Matt Beard’s death leads to WSL match postponements as Liverpool and Burnley pay tribute to the celebrated former manager

The WSL confirmed on Saturday that the fixture would be rescheduled, adding that “a further announcement regarding the rearrangement of the fixture will be made in due course.”

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Beard, 47, enjoyed a celebrated spell with Liverpool, leading the club to consecutive WSL titles in 2013 and 2014 and guiding them to their first-ever Champions League campaign.

Reappointed as Liverpool manager in 2021, he secured a return to the WSL and a respectable seventh-place finish before stepping down in February.

Liverpool paid tribute to Beard, describing him as “an extremely committed and successful manager” and “a person of real integrity and warmth, who will always be remembered with genuine fondness.”

Beard had briefly managed Burnley, resigning after two months, which also led to the postponement of Burnley’s Women’s National League fixture against West Brom.

In honour of the late manager, the Women’s Super League announced on X that a minute’s silence will be observed before kickoff across both WSL and WSL2 matches this weekend.