Matthew Ferguson (footballer)

Matthew Ferguson (c. 1873 in Bellshill, Scotland – 1902) was a Scottish footballer who played for Sunderland as a central defender. He made his debut for Sunderland against Bury on 1 September 1896 in a 1–0 defeat at Newcastle Road.[1] In 1902, Ferguson won an English Football League Championship with Sunderland though, the same year, he died and ultimately missed out on international caps for his country, Scotland.[2] Through his time at Sunderland, spanning from 1896 to 1902 he made 167 league appearances, scoring 5 goals. Ferguson died in the close season of 1902, aged 26, just weeks after Sunderland clinched the 1901-02 League championship. His career highpoint was the league title win, but he was perhaps best remembered for keeping goal in a friendly against Tottenham on January 2, 1900 - after Sunderland goalkeeper Ted Doig injured his wrist the day before. A large attendance at his funeral proved his popularity.[3]

References

  1. ↑ "Sunderland 0-1 Bury". The Stat Cat. Retrieved 2008-07-30.
  2. ↑ "Matthew Ferguson". A Love Supreme. Retrieved 2008-07-30.
  3. ↑ Sunderland Echo (2000). "Millennium City - an Echo publication". p. 6.