Stanley Matthews

Sir Stanley Matthews

Personal information
Full name	Stanley Matthews
Date of birth	1 February 1915(1915-02-01)
Place of birth	Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, England
Date of death	23 February 2000(2000-02-23) (aged 85)
Place of death	Stoke-on-Trent, England
Playing position	Outside right
Youth career
	Stoke St. Peter's
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1932–1947	Stoke City	256	(51)
1947–1961	Blackpool	391	(17)
1961–1965	Stoke City	59	(3)
1970	Hibernians	2	(1)
Total		708	(72)
National team
1934–1957	England	54	(11)
Teams managed
1967–1968	Port Vale (player-manager)
1970–1971	Hibernians (player-manager)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Sir Stanley Matthews, CBE (1 February 1915 – 23 February 2000) was an English footballer. Often regarded as one of the greatest players of the English game, he is the only player to have been knighted while still playing, as well as being the first winner of both the European Footballer of the Year and the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year awards. Matthews' nicknames included The Wizard of the Dribble and The Magician. A vegetarian teetotaller, he kept fit enough to play at the top level until he was 50 years old. He was also the oldest player ever to play in England's top football division and the oldest player ever to represent the country. He played his final competitive game in 1985, at the age of 70, in Brazil, damaging his cartilage. Matthews was also an inaugural inductee to the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002 to honour his contribution to the English game.^[1]

Playing career

Stoke City

A natural outside right showing early promise, Matthews played for England Schoolboys against Wales and left Stoke St. Peter's to sign professional forms with Stoke City in 1932. His international debut came in 1934, scoring for an England side that beat Wales 4-0. Matthews also played in the famous Battle of Highbury where England defeated the World Champions Italy 3-2 with a brace from Eric Brook and one goal from Ted Drake. Matthews later recollected that this was the most violent match that he had been involved in with Brook suffering a broken arm and Drake acquiring two black eyes^[2]. Shortly after this, Matthews was condemned in the Daily Mail:

"I saw Matthews play just as moderately in the recent inter-League match, exhibiting the same slowness and hesitation. Perhaps he lacks the big match temperament."

The inaccuracy of this appraisal was soon illustrated by Matthews' hat-trick for 10-man England in a game against Czechoslovakia in 1937.

In 1938, Matthews asked for a transfer, causing a public outcry in Stoke. More than 3,000 fans attended a protest meeting and a further 1,000 marched outside the ground with placards. Matthews stayed.

Blackpool

The Second World War interrupted his career, during which time he served as a corporal in the Royal Air Force and was stationed near Blackpool. Surviving records show that he played as a guest for clubs such as Blackpool, Crewe Alexandra, Manchester United, Wrexham, Arsenal, Airdrie^[3], Greenock Morton^[3], Stenhousemuir and Rangers^[3] during this time. He even appeared for a Scots XI. After the war, he then asked to be transferred to Blackpool. On 10 May 1947, immediately after a Great Britain versus Rest of Europe match in Glasgow,^[4] he made the move for £11,500 at the age of 32.^[5]

"You're 32, do you think you can make it for another couple of years?" - Blackpool manager Joe Smith, in 1947.

Matthews scored his first League goal for Blackpool on 8 September 1947, the only goal of the game in a victory over Blackburn Rovers at Bloomfield Road.^[4]

On 23 April 1948, the eve of Blackpool's first FA Cup Final,^[4] Matthews won the inaugural Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year.

His link-up with Stan Mortensen was very profitable, and Matthews won an FA Cup winners medal in 1953, his third attempt - a match subsequently dubbed the 'Matthews Final' in which, despite Mortensen's hat-trick, his outstanding dribbling in the last 30 minutes of the match when Blackpool were 3-1 down more than contributed to his finally earning the medal which had eluded him in the finals of 1948 and 1951. With Blackpool spending the entire 1950s in England's top division, including a highest-ever finish of second in 1956, the decade was the most successful in the club's history to date. Matthews was at the club throughout the 50s as was goalkeeper George Farm, defenders Hugh Kelly and Tommy Garrett, forward Jackie Mudie and outside left Bill Perry.

In 1950, Matthews only played in one World Cup game (a 1-0 defeat against Spain). He was held out of England's 0-1 loss to the United States.

Matthews scored his eighteenth and final goal for Blackpool in a 4–1 League victory over Tottenham Hotspur at Bloomfield Road on 3 September 1956. He played for the club for a further five years, but failed to find the net again.^[4]

England and later career

In total, Matthews made 54 official England appearances scoring 11 goals (as well as 29 unofficial wartime appearances with 2 goals). His England career is the longest of any player ever to play for the side, stretching from his debut on 29 September 1934 to his last appearance on 15 May 1957, almost 23 years later, an appearance which, as of 2009, makes him the oldest player ever to appear for England. His importance to the team is exemplified by the post-war circumstances he found himself in. He was excluded from the team for most of the 1946-47 season in favour of another England great - Tom Finney. He returned to the team in triumph, however, as England beat Portugal 10-0. A year later, he ran the Italian left-back ragged, helping England to a 4-0 win in Turin.

During an match against Italy in 1948, with England 4-0 up, Matthews went on a run to the corner flag to waste time. On getting there, he wiped the sweat from his hands on his shorts, and before his marker could arrive, pushed his hair back into place. People in the crowd believed Matthews had been audacious enough to pull a comb from his shorts pocket and comb his hair. As revealed in his autobiography, this legend followed Sir Stanley throughout his lifetime.

At the 1950 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, Matthews was omitted by manager Walter Winterbottom from the England team that played against the USA in order to be fresh for later, supposedly more demanding games to come. He was unable to participate as England suffered a 1-0 defeat against the Americans.

At the 1954 FIFA World Cup in Switzerland, England found themselves struggling against Belgium, so Matthews promptly switched to inside-forward, galvanised the team, and helped them to a 4-4 draw. When England beat Scotland 7-2 in 1955, the 40-year-old Matthews created five of the goals. Duncan Edwards was making his England debut; when Matthews made his, Edwards had not even been born.

Matthews travelled to various parts of the world to take part in exhibition matches and was famous worldwide. For example, he attracted a large crowd at Hartleyvale in Cape Town when he appeared there in about 1956.

The winger became the oldest England player ever to score with his strike against Northern Ireland in Belfast on 6 October 1956, aged 41 years and 248 days.^[4]

In 1956, Matthews won the first-ever European Footballer of the Year (Ballon d'Or) award, and the following year was awarded a CBE in the New Year's honours list.

On 15 May 1957, Matthews became the oldest player ever to represent England. On his last appearance for his country, a 4–1 defeat to Denmark in Copenhagen, he was 42 years and 104 days old.^[4]

Just over a month later, Matthews visited West Africa, where a game in Nigeria was arranged in his honour.^[4] On 17 June 1957, he was part of a Nigerian FA XI against a Lagos XI. M.O. Awoyinfa wrote an article in the match programme that gave a potted history of Matthews' career to date and mentioned some recent games played in Africa. He added, "It is our hope that our own modest way of expression this afternoon will be appreciated by Stanley Matthews. Your Excellency, Ladies and Gentlemen, meet the soccer genius — Stanley Matthews, CBE."^[4]

Matthews made his 440th and final appearance in a Blackpool shirt in a 3–0 defeat at Arsenal on 7 October 1961.^[4] By chance, after the game, Matthews met Stoke City manager Tony Waddington in the Russell Hotel, as both teams had been playing in London.^[4] Exactly three weeks later, the 46-year-old Matthews rejoined his hometown club. The following season, Stoke City won the English Second Division Championship and he was voted Footballer of the Year for the second time in his career. He remained with the Potters until the end of his playing career, appearing in his final League game on 6 February 1965, just after his 50th birthday, when he played for the first time in twelve months owing to a knee injury, setting up the equaliser for his team. Even at the age of 50, he always claimed that he had retired 'too early'. A testimonial match in honour of Sir Stanley was played in April 1965 at the Victoria Ground, where almost 35,000 people watched a 10-goal thriller between a British XI and a Europe XI, that included greats such as Lev Yashin, Josef Masopust, Ferenc Puskás and Alfredo Di Stéfano, which finished 6–4 to the Europeans. Matthews was carried shoulder-high from the field at full-time.^[6]

Matthews continued playing for numerous local sides, meaning that he was still running down the wing in his 60s. He also coached "Stan's Men" in Soweto, South Africa, in Australia, the USA and Canada. He even played in a charity match at Grangemouth as late as 1981.

He later served as president of Stoke City, honorary vice-president of Blackpool and president of the City Vale Club.

Blackpool F.C. Hall of Fame

Matthews was inducted into the Blackpool F.C. Hall of Fame at Bloomfield Road when it was officially opened by former Blackpool player Jimmy Armfield in April 2006.^[7] Organised by the Blackpool Supporters Association, Blackpool fans around the world voted on their all-time heroes. Five players from each decade are inducted; Matthews is in the 1950s.^[8]

Management career

After playing 706 games in the Football League, Matthews was appointed general manager at Stoke's rivals Port Vale in July 1965 alongside Jackie Mudie. Handed complete managerial control following Mudie's resignation in May 1967, Matthews couldn't guide the Vale to glory.^[9] Rather the opposite, as the club were fined £4,000 in February/March 1968 and expelled from the Football League for financial irregularities.^[9] Standing down as manager in May 1968, despite being owed £9,000 in salary in expenses he agreed to stay at Vale Park to continue his work with the youth team. A 'final settlement' was reached in December 1970, Matthews was given £3,300, with the other £7,000 he was owed to be written off.^[9] Player Roy Sproson later said that "he [Matthews] trusted people who should never have been trusted and people took advantage of him. I am convinced a lot of people sponged off him and, all the while, the club were sliding."^[10]

After this he moved to Malta, where he coached the Hibernians, also playing for them until he was 55. In 1970–71, his only season in charge, he lead them to the triple: the Maltese Cup, the Maltese Independence Cup,^[11] and the Sons of Malta Cup.^[12]

Membership of Freemasonry

Matthews became a Freemason on 5 February 1948, when he was initiated in Clifton Lodge, No 703, in Blackpool. He was passed to the 2nd degree in April 1948, three weeks before playing in the FA Cup Final that year.^[13]

Retirement and death

Matthews died on 23 February 2000, aged 85, after falling ill while on holiday in Tenerife. It was a recurrence of an illness that he first suffered in 1997. His death was announced on radio just before the start of an England vs Argentina friendly match. He was cremated following a funeral service in Stoke on 3 March 2000. His funeral was attended by many of his fellow footballers, such as Bobby Charlton and Jack Charlton, Gordon Banks, Nat Lofthouse and Tom Finney. His ashes were buried beneath the centre circle of Stoke City's Britannia Stadium, which he officially opened in August 1997.

Legacy

Matthews was made an Inaugural Inductee of the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002 in recognition of his talents.

The International Federation of Football History & Statistics voted him the 11th greatest footballer of the 20th century.^[14]

After his death, more than 100,000 people lined the streets of Stoke-on-Trent to pay tribute. As the cortège wound its way along the 12-mile route, employees downed tools and schoolchildren stood motionless to witness his final passing.^[15]

There is a statue of Matthews outside Stoke City's Britannia Stadium and another in the centre of Hanley. The dedication on the former reads: His name is symbolic of the beauty of the game, his fame timeless and international, his sportsmanship and modesty universally acclaimed. A magical player, of the people, for the people.

The West Stand at Blackpool's Bloomfield Road is named in Matthews' honour.

During his career he gained respect not only as a great player but also as a gentleman. This is exemplified by the fact that despite playing in nearly seven hundred league games, he was never booked.^[4]

The Stanley Matthews Collection is held by the National Football Museum. In February 2010 the boots worn by Matthews in the 1953 Cup Final were auctioned at Bonhams in Chester for £38,400, to an undisclosed buyer.^[16]

Testimonials

"The man who taught us the way football should be played" - Pelé

"I grew up in an era when he was a god to those of us who aspired to play the game. He was a true gentleman and we shall never see his like again" - Brian Clough

"It is not just in England where his name is famous. All over the world he is regarded as a true football genius" - Berti Vogts

"For me this man probably had the greatest name of any player ever, certainly in Britain. I don't think anyone since had a name so synonymous with football in England" - Gordon Banks

"He told me that he used to play for just twenty pounds a week. Today he would be worth all the money in the Bank of England" - Gianfranco Zola

^[17]

Personal life

Matthews was born in a terraced house in Seymour Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. He was the third of four sons born to local boxer Jack Matthews,^[18] who was also known as the Fighting Barber of Hanley. It was Matthews' father who fostered a sense of discipline, determination and sportsmanship that would serve his son well during his long career.

As a child, Matthews attended St Luke's School, near his home.

In the summer of 1934, Matthews married Betty Vallance, daughter of Stoke City trainer Jimmy Vallance, whom he first met on his fifteenth birthday in 1930 on his first day as office boy at the Victoria Ground. The couple had two children together: Jean (born 1 January 1939) and Stanley Jr. (born 1945), who went on to become a tennis player.^[19] He became Wimbledon Boy's Champion in 1962^[20] and a professional of the sport in the 1970s.

On 29 July 1966, Matthews was injured after being in a motor vehicle collision with a lorry at Brown Edge, near Leek, Staffordshire. The 51-year-old, who was then General Manager of Port Vale, was driving Jackie Mudie, the club's player-manager, and three young players to a training session in Stoke. Matthews was hospitalised — after being trapped in the car for several minutes — for a few days, along with one of the young passengers.^[4]

In 1967, while on a tour of Czechoslovakia with Port Vale, Matthews met 40-year-old Mila, who was the group's interpreter for the trip. Matthews was still married to Betty, but the two fell in love and remained in contact and arranged to move together to the Malta. In August 1968, however, Russia invaded Czechoslovakia. Mila persuaded a friend to drive her to the Austrian border, where she bluffed her way through the Russian checkpoint by dropping names of senior-ranking Communist officials in Prague and convincing the guards she was just visiting a friend in Austria for the day. From Austria, she made her way to a friend in Dortmund, from where she telephoned Matthews. Matthews flew to Dortmund immediately. The couple spent the ensuing years living at various times in Malta (specifically Marsaxlokk),^[12] South Africa and Canada. They also travelled extensively as Matthews' coaching jobs and guest appearances dictated.^[17]

In 1989, the couple returned to England and settled in Stoke-on-Trent. A decade later, however, Mila died at the age of 71. According to Les Scott, who helped Matthews write his autobiography, Matthews "was never the same person after it".^[17]

Honours

As a player

Club

Blackpool

• FA Cup (1): 1953

Stoke City

• Football League Second Division (2): 1932–33, 1962–63

Country

England

• British Home Championship (9, 3 shared): 1934 (shared), 1937, 1938 (shared), 1947, 1948, 1950, 1951 (shared), 1954, 1955

As a manager

Hibernians

• Maltese Cup (1): 1970–71
• Independence Cup (1): 1970–71
• Sons of Malta Cup (1): 1970–71

Individual

• FWA Footballer of the Year: 1948, 1963
• European Footballer of the Year: 1956
• CBE: 1957
• Knight Bachelor: 1965
• FIFA Gold Medal Order: 1992
• English Football Hall of Fame: 2002

Statistics

^[17]

^[22]

Milestones

References

Bibliography

• Matthews, Stanley. The Way It Was: My Autobiography, Headline, 2000 (ISBN 0747271089)

External links

• Stanley Matthews career stats at Soccerbase
• Stanley Matthews management career stats at Soccerbase
• A Short Profile at Blackpool F.C.'s site
• Stan!
• The Matthews Final at the FA's site
• The Sir Stanley Matthews Foundation
• BBC Archive Collections:Football Legends - Stanley Matthews
• Hall of Fame/stanleymatthews.htm Profile at the English Football Hall of Fame
• The Farewell Match
• A photograph of Stanley Matthews reunited with Bill Perry and the FA Cup at Blackpool F.C.'s site
• Matthews' profile at Neil Brown's player database
• Matthews in the Blackpool Supporters Association Hall of Fame

England squad – 1950 FIFA World Cup GK Ditchburn • GK Williams • DF Aston • DF Eckersley • DF Ramsey • DF Scott • DF Taylor • DF Wright • MF Baily • MF Cockburn • MF Dickinson • MF Hughes • MF Nicholson • MF Watson • FW Bentley • FW Finney • FW Mannion • FW Matthews • FW Milburn • FW Mortensen • FW Mullen • Coach: Winterbottom

England squad – 1954 FIFA World Cup 1 Merrick • 2 Staniforth • 3 Byrne • 4 Wright • 5 Owen • 6 Dickinson • 7 Matthews • 8 Broadis • 9 Lofthouse • 10 Taylor • 11 Finney • 12 Burgin • 13 Green • 14 McGarry • 15 Wilshaw • 16 Quixall • 17 Mullen • 18 Chilton • 19 Armstrong • 20 Jezzard • 21 Haynes • 22 Hooper • Coach: Winterbottom