Hundreds attend ex-Liverpool manager Beard’s funeral

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.

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.

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.

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.