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Hundreds attend ex-Liverpool manager Beard’s funeral

By in News, Sports News
PA Media
Neil Johnston

BBC Sport journalist at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral

The great and the good of women’s football were among hundreds of mourners who said an emotional farewell to former Liverpool manager Matt Beard at his funeral service.

Beard, who led the Reds to successive Women’s Super League titles in 2013 and 2014, died on 20 September at the age of 47.

The Beard family and friends were joined by leading figures from across women’s football, including United States boss Emma Hayes, for the mass at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral.

“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.”

He added: “Matt had a beautiful soul and a one-in-a-million personality. He always found a way to make you laugh and smile.”

Beard’s wife, Debbie, children Harry and Ellie, step-son Scott, and mother Margaret were joined at the service by Liverpool’s first-team squad, along with manager Gareth Taylor and his coaching staff, and sporting director Richard Hughes.

Liverpool legend Ian Rush pictured at the funeral of former Liverpool's Women's boss Matt Beard at Liverpool Metropolitan CathedralPA Media

There were several former Liverpool players from Beard’s title-winning sides, including Natasha Dowie and Fara Williams. Ian Rush, Liverpool’s all-time leading scorer, was also present along with ex-Reds and England goalkeeper Chris Kirkland.

Dowie said he was like a father figure to her. She told BBC Sport: “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.

“We’ll make sure as a family, his family are looked after and he won’t be forgotten, absolutely won’t be forgotten.”

Manchester United boss Marc Skinner, Canada boss and ex-Liverpool player Casey Stoney and former England forward Lianne Sanderson were among those in attendance.

Stoney told BBC Sport: “You can see from the turnout and the amount of people that have travelled far and wide to come and pay their respects and show their love to a wonderful man [how respected he was]. He was kind, funny, caring, cheeky.”

Also present were Arsenal’s former Liverpool players Olivia Smith – women’s football’s first £1m player – and Taylor Hinds, who played for the Gunners in Portugal on Thursday against Benfica in the Champions League.

Many at the service wore red after Beard’s family invited fans to attend wearing football shirts or casual clothes.

    • 21 September
    • 21 September
    • 29 September

Richard Elliott and his daughter Anna travelled from Brampton, near Carlisle, to be at the service.

“He was the nicest bloke ever who always made time to speak to fans,” said Richard.

“When he learned where we travelled from to watch Liverpool games home and away, he’d say: ‘Wow, it’s you again!

“Before one game he took my daughter’s scarf into the the dressing room to get it signed.”

Another fan, Fiona Wedgner-Thorpe, who attended the service after travelling to Durham to watch Liverpool win 2-1 in a Women’s League Cup tie on Thursday, described Beard as a “trailblazer”.

“He gave everything to the women’s game. He was so giving to the fans.”

Beard was being laid to rest in a private ceremony and invited guests were heading to Anfield for a reception.

The order of service at the funeral of former Liverpool boss Matt Beard

An inquest into Beard’s death was opened and adjourned on 29 September.

At the hearing in Ruthin, North Wales, coroner John Gittins said paramedics were called to Beard’s home in Flintshire after he was found hanged. Beard was taken to hospital in Chester, where he died at 21:15 BST on 20 September.

Beard’s family requested that instead of flowers, gestures of remembrance be made through donations to a mental health charity.

In Liverpool’s first game after Beard’s passing, a 5-0 Women’s League Cup win over Sunderland on 24 September, one banner read: ‘Liverpool was made for Matt and Matt was made for Liverpool.’

A fundraiser to support his family organised by journalist Jacqui Oatley has raised more than £61,000.

Related topics

  • Football
  • Women’s Football

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I’m a first-time mum and this hands-free breast pump is a dream for pain-free feeding

By in Entertainment News, News

As a first-time mum I’ve been looking for ways to make feeding time easier, and this hands-free warming breast pump has been pain-free and easy to use on the go

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As any new mum knows, you can often be inundated with advice, social media adverts and a constant stream of what you should buy and shouldn’t. So when my sister, Miranda-Alix, was awaiting the birth of her first child, she decided to put Eufy’s brand new wearable smart breast pump – the S1 Pro to the test to see whether it lived up to expectations.

The breast pump claims to be the world ’s first warming wearable breast pump for extra comfort and milk, which offers hospital-grade performance and suction, designed to fit all nipple sizes. For British mums that have given birth in a UK NHS hospital, you’ll be privy to the joys of using a pump which is similar to high Street brand Calypso. These pumps are incredibly effective in terms of suction measurement and speed, however the suction edges can be uncomfortable against the breast, and the design doesn’t always live up to expectations.

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The Eufy S1 Pro

What we love

  • Comfortable for daily wear on delicate and sensitive-prone skin
  • Stylish design including portable charging case lasts up to 5 days
  • Speedy pumping
  • Easy decanting
  • Heated for comfort and encouragement of milk production

What we don’t

  • Not completely discrete under clothing

As soon as she started using the S1 Pro, my sister was very impressed by the sleek and compatible size, not to mention the design of the product which was easy to pack away and use, which was quite a high priority for her. She compared both the hospital pump she was given and the Eufy which comes in at £269.99 from eufy.com and was incredibly impressed at the ease of use, speed pumping, effective pumping, sound, size and great design.

The soft silicone edges glide smoothly across the skin with absolutely no friction whatsoever, with the exception of the gummy surface which helps with skin to skin connection. No leaks here! With this comes a modern, almost futuristic design.

The design of the S1 Pro even stretches to the beautiful carry case which you could easily carry off as a stylish clutch. The carry case is also its charging port, which you charge up using a USB charge for convenience then retains power for up to 5 days making it easy to use on the go.

Miranda-Alix’s thoughts

As a new mum of a baby boy Kai, I have been using the Eufy S1 Pro day and night between feeds to express milk in an attempt to exclusively breastfeed. Whether or not you want to combine this with formula feeding too, it is an absolute dream in terms of getting the milk at any time of the day while seated, moving around or doing anything that I need to do.

I have been using the Eufy S1 Pro since returning home and followed all the setup which took me less than 30 mins, and within that time-frame I was able to use it right away. I tested the pump initially feeding on the other breast and using one pump, as they individually turned on and off.

I individually adjusted to suction strength and also heat level to get to the right level for me, and I tested with both inside multiple differing bras, all of which had no issues other than being slightly visible underneath clothing. This electric pump can be worn under any maternity bra with complete access to the controls on the top of the pump.

These are subtle and easy to use and take up little to no space whilst still having the capacity to collect a good and generous amount of milk. The Eufy S1 Pro has hospital grade suction capability, so you’re able to withdraw as much milk as you can produce, then without even taking the pump apart you can simply pour from the top into storage or a bottle to save for later.

All of this can be tracked in the app alongside. The app is a little bit fiddly if you aren’t used to it, but you get used to it very quickly and before you know it becomes second-nature to have it up. You can see how the product is working, the charge levels of the device, and personalise everything for a tailored-to-you experience.

Final verdict

The price tag is hefty compared to other brands such as the Momcozy All-in-one M5 Wearable Breast Pump which is a little easier on the bank balance. However, if you’re going to invest over £100 in a pump, the added 5 day portable charge, heated capability and the low decibel sound of the Eufy S1 Pro is worth the bigger price tag in my opinion.

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I would say it is definitely possible to exclusively breastfeed if wanted with ease and speedy milk delivery. The Eufy S1 Pro would be your best bet at trying to do so, and that is coming from a first-time mum who is sceptical about products being offered to her constantly.

Guardiola unsure when Rodri will return from injury

By in News, Sports News
Getty Images

Shamoon Hafez

Manchester City reporter

Midfielder Rodri will miss Saturday’s Premier League game against Everton because of injury and manager Pep Guardiola does not know when he will return.

Rodri, 29, said he “felt a little bit in the hamstring” after limping off just 22 minutes into the victory at Brentford before the international break.

The Spaniard won the 2024 men’s Ballon d’Or – awarded to the best footballer of the year – but missed most of last season after sustaining a serious knee injury one month into the campaign.

He returned to action in the penultimate game of the season against Bournemouth and featured at the Club World Cup, but Guardiola said in August he had suffered an injury setback.

Rodri missed the opening game of this season against Wolves and though he has featured seven times for City in all competitions, Guardiola said the club have “tried to be gentle” with the player, who has completed 90 minutes just twice this term.

Guardiola has ‘unfinished business’

Guardiola joined City in 2016 and is approaching a decade at the club in which he has claimed six Premier League titles, the Champions League and two FA Cups.

He is also the English top-flight’s current longest serving manager, coming up against Everton boss David Moyes who has taken charge of more than 700 Premier League matches.

City are on a run of seven unbeaten games in all competitions and are aiming to put right the disappointment of last season, which saw them end a campaign without winning a major trophy for the first time in eight years.

“I still have the feeling that I have the energy to help the players make a better season than last season,” said Guardiola. “This is my target.

“I never sit here in November saying we’re going to win this or this. I don’t know what is going to happen against Everton, but before the international break we were far away from the top of the league and now we are closer.

“We want to arrive in competitions being close. That is the target I have and I see things that we are doing much better than last season, and every game we are better and better.

Related topics

  • Premier League
  • Manchester City
  • Football

Clashes erupt in Bangladesh’s Dhaka in protests over govt’s new charter

By in News, World News

Police have fired tear gas and used grenades and batons to disperse protesters gathered outside Bangladesh’s national Parliament complex to express dissatisfaction with the interim government’s new political charter.

The charter was drafted more than a year after Gen Z demonstrations that led to former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s removal.

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Bangladesh’s most powerful political parties signed the charter on Friday aimed at ensuring democratic reform after next year’s elections, but celebrations by the government led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus were muted after one party refused to sign and by the clashes on the capital’s streets.

The clashes broke out after several hundred people, who described themselves as those whose protests toppled Hasina, started demonstrating on Friday. They were expressing anger that their concerns had not been addressed in the new charter, despite their loved ones dying during the mass uprisings against Hasina, who fled to exile in India.

Some protesters vandalised a police vehicle and makeshift tents, while others clashed with soldiers and security officials in the capital Dhaka. Witnesses said several people were injured.

The interim government, headed by Yunus, had invited the country’s main political parties to sign a new political charter to pave the way for a number of political reforms.

The “July National Charter”, named after the national uprisings that started last July, outlines a roadmap for constitutional amendments, legal changes and the enactment of new laws.

A National Consensus Commission formed by the Yunus government prepared the charter after a series of talks with the major political parties, except Hasina’s Awami League party.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party, headed by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, and eight like-minded parties said they would sign the charter.

Hasina’s rule saw widespread human rights abuses, including mass detentions and extrajudicial killings of her political opponents.

Protests against Hasina’s rule began on July 1, 2024, with university students calling for changes to a quota system for public sector jobs. They culminated on August 5, 2024, when thousands of protesters stormed Hasina’s palace as she escaped by helicopter to India, where she remains in exile.

She has defied court orders to attend her ongoing trial on charges amounting to crimes against humanity. The United Nations has said up to 1,400 people may have been killed in the weeks-long uprising last year.

Yunus has promised to hold the next national election in February, before the Muslim-majority nation of 170 million people celebrates the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. But questions remain whether the election would be inclusive without Hasina’s party and its allies in the race.

How many times has the US struck Venezuelan vessels?

By in News, World News

On Thursday, the United States military carried out its latest strike on an alleged Venezuela drug smuggling vessel, as the admiral overseeing the Trump administration’s controversial campaign in the Caribbean Sea announced his early departure.

Officials did not offer additional details about the incident, in which they said there were some survivors — unlike the previous boat bombings.

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US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth posted on X that Admiral Alvin Holsey of the Southern Command would be retiring at the end of the year, less than a year into the post, which is usually three years long.

The latest attack on a boat came a day after United States President Donald Trump confirmed that he authorised the CIA to carry out secret operations in Venezuela and suggested that he was mulling a land attack, too.

Trump told a reporter that he authorised the CIA to go into Venezuela because there are “a lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela, and a lot of the Venezuelan drugs come in through the sea, so you get to see that, but we’re going to stop them by land also”.

In a TV address on Wednesday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro cautioned against further escalation, objecting to “failed regime changes … carried out by the CIA”.

So, how many Venezuelan boats has the US struck so far, how deadly have they been, and what troops has the Trump administration sent to the Caribbean Sea as it threatens the Maduro government in Venezuela?

How many vessels have been attacked so far?

The US has carried out at least six strikes on boats in Venezuelan waters since the start of September, killing some 27 people, after allegations that they were carrying narcotics.

However, the Trump administration has failed to provide evidence that the targeted boats were carrying narcotics bound for the US.

(Al Jazeera)

September 2

The US military killed 11 people in a strike on a vessel from Venezuela allegedly carrying illegal narcotics, Trump said on September 2. It was the first known operation since the US’s deployment of warships to the southern Caribbean.

Trump shared aerial footage of the bombing on his Truth Social account, stating, “Earlier this morning, on my Orders, U.S. Military Forces conducted a kinetic strike against positively identified Tren de Aragua Narcoterrorists in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility. TDA is a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, operating under the control of Nicolas Maduro, responsible for mass murder, drug trafficking, sex trafficking, and acts of violence and terror across the United States and Western Hemisphere.”

September 15

On September 15, Trump confirmed that three people had been killed by a US military strike on another Venezuelan vessel. He took to his Truth Social account to say that the operation had positively identified drug trafficking cartels. The post was accompanied by a video which appeared to show the boat exploding on the water.

September 19

This marked the third fatal attack on a vessel allegedly smuggling drugs. Trump posted on social media that the strike had killed three people who were affiliated with a designated terrorist organisation.

October 3

On October 3, the US government confirmed that four people had been killed when its forces destroyed a boat allegedly involved in drug trafficking on the high seas not far from Venezuela.

October 14

In its latest operation, the US killed six people on board a boat in international waters near the Venezuelan coast, Trump confirmed on social media on Tuesday.

In his post, he wrote, “Intelligence confirmed the vessel was trafficking narcotics, was associated with illicit narcoterrorist networks, and was transiting along a known route for smuggling.”

October 16

In Thursday’s attack on the suspected drug vessel, there were survivors, unlike the previous strikes. Unlike previous attacks on boats, US officials have not posted photos of the attack.

It is unclear whether US forces offered medical help to the survivors, whether they were captured, or where they are now.

Is the US breaking international law?

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said the maritime strikes amount to “extrajudicial killings”.

“US officials cannot summarily kill people they accuse of smuggling drugs,” said Sarah Yager, Washington director at HRW. “The problem of narcotics entering the United States is not an armed conflict, and US officials cannot circumvent their human rights obligations by pretending otherwise.”

The use of military force against foreign ships in international waters is considered unlawful unless a clear legal exception applies. In a letter to Congress on September 4 Trump cited the right to self-defence as justification for the US’s actions at sea.

Coastal countries like Venezuela control the waters within 12 nautical miles (22km) of their shores, known as territorial waters, where they have full sovereignty. Beyond that, they can claim up to 200 nautical miles (370km) as an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

Under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), all states enjoy freedom of navigation and overflight on the high seas, which lie beyond any nation’s control. Ships there fall under the jurisdiction of the country whose flag they fly, except when involved in piracy or other illegal acts.

INTERACTIVE-Exclusive economic zone - SEPTEMBER 9, 2025_1-1758784351
(Al Jazeera)

Where are US ships deployed?

In August, Washington started deploying warships just outside Venezuelan waters.

On August 14, the US Fleet Forces Command published a news release stating sailors and Marines assigned to the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group had departed from Norfolk, Virginia and Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

According to the latest United States Southern Command – one of 11 unified combatant commands of the Department of Defense responsible for Latin America, Central America, the Caribbean, and surrounding waters – various strike packages and naval assets are in proximity to Venezuela.