Mark Beard (footballer)
Updated: 12/16/2025, 9:11:52 PM Wikipedia source
Mark Beard (born 8 October 1974) is an English football manager and former professional footballer who is a professional development phase coach at EFL Championship club Hull City. He played primarily as a central midfielder, and was also utilised at right-back earlier in his career. Beard spent time in the youth systems of Wimbledon and Millwall before making his senior debut for the latter in October 1993. He spent two seasons in the first team, during which he scored in an FA Cup victory away to Arsenal in January 1995. Ahead of the 1995–96 season, he signed for Sheffield United for £117,000, and in 1998 joined Southend United, having previously spent time at the club on loan. Named Southend's Player of the Year for the 1998–99 season, he made 151 appearances for the club across three spells. In 2004, Beard relocated to Spain to establish a youth academy for UD San Pedro, later joining the club's playing squad. He returned to England in 2006 with Stevenage Borough, winning the FA Trophy as part of the first team to win a competitive cup final at the new Wembley Stadium in May 2007. He subsequently spent the 2007–08 season at AFC Wimbledon, helping the club achieve promotion to the Conference South via the play-offs. After retiring, Beard moved into management with non-League clubs Haywards Heath Town, Tooting & Mitcham United, and Loxwood, before working full-time in Brighton & Hove Albion's academy from 2017 to 2021. He was appointed manager of Eastbourne Borough in June 2023, departing in January 2024, and joined Hull City later that year.
Infobox
Tables
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Millwall | 1993–94 | First Division | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 15 | 1 | |
| 1994–95 | First Division | 31 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | 38 | 2 | ||
| Total | 45 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 53 | 3 | ||
| Sheffield United | 1995–96 | First Division | Season statistics not known | |||||||||
| 1996–97 | First Division | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 17 | 0 | ||
| 1997–98 | First Division | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | ||
| Total | 18 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 0 | ||
| Southend United (loan) | 1997–98 | Second Division | 9 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 | ||
| Southend United | 1998–99 | Third Division | 37 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 0 |
| 1999–2000 | Third Division | 41 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 1 | |
| Total | 78 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 82 | 1 | ||
| Kingstonian | 2000–01 | Football Conference | 23 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | 6 | 0 | 35 | 0 | |
| Southend United | 2001–02 | Third Division | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| 2002–03 | Third Division | 36 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 0 | |
| Total | 50 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 59 | 0 | ||
| Kingstonian | 2003–04 | Isthmian League Premier Division | 35 | 5 | 1 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | 43 | 5 | |
| San Pedro | 2004–05 | Primera Andaluza | Season statistics not known | |||||||||
| 2005–06 | Regional Preferente de Andalucía | Season statistics not known | ||||||||||
| Stevenage Borough | 2006–07 | Conference National | 39 | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | 8 | 0 | 49 | 3 | |
| St Albans City | 2007–08 | Conference South | 10 | 2 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | ||
| AFC Wimbledon | 2007–08 | Isthmian League Premier Division | 15 | 1 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 15 | 1 | ||
| Haywards Heath Town | 2008–09 | Sussex County League Division Three | Season statistics not known | |||||||||
| 2009–10 | Sussex County League Division Three | Season statistics not known | ||||||||||
| Tooting & Mitcham United | 2010–11 | Isthmian League Premier Division | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | |
| 2011–12 | Isthmian League Premier Division | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | ||
| Career total | 327 | 15 | 23 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 383 | 16 | ||
References
- Appearance(s) in Football League Trophy
- One appearance in Conference Shield; three appearances in FA Trophy; one appearance in Surrey Senior Cup; one appearance
- Two appearances in FA Trophy; three appearances in Surrey Senior Cup; two appearances in 2004 Isthmian League play-offs
- Appearances in FA Trophy
- Soccerbasehttp://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=521
- YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhljHOUxXZU
- Stevenage F.C. Historyhttps://web.archive.org/web/20130807131531/http://stevenagefchistory.com/?page_id=345
- "Down memory lane – Class of 93 reunited for Dockers Day"https://www.millwallfc.co.uk/news/2013/april/down-memory-lane/
- Millwall Historyhttp://www.millwall-history.org.uk/Millwall-Stats9394-1.htm
- Millwall Historyhttp://www.millwall-history.org.uk/Millwall-Stats9495-1.htm
- Spotifyhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/cathedralofsport/episodes/MARK-BEARD-THE-INTERVIEW-ei2f4u/a-a5g0os
- Soccerbasehttps://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=521&season_id=127
- Soccerbasehttps://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=521&season_id=128
- Gazette Newshttps://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/5481209.soccer-beard-hopes-to-grow-on-blues/
- Soccerbasehttps://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=521&season_id=129
- Statto.comhttp://www.statto.com/football/stats/england/division-three/1999-2000
- BBC Sporthttps://web.archive.org/web/20000902161726/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport/hi/english/football/teams/k/kingstonian/newsid_830000/830042.stm
- BBC Sporthttps://web.archive.org/web/20000817202749/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport/hi/english/football/teams/k/kingstonian/newsid_856000/856077.stm
- Statto.comhttp://www.statto.com/football/stats/england/conference/2000-2001
- Soccerbasehttps://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=521&season_id=130
- "Kingstonian 0–1 Bristol City"http://www.kingstonian.net/report.jsp?20002001/BristolH
- Soccerbasehttps://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=521&season_id=130
- Soccerbasehttps://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=521&season_id=130
- BBC Sporthttps://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/s/southend_utd/3011047.stm
- "Fixture List – 2003/2004"https://web.archive.org/web/20040807034738/http://www.kingstonian.net/fixtures.jsp?20032004
- BBC Sporthttps://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/s/stevenage/5334136.stm
- BBC Sporthttps://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_conf/5308118.stm
- BBC Sporthttps://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/5351720.stm
- BBC Sporthttps://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/s/stevenage/5364054.stm
- BoroGuidehttps://www.boroguide.co.uk/players/644/
- BBC Sporthttps://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_conf/6258527.stm
- BBC Sporthttps://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/6437343.stm
- BBC Sporthttps://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/6649807.stm
- "Henry the first"https://web.archive.org/web/20110606213953/http://www.thefa.com/TheFACup/FACompetitions/TheFATrophy/NewsAndFeatures/2009/Trophy_MatchReaction2.aspx
- BBC Sporthttps://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/s/stevenage/6668689.stm
- St Albans & Harpenden Reviewhttp://www.stalbansreview.co.uk/sport/1485768.beard_aiming_to_make_mark/
- BBC Sporthttps://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/7012131.stm
- St Albans City F.C. History & Archiveshttps://www.saintsstatistics.co.uk/index.php/city-statistics/seasonsquads/team/721
- BBC Sporthttps://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_conf/7182717.stm
- football.mitoo.co.ukhttps://football.mitoo.co.uk/FixtResMonth.cfm?TblName=Matches&DivisionID=2292&LeagueCode=ISTH2007&MonthNo=12
- BBC Sporthttps://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_conf/7398351.stm
- The Argushttp://www.theargus.co.uk/communitypages/haywardsheath/3686366.Player_profile_at_Haywards_Heath_Town_FC___Mark_Beard/
- football.mitoo.co.ukhttps://football.mitoo.co.uk/FixtResMonth.cfm?TblName=Matches&DivisionID=11723&LeagueCode=isth2010&MonthNo=8
- Non-League Pitcherohttps://web.archive.org/web/20171108094953/http://nonleague.pitchero.com/news/beard-quits-loxwood-after-four-years-in-charge/
- fchd.infohttps://www.fchd.info/HAYWARHT.HTM
- fchd.infohttps://www.fchd.info/TOOTINMU.HTM
- Your Local Guardianhttp://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/sport/9403746.Beard_sacked_by_Tooting___Mitcham/
- Crawley Observerhttps://web.archive.org/web/20160305221010/http://www.crawleyobserver.co.uk/sport/crawley-town-fc/crawley-town-news/exciting-times-for-crawley-s-head-of-youth-1-3772934
- "Under-18's 1–2 Southend United"https://archive.today/20130628233751/http://www.crawleytownfc.com/news/article/youth-a-southend-502072.aspx
- Crawley Observerhttps://web.archive.org/web/20171108094719/http://www.crawleyobserver.co.uk/sport/football/ex-crawley-town-youth-boss-mark-beard-sets-up-loxwood-academy-1-6225051
- Love The Ballhttps://web.archive.org/web/20171108151819/https://www.lovetheball.com/about/coaches.html
- West Sussex County Timeshttp://www.wscountytimes.co.uk/sport/football/local/beard-promoted-to-under-18-role-at-albion-and-stygal-leaves-loxwood-1-7963696
- "Beard: We're going there to win"https://web.archive.org/web/20210505124013/https://www.brightonandhovealbion.com/news/2129444/beard-were-going-there-to-win
- "Albion win Under-17s Premier League Cup!"https://web.archive.org/web/20210506042042/https://www.brightonandhovealbion.com/news/2129848/albion-win-under-17s-premier-league-cup
- "Beard appointed as part of new backroom staff"https://www.stockportcounty.com/beard-appointed-as-part-of-new-backroom-staff/
- "Club statement: Mark Beard"https://www.stockportcounty.com/club-statement-mark-beard/
- "Mark Beard joins Wanderers as new head of coaching"https://www.stockportcounty.com/beard-appointed-as-part-of-new-backroom-staff/
- "Eastbourne Borough welcome Mark Beard as the new manager"https://ebfc.co.uk/2023/06/eastbourne-borough-welcome-mark-beard-as-the-new-manager/
- "Club Statement"https://ebfc.co.uk/2024/01/club-statement-3/
- "Beard joins PDP Coaching Staff"https://www.wearehullcity.co.uk/news/2024/november/22/beard-joins-pdp-coaching-staff/
- Echo Newshttps://www.echo-news.co.uk/sport/23361986.mark-beard-relishing-sons-clash-southend-united/
- Soccerbasehttps://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=521&season_id=126
- "Fixture List – 2000/2001"https://web.archive.org/web/20040813173508/http://www.kingstonian.net/fixtures.jsp?20002001
- "Mark Beard – Aylesbury United Archive"https://www.aylesburyunitedarchive.com/player/mark-beard
- football.mitoo.co.ukhttps://football.mitoo.co.uk/FixtResMonth.cfm?TblName=Matches&DivisionID=16763&LeagueCode=ISTH2011&MonthNo=9
- fchd.infohttp://fchd.info/lghist/isth2008.htm