Brother of women’s football manager Matt Beard urges ‘be more thoughtful’

The brother of former Liverpool women’s football manager Matt Beard has called for his death to act as a lesson to “be more thoughtful” as hundreds gathered for his funeral.

The 47-year-old coach, who died last month, was remembered at the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral service on Friday, which was attended by around 600 people.

The congregation included former Liverpool player Ian Rush, former England internationals Casey Stoney, Lianne Sanderson and Fara Williams, Arsenal players Olivia Smith and Taylor Hinds and Manchester United women’s manager Marc Skinner.

Players lined the central aisle of the church and many wiped tears from their eyes as Mr Beard’s coffin, adorned with two Liverpool scarves, was carried in.

In a eulogy, Mr Beard’s brother Mark Beard said: “Please, please, please let Matt’s passing be a lesson to us all. We’re all human, so be more thoughtful.”

He added: “He didn’t deserve to feel like he did.”

He said his brother had “never looked back” after moving to coach the women’s game and was one of the “most inspirational managers”.

He said: “He made everyone he came across a better person.”

Mark Beard said away from football, Mr Beard’s life was his family.

“They were his driving force and everything he did was for them,” he said.

He thanked Mr Beard’s “beloved” Liverpool Football Club and said his brother, who also managed Millwall, Chelsea and West Ham women’s teams, had made the club and the city his home.

Thanking staff at the Countess of Chester Hospital who treated Mr Beard, he said: “I’ve never seen a team as incredible as them.”

Hymns including Jerusalem and Abide With Me were sung and Liverpool scarves were held aloft by members of the congregation as the service ended with a performance of You’ll Never Walk Alone.

Speaking after the service, Stoney, head coach of the Canadian women’s team, said people had travelled far and wide to pay their respects to a “wonderful man”.

She said: “He’s left a real mark on the world and on people and I think you could see that today and obviously it’s devastating for his family and his friends and everyone that knew him, but I think you could really feel the love today.”

Stoney added: “I think the biggest impact I hope people take from this is that we’re all human and we all need help sometimes and we all need to talk and I hope people start taking the time to get out of their busy lives and reach out. I wish I had done more of that.

“Also to ask for help when you need it because, you know, it’s sad that it takes this and if he would have seen the amount of people in there I think he would have been hopefully making a different decision.”

Natasha Dowie, who played under Mr Beard at Charlton, Liverpool and in America, said: “People have flown from all over the world to be here today and I think that says it all.

“How will Matt be remembered? A cheeky smile, someone who made you laugh, a twinkle in his eyes, an ‘alright darling’, a big hug which made you feel like a million dollars.

“He was a father figure to me, a friend and I was very lucky to have played under him four times. We’ll make sure, as a family, his family are looked after and he won’t be forgotten, absolutely won’t be forgotten.”

Football commentator Jacqui Oatley said she first met Mr Beard when he was working as an estate agent as well as being assistant manager at Charlton.

She said: “He believed that this game could become something really special.

“It has become that, there’s a long way to go, it’s going to grow legs and fly so much more around the world, I’m just so sad that Matt’s not going to be here to see that.

“I personally feel he deserved better in terms of the opportunities that he was given in his career. I can’t help but feel that edge today.”

Mr Beard left Liverpool earlier this year, becoming head coach of Burnley for a short time before resigning.

Following his death, tributes took place at Liverpool men’s and women’s games, with fans at Liverpool Women’s League Cup tie against Sunderland on September 24 singing “Matt Beard’s mighty Reds” in the 13th and 14th minutes, a reference to the years when he led the club to back-to-back Women’s Super League titles.