NewsLiverpool FC Women manager Matt Beard signs new contract

The 45-year-old returned to the Reds in May 2021 almost six years after departing Merseyside to move to the USA.

In his first season back in 2021-22 his side lifted the FA Women’s Championship, earning promotion back to the Barclays Women’s Super League, where they finished seventh last term.

Beard has now committed his future to the club once more as he looks to add to a legacy that already includes two WSL titles, which were secured back-to-back in 2013 and 2014.

After penning a new deal with LFC Women, Beard told Liverpoolfc.com: “I’m delighted. Obviously everyone knows what the club means to me, so it was an easy decision really for me to extend my stay here.

“I think we’re [at the] early stages of a big project and you’ve really got the future to look forward to.

“I’m excited for the future of the team because I think we’ve got a good group here, a good young group as well that can grow.”

The Reds boss, alongside his players and staff, moved into the AXA Melwood Training Centre earlier this month as the new permanent training base for LFC Women was opened.

Beard believes the switch offers his team the best opportunity to take the next step in their development.

“I think Melwood is a massive step in the right direction for us,” he added. “It’s game-changing, to be honest. For us to have the facility we have now, it really means that we can deliver and do what we want to do for the players.

“What we want to do is build a team that can grow. We’ve got a world-class facility to enable us to do that and not only to prepare the players, but from a nutrition point of view, a rehab point of view, even recovering, we’ve got everything that we need to be successful.

“We’re really looking forward to the future. We’re looking forward to the future here and really growing as a team and challenging.”

Beard and his team are now just eight days away from the start of the new WSL season, with an away trip to face Arsenal Women at Emirates Stadium on October 1 up first.

That game is followed by a home opener against Aston Villa Women a week later and an exciting Merseyside derby at Anfield against Everton Women on October 15.

• Get tickets for LFC Women v Everton Women at Anfield here - just £1 for U18s

“We’re looking forward to the season,” Beard said. “We want to improve on last year – we’d like to try to break into that top five if we can – and we do want to compete in all the competitions.

“It’d be great if we could bring some silverware next year.”