The family of former Liverpool manager Matt Beard has told a pre-inquest hearing that they believe he was “bullied” by Burnley before his death. Beard, who won back-to-back Women’s Super League titles with Liverpool in 2013 and 2014, died aged 47 on 20 September 2025, just over three weeks after resigning from his role at Burnley.
At the hearing at Ruthin County, Beard’s wife, Debbie Beard, said: “Matt left Burnley not to go to another job, he left Burnley because he wasn’t happy there. Basically, they didn’t allow him to move on. I feel like they bullied him, to be honest.” The family described his exit from Burnley as “the catalyst for a decline in his mental health”.
Beard’s stepson, Scott Beard, raised concerns about the timing of social media posts which he said were “quite damaging” to the manager. The senior coroner, John Gittins, said he would invite Burnley to become an interested person in the proceedings and would seek further evidence from the League Managers Association, which Beard had consulted over his treatment at the club.
A Burnley spokesperson said: “Burnley FC is aware of an ongoing legal process and will not be making any comment at this time.” Beard, who also managed Chelsea and West Ham, died at the Countess of Chester hospital after a hypoxic brain injury. The family has requested that a video recorded by Beard shortly before his death be played in court, with his wife stating: “Matt left that video for a reason. He wanted that to be found and he wanted his voice heard.”
