Former Liverpool boss Matt Beard has been appointed head coach of FA Women's National League North side Burnley.
The appointment of Beard, a back-to-back Women's Super League winner in 2013 and 2014 with Liverpool, marks a significant statement of intent from the tier three club, who will become a fully professional full-time outfit for the first time for the 2025/26 season.
Beyond his two spells at Liverpool, Beard has steered several other top English sides, taking charge of Chelsea and West Ham United and briefly managing Bristol City on an interim basis.
He also spent two seasons in the United States with the Boston Breakers in the National Women’s Soccer League and led both Chelsea and West Ham to FA Cup finals during his tenure.
Burnley have been without a permanent head coach since Rebecca Sawiuk left the club my mutual consent in March, when first team coach Louise Roberts was placed in interim charge until the end of the season.
Beard’s arrival, with his wealth of top‑level pedigree, will only heighten the expectation on the Clarets to secure promotion to WSL 2 in the 2025–26 season.
The club failed to achieve that goal last campaign, as they finished fourth in the National League Northern Premier Division, 12 points shy of champions Nottingham Forest.
However, Burnley’s ambitions for the 2025–26 campaign could not be more evident. As chairman Alan Pace noted last month, “It’s important that we now provide the resources required to go full-time and give those involved the opportunity to progress to the next level.
"We see both the men’s and women’s teams as being important now and forever, and this move aims to accelerate the women further along their development timeline.”
Earlier this month, the club demonstrated its ambition by applying to fill the WSL 2 vacancy created when Blackburn withdrew - only for that place to be awarded to Sheffield United.
While missing out was a blow, Burnley will now be fully focused on earning promotion on merit.
That challenge is precisely where Beard’s expertise becomes invaluable: his proven ability to navigate high‑pressure roles and build sides capable of not only reaching but then consolidating in the top flight makes him the ideal candidate to realise Burnley’s lofty aspirations.