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Liverpool unveil permanent memorials to honour Matt Beard

Liverpool have honoured former Liverpool Women manager Matt Beard with the unveiling of permanent memorials, according to the club’s official website.

The tributes recognise Beard’s extraordinary contribution to the club and the lasting impact he made on players, staff and supporters.

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A private ceremony was held at the AXA Melwood Training Centre for players, staff and Beard’s family ahead of the first anniversary of his death on 20 September.

The event brought together those closest to him at the club he managed for two separate spells.

During the ceremony, a memorial garden bearing Beard’s name was officially unveiled, offering a calm space for reflection and remembrance.

The garden sits within the training ground where Beard spent much of his second spell in charge.

The unveiling was followed by the planting of a commemorative tree in his honour on 97 Avenue, on the outskirts of Anfield.

The tree creates a permanent place where fans can visit and remember Beard’s enduring connection to Liverpool Women.

Beard’s Liverpool career began in 2012, when he was appointed manager for the first time. He led the club to its first-ever WSL title in 2013, a success he and his squad went on to defend the following season.

He left Merseyside in 2015 for a spell with Boston Breakers in the United States, before managing West Ham United and taking interim charge of Bristol City.

Beard returned to Liverpool as manager in May 2021, saying at the time that the move was “something I wanted to do” and that he had “always followed” the club since leaving.

Beard won the FA Women’s Championship title in his first season back, securing Liverpool’s return to the top flight. He left the club in February 2025, with Liverpool sitting seventh in the WSL table following a run of disappointing results.

Matt Beard died on 20 September 2025 at the age of 47. In April 2026, he was posthumously named to the WSL Hall of Fame.

The memorial garden and commemorative tree stand as permanent fixtures at two sites closely tied to his time at the club, giving supporters lasting places to mark his legacy.

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