Following his release from Stevenage, Beard joined Conference South club St Albans City as player-assistant manager on 20 June 2007. He was assistant to Ritchie Hanlon, who stated – "Mark has all the relevant coaching badges and I'm looking forward to working with him as he is someone I trust. He will bring experience to the team and is someone the other players can look up to". However, Hanlon was sacked just ten games into the 2007–08 season, and Beard subsequently departed too. He then signed for AFC Wimbledon of the Isthmian League Premier Division towards the latter stages of 2007, and he helped the side gain promotion to the Conference South, scoring once in 17 league appearances. He left Wimbledon at the end of the season, and then spent two years at Haywards Heath Town in the Sussex County League, making 56 appearances and scoring six times, as well as managing the side during the 2009–10 campaign. Following an injury crisis as manager of Tooting and Mitcham United, he briefly returned to playing during the 2010–11 season, scoring one goal in three games.