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Coach Beard is a main regular character featured in the Apple TV+ show, Ted Lasso, one of the coach assistants for AFC Richmond, and Ted Lasso's long time assistant slash best friend. In the series finale, So Long, Farewell, his first name is revealed as "Willis".

Coach Beard or Beard is an intelligent and a cultured person as he reads a lot of books and novels. He knows more about British Football, the jargons, the languages, UK Cultures, and many things compare to his best friend, Ted. He is a laid back person, very observant, and generally keep it to himself. He usually wears a trucker hat everyday and wears a beret during a special occasion.

Beard is Ted's right-hand man and they have been friends for a long time. When Ted is moving to England to accept a manager position at UK Premier League club of AFC Richmond, Beard joins him as an assistant coach. Before they accepted the jobs, both Ted and Beard were coaches at American football team Wichita State Shockers. After a video of them winning the National Championship went viral, Rebecca Welton decided to hire Ted, and Beard also came along.

History[]

Early Life[]

Beard and Lasso met while in college on the football team, Ted being the backup punter, Beard being the backup kicker. While the two never played, they spent a lot of time together and became friends. After college, they went their separate ways; while Lasso met Michelle and got into coaching, Beard fell into crime and went to prison for stealing meth before being paroled. Without any money and his family not wanting him due to his criminal history, he looked up and found Ted, who took him in and let him stay with them. However, Beard in turn stole Ted's car, but was arrested by the police and almost sent back to prison until Ted came to bail him out and convinced the police that he lent Beard the car. Ted, rather than cutting ties with Beard, forgave him and got him a job helping coach college football. Struck by this display of forgiveness from his best friend after everything that he had done, Beard became loyal to Ted and started turning his life around.

Moving To England[]


During their flight to London, Ted asks whether they are nuts leaving the USA and move to the UK, which Beard lightly say "Yeah. This is nuts."

When they arrived at Nelson Road Stadium, Beard explains the history of British football but his friend gets distracted by the football field's grass. As Ted touches the grass and say that the grass feel different, Beard claims that it's a metaphor. Their conversation is cut short when Nathan Shelley yells at them to keep off the grass. However, once he finds out that the two Americans are the new manager and coach, he immediately takes them to see Rebecca and Leslie Higgins at her office.

Rebecca takes Ted to a tour around the stadium area and shoves him to a press conference. Ted is overwhelmed by the questions from the journalists and reporters such as Trent Crimm, Marcus, and Lloyd who disapprove with the hiring of American coaches who don't know anything about UK Football. Beard watches the press conference on the side, a bit worried that their arrival is being scrutinized.

MP-Beard

Promotional image of Beard

Ted and Beard then watches the team at the pitch to get to know more about the players such as Jamie Tartt, Sam Obisanya, Isaac McAdoo, and Colin Hughes. Beard explains that Sam is from Nigeria, which surprises Ted because apparently the players are from all around the world. Beard also explains that Colin is from Wales, which Ted is also shocked to learn that there are four countries in the UK.

At the locker room, both Ted and Beard observes the dynamic of the players. They sees Roy Kent stares at them coldly, so Ted decides to introduce themselves but he is being interrupted by Keeley Jones who is picking up Jamie. When he is trying to continue their introduction, the players ignore them, so the coaches decide to occupy the office and decorate it with American sport posters. Beard puts a framed diagram of "Inverting the Pyramid of Success" on the wall, based on the book he also read on the plane.

When Ted calls Roy to their office and compliments him for being a talented footballer, Roy instead insults him by calling Ted "Ronald Fucking MacDonald". Ted asks Beard whether he'd let Roy call him that, which Beard only shrugs and say that it wasn't him who got insulted. Ted only smiles and say that they will win Roy over, which Beard agrees that it will make the footballer furious. Beard then hands him a roll of tape so he can stick a 'BELIEVE' poster on the wall above their office door.

Coaching AFC Richmond[]


In the morning, Beard picks up Ted from his flat at Richmond upon Thames and says that he's feeling a little nervous like being in a first day of school. As they walking around the area while drinking their coffee, Beard saves Ted from almost getting hit by a taxi and warns his friend that he should look at his right whenever he crosses the street. At the practice pitch, Beard sees Ted on a verge of nervous breakdown so he reminds him about their first time coaching at the Wichita State that Ted said to that the coaches should relax as the players were only kids. That makes Ted smiles and he calms down immediately, but he also points out that the players they are handling now are not kids.

Beard and Ted are having dinner at The Crown & Anchor pub while reading some stats and suggestions the players put into the suggestion box. Many of players anonymously calls them 'wanker' and Mae tells them that they shouldn't let the players call the coaches that word, and explain to Ted the meaning of the word with a suggestive hand gesture. After they lost the match against Crystal Palace F.C., they celebrate Sam's birthday and generally trying to boost the players' morale by having a party, so Beard put on some music, and everyone is dancing.

When a fight breaks between Roy and Jamie in the locker room, Beard screams, "NO FIGHT CLUB!", so Ted has a plan to put them together during 10th Annual Benefit for Underprivileged Children event. Beard says that he's already have a date for the event, and her name is Jane Payne who he met at a chess club. At the gala event, Beard is playing chess without a board with her and spends the whole evening trying to flirt. When Cam Cole starts playing music, she wants to dance but Beard wants to continue playing chess. At this point, Jane decides to leave him and goes dancing alone with other guests.

Coach Beard

Coach Beard

Ted's wife Michelle Lasso and his son Henry Lasso visits him from Kansas, but Michelle seems not happy being in London, so Ted talks about it to Beard, Nate, and Higgins. Beard seems to know Ted's history with Michelle, but doesn't say anything as he listen to Ted pouring his heart out about his marriage, and when Nate asks Beard about his view of marriage, the man scoffs. Ted explains that Beard's view of romantic relationship is similar with his view on cooking steak; spend more than five minutes on one, loses its flavor.

During a match against Watford F.C., Ted decides to replace Jamie with Robbie Roberts. Everyone is shocked with that decision but Beard only knowingly look at his best friend without any word, and he trusts the decision. The decision is proven to be successful because after Jamie is replaced, the team wins the match and everyone is celebrating on the field. Beard notices that the fans are calling the coaches as 'wanker' but with an affectionate tone as a sign that they are being accepted by the people.

When a new player named Dani Rojas arrives, Ted and Beard sees his potential. Using a cards analogy, Ted rations to Beard that Jamie has recently gone from an Ace to a seven of Clubs, having not been working with the team recently and becoming uninterested in training. He believes bringing Dani into the team would encourage Jamie to to take the game seriously, and encouraging him to become an Ace once again. This would mean the team would have two Ace strikers. Unfortunately, Rebecca decides to give Jamie back to Manchester FC after a team bonding. While the coaches are upset in their office, Dani tells them softly "Football is life" to cheer them up.

The Diamond Dogs[]


After winning a match against Everton F.C. and returning to Richmond from Liverpool, Ted confesses to Beard that he slept with Flo Collins, Rebecca's best friend. Beard asks whether Ted had fun, which he did, so he doesn't see anything wrong with it. Ted says that a mental breakdown, a one night stand, and a divorce, he feels overwhelmed. Nate and Higgins tells Ted to cut some slacks and not to be too hard on himself, which Ted then suggests that they form a support group called "Diamond Dogs" where they can talk about their personal problems. When Roy comes to them about his relationship, everyone is supportive and tells him to be mature about it, and then all the members are howling.

After losing a match, Beard tells Ted that they need to take Roy out of the starting lineup. When Ted refuses, Beard gives him a silent treatment and even avoids his best friend. Beard then sees Jane play chess with a man at The Crown & Anchor which makes him jealous. Even the pub regulars like Baz, Paul, and Jeremy notices it and make some comments. While there, Ted inform him that he will not benched Roy because winning is not important. Beard calls Ted a selfish person for refusing to bench Roy and tells him that winning does matter because they’re working with professional athletes, and the club is very close to being relegated. Beard thinks if Ted is willing to let the team suffer because of one player’s feelings, then he doesn’t want to drink with him anymore. His outburst is heard by everyone in the pub and prompts Jane to tell him that she is turned on by his ferocity; she and Beard then leave the pub together.

Beard forgives Ted and assists him with the training sessions the next day, and everything turns normal again. After Nate is promoted to an assistant coach, Roy comes to the office and tells Ted that he needs to pick up a new Captain, but Ted refuses. After going back and forth, Roy tells Ted that it's very hard to love him. Beard watches the interaction and happily declare that Roy loves Ted.

The Hope That Kills You[]


When Ted and Beard are having dinner at the pub, they are approached by the regulars Baz, Jeremy, and Paul who thanked the coaches for their efforts, even when their efforts are still not enough. Ted is confused why everyone seemingly already given up and asks whether they ever heard of hope. The regulars laughs and Mae tells him that "It's the hope that kills you."

This concerns both coaches so they have a meeting with Nate, who is also share a similar point of view with other Richmond residents. Beard finally tells Ted that 'Believe' can't score goals, which angers Ted as he calls both Beard and Nate as Negative Nellies. However, during the 'Trick Plays' meeting, the players give some suggestions for how to give some elaborate set pieces to win the match. Thierry Zoreaux suggests 'Midnight Poutine' and Beard blatantly tells him that it's super Canadian. During the match against Man City, Tommy Winchester is offside, and Ted doesn't understand why, so Beard explain it to him using ketchup bottles as examples.

Isaac then lead the team into using the 'Lasso Special' elaborate set-piece; the American Football strategy confuses the opposing team, and it gives Dani a chance to score a goal. After Richmond ties it in stoppage time, Jamie goes down the length of the pitch, without Richmond knowing because they are celebrating the goal. Jamie makes the extra pass to his team player, Hendrix, who scores the goal. Richmond loses the game and the club gets relegated.

After the match, Jamie's father James Tartt yells at him for passing the ball to his team mate instead scoring by himself. He throws a shoe at Jamie, but misses. Ted witness the abuse from outside the treatment room and starts to understand where Jamie got his personality. He passes a heartfelt letter of appreciation to Jamie via Coach Beard along with a tiny green toy soldier as a reminder that he will always support him.

The Yips[]


AFC Richmond starts the Championship season with seven draws and Dani gets a penalty that could have given them the first win of the season. Unfortunately, a tragic event interrupts the penalty as AFC Richmond's mascot Earl runs after a bird near the goal post. As Dani kicks the ball, it hit the dog and killed it. Beard watches Dani prays and cries in the shower with water running all over him while he is still wearing the uniform. During the training, Dani can't score any goal and he even hit Ted's butt with a ball.

Higgins suggests to bring Sports psychologist, Dr Sharon Fieldstone to help Dani overcome this trauma. As Americans, both Beard and Ted are very superstitious regarding yips in sports and not really keen with the whole idea of bringing a new person to the club, especially a psychologist, but Beard manages to be cool headed and persuade Ted to bring the doctor. Ted confesses to Beard that he doesn't trust therapist after what happened to his relationship with Michelle, so that is why he's reluctant about it. When they finally meet Sharon, both Ted and Beard a little bit put off by her cold demeanor and lack of humor. Beard sarcastically make a comment, "She seems fuuuuun...".

When Jamie returns to Richmond, everyone tells him off that he was the reason the club got relegated. Ted tells Beard that he's going to be 'Led Tasso', which horrifies Beard. As "Led Tasso" Ted is acting like a mean coach to the team. His behavior is uncharacteristically weird as he yells, screams, and punishes the players the whole day. Jamie tells him to stop yelling at everyone, which prompts the coach to cancel the practice. The team mates thanked Jamie quietly except Sam, and Sharon observes that Ted is pretending to be mean so everyone make him the common enemy instead of Jamie. Beard 'wakes' Ted up, and he becomes normal again.

Toxic Relationship[]


One night, Jane and Beard had a fight which made her throw his keys into the river. Beard has to sleep at the office and Ted remarks that their relationship reminds him of Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner. During the Christmas break, Jane and Beard are set to go to a Pagan Christmas ritual at Stonehenge even when they've broken up. Beard's excuse is because they bought the tickets beforehand and they're going as friends.

Jane and Beard get back together again and he announces it to the Diamond Dogs. While everyone seems nonchalant about it, Higgins voices his concern that their relationship is not a good idea. Beard seems offended that Higgins doesn't approve, but he runs away to call Jane when he finds out that she miss-called him twice. Higgins is worried that Beard and Jane's relationship is not healthy since Jane is very over-domineering. Beard announces that Jane's roommate kicked her out of the house, so now she is moving into his home. Again, everyone seems to be okay about the news except Higgins.

Jane calls Beard and says that she's going to have coffee together with Finn, an underwear model who used to be in university together with her. It's apparent that she wants to make him jealous and it's working as he is wheezing after the phone call. After the team wins against Tottenham Spurs AFC, Higgins tell Beard that he deserves better - which prompt Beard to hugs Higgins very tight. However, Jane suddenly appears and surprises Beard; she remarks that she enjoys seeing him frightened. She talks about Finn without considering Beard's feelings, but she assures him that she likes him better.

Because of his own relationship with Jane, Beard fail to notice that Ted has a mental breakdown problem. He doesn't know that Ted has been seeing Sharon for therapy sessions. He does, however, notice some changes with Nate - especially the way he's being rude to Colin and Will Kitman. Beard chides Nate and tell him to "Do better."

A Very Long Night[]


Before the match against Manchester City F.C. in the FA Cup, Ted confesses to the Diamond Dogs that he had a panic attack during a match against Tottenham Hotspur, that was why he had to leave the match earlier. He admits that he's in therapy with Dr. Sharon now. Everyone sympathize with him, and Beard also confesses that he took some mushrooms during a Port Vale match - he was with Jane and took a wrong tea pot.

After Richmond's devastating loss, James Tartt burst into the Richmond dressing room to gloat and starts making fun of his son's performance during the game. He then tells Jamie to allow him and his friends to get photographs of themselves on the pitch. When Jamie says no, his father insults his son further, and the rest of the team, calls Jamie a “pussy” and aggressively shoves him. Jamie then proceeds to punch James in front of his teammates. The players are shocked and not able to do anything about it, while James is furious and tries to attack Jamie in retaliation, but he is bundled out of the dressing room by Beard, leaving a distressed Jamie to be comforted by Roy. Ted can't stand the situation because it reminds him of his father who committed suicide and leave the locker room.

Ep19

Beard with Baz, Jeremy, and Paul

After kicking James out, Beard tells Ted that he needs to shake off the defeat and decides not to go on the Richmond team bus with the rest of the team. At home, he watches TV and the sport commentators Thierry Henry and Gary Lineker blames Beard for the loss. Beard's aggressive strategy cost the team their winning. He fantasizes that both commentators are insulting him, so he goes to the pub. Beard talks to Mae at the pub and tells her that he and Jane broke up again because she refused to say "I love you" back. Jane tells him via text that she's at a club and sends him a picture of her standing in front of a neon cross, claiming she is atoning her sins, and asks him to join her. He also talks to regular patrons Baz, Jeremy, and Paul about the meaning of life, Las Vegas, and Ted. Beard decides to go for a night out with the trio.

The four of them goes to Bones and Honey, a high class club, and pretending to be Oxford graduates. While in there, Beard leaves the trio and enters a VIP room - in there he stares at some monitors, as he's drunkenly dreaming about how Thierry Henry and Gary Lineker blames him for his low self-esteem and how much he's not worthy of Jane. He accidentally tear his pants, and yells. A bodyguard walks into the room and asks for his membership card, which he can't provide. He gets kicked out from the club, and meets a woman who stands in the corner with red hair and a red dress. She offers him to fix his pants, and points to her flat nearby which he follows her.

In her flat, the redheaded woman named Mary sew his pants with a sewing machine while talking about love and relationship. Beard is wearing bell-bottoms pants in the mean time, courtesy of the woman. Beard answers the woman's phone when it rings, and apparently it's the woman's boyfriend named Darren. She tells Beard to run when Darren chases after him, so he runs to the rooftop, jumps into a trash, and manages to take a double decker bus. When he gets into an empty lobby of a hotel and asks for using the phone, the receptionist kicks him out for mistaken him as a charlatan.

As he walks into an alley, he accidentally bump into James again along with his cronies; Bug and Denbo. James remembers that Beard dragged him outside the Richmond locker room, deliberately hit his head on the door, and kicked him out of the stadium. His temple has a band-aid, and he immediately smiles menacingly to see Beard seemingly lost and depressed. James starts to berate about how the real football happens in the street, but Beard decides to run. The three hooligans chases after him, and corners him in a dead-end alley. James has no hesitation throwing the first punch, and the rest of them starts beating and kicking Beard until he falls on the ground.

However, Beard refuses to stay down and keeps fighting until Denbo restraint him and James pick up a tire-iron from the ground, ready to hit the coach on the head. But Beard is saved by Darren, who has been looking for him to return his missing phone. Darren punches and hit both James and Denbo, while Bug runs away. Darren then has a heart-to-heart conversation with Beard about his own relationship with Mary, that he was a jealous man back then, which made him paranoid. Darren gives Beard his flat keys and advises him to be good. Beard checks his phone and discovers that Jane had been calling him for 72 times, and also texted him and said "I love you." but didn't get any reply which angered her. As he about to call her, the phone battery is dead, and Beard howl in frustration.

While walking down the street, a limo screech and stops next to him, and the passengers are the trio who apparently have won a game of pool and managed to rent a limo. They drop Beard off his home, but as a thank you, he gives them a piece of paper which to be given to Renee, a groundskeeper at Nelson Road Stadium to let them spending some time inside the field. When his keys break and he cannot enter the flat, rain comes pouring down from the sky, and Beard has to take a shelter to a nearby church with a neon sign.

Inside, Beard confesses that he loves Jane even though he acknowledge that their relationship is toxic. He then heard some thumping music from underground, and discovers that it's not a real church but actually a techno club. He finds Jane and the two of them stares at each other, seems to be in love. They dance all night long, getting back together again. The next day at the office, the coaches are trying to dissect the match but Beard decides to take a nap. Ted sees the bruises and his pants, but he doesn't say a word.

At The Funeral and The Article[]


At Rebecca's father funeral, Beard talks to Jane via camera phone - she says she loves funerals. Beard then shows her the funeral process via his camera phone but closes it when Rebecca is giving some emotional eulogy. He sings "Never Give You Up" along with other mourners in church which instigated by Rebecca.

When the story of Ted's panic attack written by Trent Crimm being published, Beard doesn't say a word although he read the article. He suspects that Nate was the one who leaked the news, especially seeing his behavior at the office. He also broke up with Jane via phone, but a second later they get back on, to his relief and Ted's chagrin. Beard tells Ted that he is suspicious of Nate, which Ted agrees as he knew from Trent that his anonymous source was Nate. Ted says that they shouldn't say anything, just let him come to them, but Beard disagrees and tells him to confront Nate.

At the office, Nate confesses to Roy that he kissed Keeley while they were shopping together. Beard expected Nate would confess about the leak as well, but he doesn't say anything. When Nate says that he deserves to get punched for kissing Keeley, Beard offers himself to punch Nate instead, which confuses everyone. Ted rather the players focuses on their match against Brentford FC for a place back in the Premier League. When the squad's moral is low after being beaten during the half-time, Isaac touches the "BELIEVE" sign on the wall, follows by the rest of the team members while the coaches (minus Nate) and Will Kitman looks proudly.

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