'Superhuman' managers shouldn't have to ask for help - Beard's family on loss

That is how Debbie Beard remembers her husband, the football manager Matt Beard, who died aged 47 in September. As one of the most successful and beloved managers in the women's game, his death shook the world of football and beyond. Tributes poured in from players he had coached, rivals his teams had faced along the way and fans who were charmed by his playful, down-to-earth persona.

Few could believe that a man who always had a smile for everybody could have taken such a heartbreaking decision. As well as being a two-time Women's Super League winner with Liverpool, Matt was a father to son Harry, daughter Ellie, and stepson Scott. Speaking to BBC Sport at the family home in North Wales, Debbie says she would not wish the impact of Matt's death on her worst enemy, and has urged football to introduce regular, mandatory mental health checks for managers - so that no more families have to suffer the same pain.

"It was just normal" is how Debbie describes the day Matt died, having taken the family dog for a long walk earlier. "We would never have seen that coming - not in a million years. I just wish he had said 'I'm struggling'.

" Debbie knew her husband had experienced emotional difficulties in the past - including following the death of his father in 2022 - but says he would continue to work and behave as normal. She feels Matt's death should herald a change in the way the mental health of football managers is monitored. Debbie believes the onus shouldn't be on managers to ask for help, given they may not prioritise their own wellbeing in a competitive environment where spare time is in very short supply.