The Rest Is Football: Daly Brightness - A Tribute To Matt Beard

Episode Date: September 24, 2025

The football world was rocked this weekend by the absolutely devastating news of the passing of Matt Beard at the age of 47. Today’s episode is dedicated to remembering him as a football manager and, most importantly, as an incredible person. Millie and Rach reflect on how Matt lit up every room he was in, cared for all his players as humans first and foremost and the outpouring of love we’ve seen for him over the last few days. If you've been affected by anything and need someone to talk to, you can contact the Samaritans for free 24-hour support by calling 116 123, emailing [e-mail], or visiting their website for more information on their services and how to find your nearest branch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello, everyone. Welcome to Daily Brightness. The football world was completely rocked this weekend with the devastating news of the passing of Matt Beard. So this is going to be a very tough episode, but me and Rach wanted to dedicate this whole episode to Matt and his family and to remembering what an amazing football manager he was and everything that he brought to the game. But most importantly, what an incredible person he was and the lives and people that he, influenced and yeah I just think it really means a lot for us to dedicate this episode to him so obviously Rachel you played under him for a little bit so I don't know if you want to kick us off on yeah just a little bit on him really yeah I think you just hit the nail on the head there I think obviously it's important for us to as the people we are and the sort of way that we shaped our podcast in the first place was about helping other people and shedding light on important

topics and I think this is something that is obviously important to everybody in the football world but yeah Matt was an amazing guy I think first and foremost person overmanager he was one of the good guys that one of the ones that would put people first which I think is a rarer team football to have people that truly put people first and care about you as a human number one. Genuine there as well. I obviously had my loan spell at West Ham with Beardy. But I've known Beardy for a really long time.

I think obviously, even if you haven't played under Matt, I think you know what kind of character he was. And I think somehow everyone has in the football world has probably got a story to say about Matt and probably a very positive one. First and foremost will probably be him shouting on the side of the pitch. But yeah, when it, when I, I went on loan to West Ham, it was a time where obviously COVID was prevalent

and I wasn't able to play in America and he took a massive risk in taking me because he only took me on loan from September to December. Now, not many managers would do that. Like, not many managers would take a player who, you know, you're only going to get for such a short space of time and pay a considerable amount of money for. But he took that risk on me. that is something that I'll be forever indebted for

because without that I wouldn't have played from August until the following May and I probably wouldn't have been with the chance of getting with England and having that belief and confidence that I had from him because you know imagine now a player came in on loan for you for three months you'd be like well surely they're not going to play it's all business now but that's not Matt Matt's all about like you said he's all about people

and he would put people over business 100%. Even if you pissed people off, he was always the one taking care of everyone. And I think you've seen that from the comments that people have made across social media. Like, the first thing that they say is, what an incredible human, like always putting people first,

always taking care of those around him, like a real, real family guy. And I think he was so much more than a manager to people. It was for some people who was like a father figure, you know, he stepped into roles that a lot of managers don't do, because they're just there to manage, whereas he's there to look after people and to get the best out of you as a human

and as a player. So I think there's, yeah, there's no surprise that everyone's comments are all about him as a person and the impact that he had on women's football is a pioneer to the game. And like he said, it makes me smile because always hearing him on the sideline.

I remember so many games where he'd be shouted, but oh, sorry, sorry, sorry, too far, too far. But he was just so passionate. He was so passionate for his players, for his teams that he managed. He really did give his heart and soul to the game. And yeah, to every single job that he's worked in, he's been 100% committed. So it's, yeah, it's been heartbreaking.

It really has. Yeah, and I think, like, the fun memories that I'll take with me from him is, A, the belief that he instilled in me. He got me back to loving football at a time and I probably wasn't really loving it, probably lost myself a little bit. and when I see people writing things about him about how he lit up every room

it couldn't be more true like I can remember every single morning getting into that training ground and he'd shout at you across the car park all right darling like he's such a cocky man like all the cocky man in slum like when I'd been in America for so long

I was like what is he saying and I'll give you a dog and bone later And I'm like, what? But I think like he's just so, he was just so caring and so lovable. Like, I don't think anyone could say. It was so infectious, that's what it was. Because of the type of person that he was, you wanted to win for him. Like, you wanted to play for him.

Like, I feel so grateful that I had the opportunity because I'd known him for a long time. And obviously, when I was in America and he was in America, managing Boston. Like, I spent a lot of time in there as well and Lee. Yeah. And so, yeah, for me, it was like a no-brainer to go and play under it. under him but yeah I think

what I think has touched me the most these last few days in a place where it's been nothing but pain and heartbreak

and sadness is the outpouring love that he's received from everybody and he probably never got to see how much people valued him

truly loved him when he was alive and that's sad but I think for his poor family right now at this awful time

for them to see that and to see how valued and how cherished and how loved he really was that hopefully they can find a slight bit of peace in knowing that he was the same guy

he was at home. He was just such a lovely, lovely man and in terms of football I think he really was a pioneer for the women's game to be around the game for that long. It's not easy. Like, it's not easy.

He set the tone really. For as long as I, I can remember playing at the top flight. He was a manager, always. And he was a type of manager that worked with very little. So I feel like he never really had, like, the biggest budgets. He never really had the best of everything. But he was so successful.

But again, how many players have followed him around? Even him going to Burnley, like, he took a handful of Liverpool players with him because they wanted to play for him, you know, to drop off from WSL to WSL to WS2. This speaks following. Or whatever league he was in, like, it speaks. absolute volumes and it's just such a credit to him in the type of person that he was that people wanted to follow him around

and go and play for him. But I think like you said, he like affected so many people even if you didn't play under him. Like, I never played under him, but I felt really close to him. Like, he did always check in. You're like me?

Like you're getting on? And I said this in an interview after the game the other day. He could have lost a game and his team could have got battered and he would still come and check in on you. 100%. He could be so pissed off, so upset that he's lost,

but he would gather his team and then he'd still go and check in on people and still come up, always respectful, always like, as soon as he saw you, he'd then be like, you're right, how's your knee? Like, you're getting on alright, da-da-da-da, no matter the circumstances. Like, he was just, there's very, very few people like that in the world. And yeah, I just think, like, just from myself and Rachel,

all I love goes out to his family and friends. And I think I said it in an interview as well is the whole, of the footballing community are behind you and with you through this, this period and anything that anyone needs, like just shout out because, like I said, the whole football and community is here. And we want to just support everyone in getting through

what has completely rocked everyone, someone with that aura and that much presence and that much, I don't know, like the women's game, I feel like we appreciate people, that really kicked it off and he was one of those people that kicked it off.

And he'll always, always, always be remembered. So, yeah, we just want to send all our love and yeah, it's a real tricky time for everyone. It's been really hard. Yeah, I think, like, I think what's been, like, nice for me to see is the fact that, like, you said, like, even if you never worked for him,

Like, you never played under him. Like, you were aware of the impact that he had. And as a player in the league who's played in the league for a long time, anyone will say, like, no, they know beardy, like, beardies, one of a kind. That's the thing you'd always say, like, you knew him. But that's the vibe he knew him because that's the aura that he produced. And I never really saw him as a manager. Like, even when I played under him, he was like a friend.

And when my dad passed away, he was one of the first people that text me. And I'll never forget that. He was just so, sent me such a gorgeous message. And like, I never, I'll never forget seeing him for the first time after that. He just gave me this massive hug. And I just thought, it just, it's something that I'll always keep with me. And I think when we, obviously, we were supposed to play Liverpool this weekend. And my first thought was immediately, obviously, his family and his, he's the closest people in his life.

but how long he managed Liverpool for at two stints. Some of those players played for him in both those stints. And in my head, I thought, how on earth can this game go on? Like, it was supposed to be my 100th game for WSL game on that game. And I was like, if this game goes ahead, there is absolutely no way in hell you're presenting me with anything. Like, I cannot think of how this game could go ahead. How do you celebrate anything?

Yeah. Like the only thing we should be, like, celebrating in this moment is Matt's life and his career and his life as a human. And it just felt like it can't, it can't go ahead. Imagine in my head of all, what if I scored against Liverpool? I could not celebrate, like what those girls must be going through, like what everyone is going through. like obviously we've we've got missy on our team and she was one of the first people I called

because I knew the relationship she had with him and how close she was to him like family and to see what how she's going through this it's it's so hard it's so hard to to for her to like show up every day and be the like she's been incredible like honestly she's and that's just one person you know That's one person that I've just seen it affect on a day. That is still, there's still an aura around the place where you're like heartbroken. Because the foreign girls in our team were just like, are you guys okay? Like we didn't obviously really know him but heard so much about him.

It really is a moment where it's like there's nothing bigger than life in the world. Like that's where it's like, and even our game going ahead, it was so hard. like your mind's like all over like you couldn't even I'm looking at each of our players and just get through the game just get through the game that's it like and it's like nothing when someone

when someone passes away like life is so much bigger than anything else like nothing matters like couldn't care less about the game to be honest so much more things that are bigger than football and that is definitely one of them yeah so it was definitely the right decision but like you said I don't think

I think like it's such a shock that it's going to be it's going to take a while for it to be processed that it's going to affect a lot of people because he touched so many people's lives and he was such a big figure in people's lives he weren't like he said he weren't a manager yeah he was a friend he was a mentor it was family like a father figure like yeah life coach mentor like he weren't a manager like that's not how he was perceived like it was way way way more than that which is why it completely rocked everyone and it also makes you really appreciate how short life can be like yeah you

I don't know it just when something like that happens it just rocks everything and yeah it's crazy it's it really is I think as well like grief is one of those things that affects people in very different ways and like you said this isn't something that's just going to disappear like this is going to take people a really really really and rightly so long time to come turns with to process and even the game like some of like my favorite memories is match out on the sideline

like you were hearing before you see him like it was literally one of my like he was so passionate and I just remember sometimes him and Emma'd be like going back and forth and then he'd be like sorry sorry sorry sorry but it's like it's little things like that like when you play against all the teams

that he's represented that's like a huge hole that's missing now So it's like it's going to be a constant reminder when you play that and it's like not hearing his voice or like he said that Cockney slang and accent and him like bellowing on the sidelines whether it's at the ref or God knows what.

It's like things like that really stand out. I think that's why for me it felt important to come on today and not just to acknowledge the fact that he was a great manager and he did do so much for women's game but more just to give a tribute to the fact he was the most amazing human and again I'll go back to obviously

like saying even if you've not been managed under him like you know there's no matter what everyone in this league knows somebody that was close with him and that is such everybody's such an honourable thing

like you'll know well you know me who played under him like yes you know him and whatever but everyone in this league that somehow is connected to Matt and that's because of the person

that he was and that's such a, yeah, such a tribute to him and his character. And yeah, I think for me it's just sending all the love in the world to his family at this time. His wife and his kids and his extended family to lose someone that you love so dearly is something that I'm obviously very aware of. And you know what it's like for me. like it can hit you in so many ways but I think I hope that they feel the love that everyone had for him and that his legacy will live on through his beautiful family and that

yeah anything they ever need I think the whole football world would be there you know the just giving page that Jackie Oatley set up I think was incredible I've been obviously donated but going on and like reading messages like from people that will write like I didn't know you, but they outpour and love that everyone's given you, and what you've done to the game just makes me want to help. And I think that's where you have to recognise that there are some incredible people in this world. And I think the football and community really does come together in moments of toughness and difficult times. And that's been something that's been slightly reassuring in this heartbreaking time. Yeah, it really is. But guys, we just

wanted to, yeah, we wanted to dedicate this, this whole episode to Matt and remembering what an amazing, incredible diamond of a guy he was. And I think, you know, hopefully in time people can reminisce on all the good times and the smiles that he put on people's faces. And yeah, I think we just all stick together through this tough time. And again, just sending all of our love and thoughts to his family. And like I said, if you need anything, the whole of the football community are with you and behind you on this. So, yeah, we just wanted to remember Matt and, yeah, give him a tribute. Yeah, thank you for listening to us today.

I hope that we've given you a little bit of an insight of what we remember Matt by. But, yeah, echoing what Millie said, like, just wanted to give this tribute to how special of a person that was. And may he rest in peace and thoughts. love and everything is sent to all of the Baird family. Yeah, lots of love guys. Take care of each other and we will see you soon.