Matt Beard has been named the new head coach of Burnley Women. He joins the club after leaving Liverpool in February 2025 following a run of disappointing results. Amber Whiteley stepped in as interim manager, guiding Liverpool to a 7th-place finish.
Beard previously led Liverpool to promotion in 2022 and secured a top-four finish the following [WSL](https://womenfootball.blog/womens-super-league-table-standings/) season. Now, he embarks on a new chapter with Burnley, bringing a wealth of experience from his previous roles with Chelsea Women, West Ham Women, Boston Breakers, Millwall Lionesses, and Liverpool.
**Upon being appointed, Beard said**: “I’m absolutely delighted. I’m so impressed with everybody I’ve met at the Club and the conversations I’ve had, and I’m looking forward to getting started.
“Everybody’s been so welcoming and Lola (Ogunbote – Head of Women’s Football) has been a big part of that. I can promise the fan base, the players and the staff that I will work as hard as I can for them, with the aim of fulfilling our objectives.”
**Head of Women’s Football, Lola Ogunbote added**: “We’re thrilled to welcome Matt to the Club, it’s great to have him on board. We’ve been taking great strides forward here at Burnley and Matt’s appointment is a further statement of intent, our aims, and our ambition to be a successful football club.
“He is a coach with a wealth of knowledge and experience, and he has a real vision and passion for growing the women’s game. As we make the move to becoming a full-time professional women’s football team this season, it’s an incredibly exciting time for everyone here at the Club.
“I’m looking forward to working closely with Matt to take the team to the next level and would like to thank our ownership group for their continued support.”
Burnley will compete in the Northern Premier Division of the Women’s National League for the 2025/26 season. They’ll face strong opposition, including Loughborough Lightning and Middlesbrough. A full list of the teams:
* Burnley
* Derby County
* Halifax
* Hull City
* Liverpool Feds
* Loughborough Lightning
* Middlesbrough
* Rugby Borough
* Sporting Khalsa
* Stoke City
* West Bromwich Albion
* Wolverhampton Wanderers
Source: [Burnley Women](https://www.burnleyfootballclub.com/news/latest)