Matt Beard Dies Suicide, Wife Calls for Health Checks
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- Matt Beard died by suicide at age 47 in September, shocking the women's football community.
- Debbie Beard urged football to introduce regular, mandatory mental‑health checks for managers, saying they shouldn't have to ask for help.
- Matt Beard had experienced emotional difficulties after his father's death in 2022 but continued to work as normal.
- League Managers' Association provides confidential counselling, health‑insurance access and mental‑health workshops for managers, and stresses the need for education in spotting signs of struggling individuals.
- Matt Beard was a two‑time Women's Super League champion with Liverpool and father to Harry, Ellie and stepson Scott.
Why it matters: Football clubs and governing bodies will face pressure to fund regular mental‑health screenings for managers, potentially reducing tragic losses and improving team performance, and will lower legal liability for employers.
