Former Liverpool manager Matt Beard died by suicide, coroner told
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Ex-Liverpool manager Matt Beard died at the age of 47 (Picture: Getty) Former Liverpool women manager Matt Beard was found hanged at his home in north Wales, a coroner’s court hearing has been told. Beard, who led Liverpool to back-to-back Women’s Super League titles in 2013 and 2014, died on September 20 at the age of 47.
Get personalised updates on Liverpool every day Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro’s Football Newsletter. A minute’s silence was held in tribute to Beard before all WSL fixtures on Sunday, while Liverpool’s match against Aston Villa was postponed.
A minute’s silence was held in tribute to Beard in the WSL (Picture: Getty) Manchester United women manager Marc Skinner described Beard as an ‘icon’ and Liverpool boss Arne Slot also paid tribute to the ‘great human being’. ‘My reaction was one of grief,’ said Slot, who arrived at Anfield last year. ‘I met him last season and he not only did great things for this football club, for the women’s team, back-to-back league titles, came back to [the] new women’s team when they were playing one division below, so that tells you probably how much he loved the club as well. ‘If you hear a thing like this, I think 47 if I’m correct – that’s my age as well at the moment – then [you are] devastated to hear. ‘I think in these moments the football world always shows itself at its best – and that’s also what happened now. ‘It’s not only that he gets all the respect he deserves here at Liverpool but I think all around women’s football. ‘I’ve heard and also saw the respect the Arsenal fans showed him, so that tells you how much impact he had on the game of football. ‘[But] then we only talk about football, I think the Melwood staff and everyone that worked with him liked him so much – and that’s probably even a more important legacy to leave behind than the trophies you win. ‘That the person you are is always more important than what you’ve won. But in his situation, both things were combined – so successful as a manager and a great human being.’ Beard won two WSL titles with Liverpool (Picture: Getty) In an emotional statement following Beard’s death, Liverpool said their former manager was ‘extremely committed and successful’. ‘Liverpool Football Club is deeply shocked and saddened by the sudden passing of former LFC Women manager Matt Beard,’ a statement read. ‘The thoughts of everyone at the club are with Matt’s family and friends at this devastating time. ‘Matt was not only an extremely committed and successful manager, he was also a person of real integrity and warmth, who will always be remembered with genuine fondness by everyone he worked with at the club.’ The FA hailed Beard as a ‘key figure’ in women’s football while the WSL said he would be ‘missed by everyone in the game’.