Mark Beard

Mark Beard (born 8 October 1974) is an English football manager and former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.

He was most recently manager of National League South club Eastbourne Borough.

Beard began his career in the youth academy at Millwall in 1991.

Beard started his career with Millwall, joining the club's youth academy in 1991 "straight from school".

He was captain of the youth team that won the FA Youth Cup, beating Sheffield Wednesday in the final.

During his time at youth level, he also helped the team win the Southern Junior Cup, as well as finishing runners-up in the South East Counties league.

He signed his first professional contract in 1993, and made his first-team debut later that year.

After playing regularly in the youth team, Millwall manager Mick McCarthy offered Beard his first professional contract in 1993, which he signed.

He made his debut as an 18-year-old, playing in Millwall's 4–1 victory against Watford.

Beard went on to make 18 appearances that season, scoring one goal.

During the 1994–95 season, he scored in Millwall's 2–0 victory against Arsenal in an FA Cup third round replay at Highbury in January 1995.

He spent two years at the club; scoring a goal against Arsenal in an FA Cup victory in January 1995.

He was transferred to Sheffield United ahead of the 1995–96 season.

In the summer of 1995, Beard was transferred to Sheffield United for a fee of £117,500, with Dave Bassett signing him.

He made his debut as a substitute in a 2–0 defeat to Tranmere Rovers in August 1995, and made 56 appearances during his time at the club.

At the start of the 1997–98 season, Beard was loaned out to Southend United for two months, making his debut in a 1–1 draw against Oldham Athletic.

He made ten appearances during the loan agreement.

In 1998, he joined Southend United, who he had also spent time on loan at in 1997.

He played regularly for the Essex club over two spells, as well as spending time at Kingstonian.

He returned to his parent club in January 1998, making four appearances during the second half of the season.

Ahead of the 1998–99 season, Beard signed for Southend on a permanent basis.

He was a regular during the season, making 40 appearances in all competitions, and earned the Player of the Year award at the end of the season.

He remained at Southend for the 1999–2000 season, starting in the club's first game of the season, a 2–1 home victory against Plymouth Argyle.

He made 42 appearances during the season as Southend finished in 16th position in Division Three, scoring what turned out to be his only goal for the club in a 2–1 defeat to Hull City in November 1999.

During his first spell at Southend, he made 82 appearances.

Beard then signed for Football Conference club Kingstonian on a free transfer on 12 July 2000.

He debuted for Kingtsonian in a 1–0 home victory over Northwich Victoria on 19 August 2000, and made 29 appearances for the club during a season in which Kingstonian were relegated.

The club reached the fourth round of the FA Cup that season, losing to Bristol City in a replay after the two teams had drawn at Ashton Gate, with Beard playing in both matches.

He left the club at the end of the season, and rejoined Southend United two months into the 2001–02 season, making 17 appearances that season.

Another season at Southend followed, during which he made 42 appearances, before leaving the club at the end of the 2002–03 season.

He returned to Kingstonian for the following season, with the club playing in the Isthmian League Premier Division, scoring six times in 40 league games.

At the end of the season, he travelled to Spain to set up a youth academy at Marbella based club U.D San Pedro in the Spanish Third Division, and ended up as part of the playing squad during his time there.

He moved to Spain to set up a youth academy for Spanish team UD San Pedro in 2004, eventually ending up as part of the playing squad.

After two years in Spain, he returned to England to sign for Stevenage Borough, spending one year with the club and winning the FA Trophy as part of the first team to win a competitive cup final at the new Wembley Stadium in May 2007.

Beard went on to spend time at AFC Wimbledon during the 2007–08 season, and the club were promoted to the Conference South via the play-offs during his time there.

After retiring from playing, Beard made the transition into coaching and management; taking on the role of first-team manager at Haywards Heath Town, Tooting & Mitcham and Loxwood respectively.

He combined his role at Loxwood alongside working in the academy at Brighton & Hove Albion, before he left the Surrey club in order to take up the under-18 academy coach role at Brighton on a full-time basis in May 2017.

He remained in the academy role at Brighton for four years before being appointed assistant manager at Stockport County in July 2021.

Beard was appointed head of coaching at Dorking Wanderers in November 2021, a position he held until his appointment as manager of Eastbourne Borough in June 2023.

On the 1st January 2024 Eastbourne Borough Football Club announced they had parted company with Mark Beard.