The family of former football manager Matt Beard has alleged that he was subjected to bullying by Burnley Football Club prior to his death, a pre-inquest hearing was told. Beard, who achieved significant success by guiding Liverpool to consecutive Women's Super League titles in 2013 and 2014, passed away in September 2025 at the age of 47.
Beard's tenure at Burnley was notably brief, spanning from June to August 2025. He resigned from his position just over three weeks before his death. During the hearing, his family stated that his departure from the club served as the primary trigger for a serious deterioration in his mental well-being.
His wife, Debbie Beard, provided testimony to the coroner. She explained that Matt did not leave Burnley to pursue another opportunity, but rather because he was deeply unhappy in the role. She expressed the belief that the club's actions prevented him from moving forward and characterized their treatment of him as bullying.
Further concerns were raised by Beard's stepson, Scott Beard. He highlighted the timing and nature of certain social media posts, which he described as being quite damaging to the manager's reputation and state of mind during that difficult period.
The senior coroner, John Gittins, indicated that Burnley would be invited to become an interested party in the ongoing legal proceedings. He also stated that he would be seeking additional evidence from the League Managers Association (LMA), an organization Beard had reportedly consulted regarding his concerns about his treatment at Burnley.
In response to the allegations, a spokesperson for Burnley acknowledged the ongoing legal process and stated the club would not be offering any comment at this time. The club recently celebrated promotion to the second tier of English women's football.
The hearing also revealed that Beard's family had requested the court listen to a video recording made by the manager shortly before his passing. His wife reportedly conveyed that Matt left the video intentionally, wanting it to be discovered and for his voice to be heard. Beard, who also had managerial spells at Chelsea and West Ham, was posthumously inducted into the WSL Hall of Fame in April 2026.
Based on reporting from Football | The Guardian.
