A pre-inquest hearing concerning the death of former Liverpool manager Matt Beard has heard that his family believes he was bullied by Burnley prior to his death. Beard, who secured back-to-back Women's Super League titles with Liverpool in 2013 and 2014, managed Burnley from June to August 2025 before resigning. He died on 20 September 2025 at the age of 47.
Family Testimony
Debbie Beard, his wife, stated that her husband's exit from Burnley was the catalyst for a decline in his mental health. She remarked: '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.'
His stepson, Scott Beard, expressed concerns during the inquest review about the timing of social media posts that he described as quite damaging to the manager.
Legal Proceedings
Senior coroner John Gittins indicated that he would invite Burnley to become an interested person in the proceedings. He also stated that he would seek further evidence from the League Managers Association (LMA), which Beard reportedly consulted regarding his treatment at Burnley.
A spokesperson for Burnley, who achieved promotion to the second tier of English women's football this season, said: 'Burnley FC is aware of an ongoing legal process and will not be making any comment at this time.'
Final Moments
The hearing at Ruthin County was informed that Beard died at the Countess of Chester hospital due to a hypoxic brain injury. The BBC reported that Beard's family requested a video recorded by Beard shortly before his death to be played in court. His wife added: 'Matt left that video for a reason. He wanted that to be found and he wanted his voice heard.'
Beard, who was posthumously inducted into the WSL Hall of Fame in April, had a second spell at Liverpool until February 2025. He also previously managed Chelsea and West Ham.
