achievements were great, winning back to back Women’s Super League titles in 2013 and 2014 and bringing the club back into the modern era by winning promotion from the Championship in 2022. His tireless work for the women’s game helped shaped it in its earliest days into what we see and enjoy now, even if Liverpool are still working to reach the levels he set up for them.
BBC reported that an estimated 600 people joined family and friends in the service to say farewell, including the current first team squad, former players Natasha Dowie and Fara Williams, Gareth Taylor and his staff, US Women’s National Team manager and former Chelsea manager Emma Hayes, Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes, and Ian Rush.
“Please, please, please let Matt’s passing be a lesson to us all,” his brother Mark, the former Millwall and Sheffield United midfielder, said during the service.
“We are only human.”
“Matt had a beautiful soul and a one-in-a-million personality. He always found a way to make you laugh and smile,” he added.
Players that played under Beard formed a guard of honor inside the cathedral as his coffin was brought into the cathedral, carrying red and white scarves and flowers. Even as someone who worked across women’s football, his presence and love for Liverpool was ingrained deeply into his life and the service. His niece Lucy sang “You’ll Never Walk Alone” to end the service, with scarves held aloft by the congregation. Many at the service even wore red at the encouragement of Beard’s family, with attendants being invited to wear football shirts or dress casually.
“He had a cheeky smile, someone that made you laugh, a twinkle in his eyes, an ‘alright darling’, a big hug which made you feel like a million dollars,” Dowie told BBC Sport.
“We’ll make sure as a family, his family are looked after and he won’t be forgotten, absolutely won’t be forgotten.”
Beard was officially laid to rest following the public ceremony with a private ceremony for his family, and a reception at Anfield for invited guests. He spent seven years at Liverpool across two spells with the club, as well as jobs managing Millwall Lionesses, Chelsea, Boston Breakers, West Ham, Bristol City and Burnley.
In lieu of flowers or gifts, Beard’s family requested donations to a mental health charity as gestures of remembrance.
If you or someone you love is struggling, there are resources and supports available to you, wherever you are. You are not alone, and the world is better with you in it.
