Matt Beard
{{Short description|English football manager}}
{{For|other people with similar names|Mat Beard (disambiguation)}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Matt Beard
| image = 20241006-Matt Beard (cropped).jpg
| caption = Beard with Liverpool Women in 2024
| full_name = Matthew Beard{{WorldFootball.net}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1978|1|9|df=yes}}{{Cite web |title=Matt Beard Stats |url=https://footystats.org/managers/england/matt-beard |access-date=2024-11-25 |website=FootyStats |language=en}}
| birth_place = Roehampton, England
| currentclub =
| managerclubs1 = Millwall Lionesses
| manageryears1 = 2008–2009
| managerclubs2 = Chelsea Ladies
| manageryears2 = 2009–2012
| managerclubs3 = Liverpool F.C. Women
| manageryears3 = 2012–2015
| managerclubs4 = Boston Breakers
| manageryears4 = 2016–2017
| managerclubs5 = West Ham United Women
| manageryears5 = 2018–2020
| managerclubs6 = Bristol City Women (interim)
| manageryears6 = 2021
| managerclubs7 = Liverpool F.C. Women
| manageryears7 = 2021–2025
}}
Matthew Beard (born 9 January 1978) is an English professional football manager, who was most recently head coach of FA Women's Super League club Liverpool F.C. Women. He has previously managed West Ham, Chelsea, Boston Breakers, Millwall and Liverpool F.C Women
Coaching career
Beard had his first coaching job as reserve team manager at non-league Kingstonian FC. 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,{{cite news |url=http://www.millwallfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10367~1332735%2C00.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120905165621/http://www.millwallfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10367~1332735%2C00.html |archive-date=5 September 2012 |date=25 June 2008 |title=Lionesses make key appointment |publisher=Millwall F.C.}} Beard went too and succeeded in the Lionesses job when Boanas quit after six months.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2009/jan/25/women-football-tony-leighton-millwall |title=Boanas leaves Millwall to take charge of Estonia |date=26 April 2023 |work=The Guardian |first=Tony |last=Leighton}} 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 2008–09.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2009/oct/18/john-terry-chelsea-womens-football |title=John Terry digs deep to rescue Chelsea Ladies after funding cuts |date=18 October 2009 |access-date=26 April 2023 |work=The Guardian |first=Tony |last=Leighton |archive-date=7 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141107002941/http://www.theguardian.com/football/2009/oct/18/john-terry-chelsea-womens-football |url-status=live }}
= Chelsea Ladies FC =
Beard was named first-team manager of Chelsea Ladies FC for the 2009-10 league campaign on the recommendation of team captain and former player-manager Casey Stoney, who had played for Beard when he was an assistant at Charlton. He remained until 2012, helping guide the club to the 2012 FA Women's Cup Final, the FA Premier League Cup semi-finals, and a third-place finish in the FA National Premier League.{{citation needed|date=November 2015}}
= Liverpool F.C. Women =
He then took a position with Liverpool F.C. Women for the 2013 and 2014 seasons, and was named FA WSL Manager of the Year in 2013 and 2014.{{Cite web |title=Liverpool dominate FA Women's Awards |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/25061165 |publisher=BBC Sport |accessdate=2015-11-10 |archive-date=5 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140105064051/http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/25061165 |url-status=live }} On 22 September 2015, it was announced that Beard was leaving Liverpool F.C. Women, and had accepted a head coaching position with the Boston Breakers.{{Cite web |title=Breakers name Matt Beard as head coach – Boston Breakers |url=http://www.bostonbreakerssoccer.com/NEWS/894857.html |website=www.bostonbreakerssoccer.com |accessdate=2015-11-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304044117/http://www.bostonbreakerssoccer.com/NEWS/894857.html |archive-date=2016-03-04 |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |title=Liverpool Ladies boss Matt Beard to take job in America |url=http://www.skysports.com/football/news/12040/10001618/liverpool-ladies-boss-matt-beard-set-to-take-job-in-america |publisher=Sky Sports |accessdate=2015-11-10}}
= West Ham United FC Women =
On 7 June 2018, he was appointed manager of West Ham United Women.{{Cite web | title = West Ham Ladies appoint former Chelsea & Liverpool coach Matt Beard | publisher = West Ham United F.C. | date = 2018-06-07 | accessdate = 2018-06-09 | url = https://www.whufc.com/news/articles/2018/june/07-june/west-ham-ladies-appoint-former-chelsea-liverpool-coach-matt-beard | archive-date = 12 February 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200212195705/https://www.whufc.com/news/articles/2018/june/07-june/west-ham-ladies-appoint-former-chelsea-liverpool-coach-matt-beard | url-status = live }} In May 2019, he took the club to the FA Cup Final, where they lost 3-0 to Manchester City at Wembley.{{Cite news|title=Man City beat West Ham to win FA Cup|language=en-GB|work=BBC Sport|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48108907|access-date=2020-11-19|archive-date=8 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108015521/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48108907|url-status=live}} On 19 November 2020, Beard and West Ham agreed on his departure from the club by mutual consent.{{Cite web|title=West Ham United Women's statement | West Ham United|url=https://www.whufc.com/news/articles/2020/november/19-november/west-ham-united-womens-statement|access-date=2020-11-19|website=www.whufc.com|language=en}}
= Liverpool F.C. Women =
On 13 May 2021 it was announced Beard was appointed manager of Liverpool F.C. Women, and would return 6 years since he left.{{cite news |title= Matt Beard appointed Liverpool FC Women manager |url= https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/women/434001-matt-beard-appointed-liverpool-fc-women-manager |access-date= 13 May 2021 |publisher= Liverpool FC |date= 13 May 2021 |archive-date= 8 May 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220508214543/https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/women/434001-matt-beard-appointed-liverpool-fc-women-manager |url-status= live }} 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.{{cite web |title=WSL side Liverpool sack manager Beard |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c0rzz5rwrlno |website=BBC Sport |access-date=27 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250227103817/https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c0rzz5rwrlno |archive-date=27 February 2025 |date=27 February 2025}}{{cite web|url=https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/liverpool-fc-parts-company-matt-beard|title=Liverpool FC parts company with Matt Beard|website=Liverpool F.C.|date=27 February 2025|access-date=27 February 2025|archive-date=27 February 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250227102728/https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/liverpool-fc-parts-company-matt-beard|url-status=live}}
Managerial statistics
{{updated|16 February 2025}}{{cite web |title=Matt Beard Manager Stats |url=https://footystats.org/managers/england/matt-beard |publisher=FootyStats |access-date=26 April 2023}}{{cite web |title=Matt Beard |url=https://nr.soccerway.com/coaches/matt-beard/291197/ |publisher=Soccerway |access-date=26 April 2021 |archive-date=27 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210427090600/https://nr.soccerway.com/coaches/matt-beard/291197/ |url-status=live }}
All competitive games (league, domestic and continental cups) are included.
| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
|+ Managerial record by team and tenure |
| rowspan=2 | Club
! rowspan=2 | {{abbr|Nat.|Nation of club}} ! rowspan=2 | From ! rowspan=2 | To ! colspan=7 | Record |
|---|
| {{abbr|P|Matches played}}
! {{abbr|W|Matches won}} ! {{abbr|D|Matches drawn}} ! {{abbr|L|Matches lost}} ! {{abbr|Win %|Win percentage}} |
| align=left | Millwall
| align=left | {{flagicon|ENG}} | align=left | 2009 | align=left | 2009 {{WDL|16|12|2|2|}} |
| align=left | Chelsea
| align=left | {{flagicon|ENG}} | align=left | 2009 | align=left | 2012 {{WDL|61|33|8|20|}} |
| align=left | Liverpool
| align=left | {{flagicon|ENG}} | align=left | 2013 | align=left | 2016 {{WDL|58|32|7|19|for=|against=}} |
| align=left | Boston Breakers
| align=left | {{flagicon|USA}} | align=left | 2016 | align=left | 2017 {{WDL|44|7|9|28|for=|against=}} |
| align=left | West Ham United
| align=left | {{flagicon|ENG}} | align=left | 2018 | align=left | 2020 {{WDL|70|24|10|36|for=|against=}} |
| align=left | Bristol City
| align=left | {{flagicon|ENG}} | align=left | 2021 | align=left | 2021 {{WDL|15|3|4|8|}} |
| align=left | Liverpool
| align=left | {{flagicon|ENG}} | align=left | 2021 | align=left | 2025 {{WDL|103|50|19|34|for=|against=}} |
| colspan=4 | Total
{{WDLtot|367|161|59|147|for=|against=}} |
Personal life
Beard and his wife, Debbie, have two children. Beard also has a step-son Scott Hastings from Debbie's first marriage. Scott is a football coach for Chelsea FC. Beard has an older brother, Mark Beard who played professionally for Millwall, Sheffield United and Southend. {{Cite web |title=Coaching Staff – Boston Breakers |url=http://www.bostonbreakerssoccer.com/ABOUT/COACHING/index_E.html |website=www.bostonbreakerssoccer.com |accessdate=2015-11-10 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117021038/http://www.bostonbreakerssoccer.com/ABOUT/COACHING/index_E.html |archivedate=2015-11-17 }}
Honours
Liverpool Women
- FA Women's Super League: 2012–13, 2013–14
- FA Women's Championship: 2021–22{{Cite web |last=McVitie |first=Peter |date=3 April 2022 |title=Liverpool win Championship to book return to Women's Super League |url=https://www.goal.com/en/news/liverpool-win-championship-to-book-return-to-women-s-super/bltd3243753212200f9 |access-date=16 August 2022 |website=Goal |archive-date=16 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220816172251/https://www.goal.com/en/news/liverpool-win-championship-to-book-return-to-women-s-super/bltd3243753212200f9 |url-status=live }}
Individual
- FA WSL Manager of the Season: 2013,{{cite web |last=Magowan |first=Alistair |date=22 November 2013 |title=Liverpool dominate 2013 FA Women's Awards |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/25061165 |access-date=16 August 2022 |website=BBC Sport}} 2023–24{{cite web |last1=Price |first1=Glenn |title=Matt Beard named WSL Manager of the Season at LMA Awards |url=https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/matt-beard-named-wsl-manager-season-lma-awards |website=Liverpool F.C. |date=21 May 2024 |access-date=22 May 2024 |archive-date=22 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240522001030/https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/matt-beard-named-wsl-manager-season-lma-awards |url-status=live }}
- LMA FA Women's Championship Manager of the Year: 2022{{Cite web |title=Liverpool FC — Matt Beard wins FA Women's Championship Manager of the Year |url=https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/matt-beard-wins-fa-womens-championship-manager-year |access-date=2022-08-16 |website=www.liverpoolfc.com |language=en}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- [https://www.liverpoolfc.com/team/womens/staff/matt-beard Matt Beard] at Liverpool F.C. Women
- {{Sports links}}
{{Liverpool F.C. Women squad}}
{{Women's Super League Manager of the Season}}
{{Navboxes
| title = Managerial positions
| list =
{{Bristol City W.F.C. managers}}
{{Boston Breakers managers}}
{{Chelsea F.C. Women managers}}
{{West Ham United F.C. Women managers}}
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Beard, Matt}}
Category:People from Roehampton
Category:Sportspeople from the London Borough of Wandsworth
Category:English football managers
Category:Women's Super League managers
Category:National Women's Soccer League head coaches
Category:Boston Breakers head coaches
Category:Liverpool F.C. Women managers
Category:Chelsea F.C. Women managers
Category:Expatriate soccer coaches in the United States
Category:English expatriate football managers