Who was Stanley Matthews?
Association Footballer, nicknamed "The Wizard
of Dribble" in Britain and "Der Zauberer" (The Magician)
abroad. Winner of 54 International caps and made 698 appearances
in the Football League.
Date and Place of Birth:
1st February 1915, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire,
England.
Family Background:
One of four brothers. Son of Jack Matthews a
barber and boxer known as "The Fighting Barber of Hanley".
Education:
Wellington Road School, Hanley.
Chronology/Biography of Sir Stanley Matthews:
1931: Began playing
for his local Club Stoke City as a winger aged17. He had previously
worked in the office, such was his enthusiasm for the club.
1934: Played against
Italy in the infamous "Battle of Highbury" and was written
of as not having the "big match temperament".
1935: First picked
for England.
1937: Played for
England at Tottenham Hotspur's ground against Czechoslovakia and
scored a hat trick as England won 5-4 and were reduced to ten men.
1939: Played in
the Berlin Olympic Stadium where England were forced to give the
Nazi Salute at the beginning of the game. Matthews was outstanding
and helped the team to win 6-3.
1940: He and his
wife Betty opened a small hotel in Blackpool and he played as a
guest for Blackpool many times during the Second World War.
1946: Dropped form
the Stoke Team in favour of the young George Mountfords. Dropped
from the England Team in favour of Tom Finney but later in the season
was brought back to play Portugal in Lisbon where England won 10-0.
1947: Transferred
to Blackpool for the sum of £11,500.
1948: Voted Footballer
of the Year. Blackpool lost 4-2 to Manchester United in the FA Cup
Final.
1951: Two goals
by "Whor" Jackie Milburn helped Newcastle United lift
the FA Cup from Blackpool 2-0.
1953: Won an FA
Cup winners medal eventually, playing against Bolton Wanderers.
This game has gone down in history as the Matthews final.
1954: Matthews was
moved to the Inside Right position to play Switzerland and helped
it England to a 4-4 draw.
1956: Became the
first ever European Footballer of the Year.
1961: Ended his
career with Blackpool and returned to to play for Stoke, aged 46.
1963: Voted Footballer
of the Year as he helped Stoke get promoted to the First Division.
1965: Knighted.
Went on to manage Port Vale.
1970: Moved to Malta
where he played for the Hibernians team aged 55. Took up coaching
appointments in South Africa and Canada.
1990: Became President
of Stoke City Football CLub.
Marriage:
1. To Betty (died 1968).
2. 1968 to Mila Winters a Cultural Assistant in the U.S. Embassy,
London. (died 1999)
Places of Interest:
LANCASHIRE:
National Football Museum, Deepdale Stadium, Preston.
STAFFORDSHIRE:
Stoke City Football Club, Britannia Stadium.
Date and Place of Death:
23rd February 2000, Hanley, Staffordshire, England.
Age at Death:
85.
Site of Grave:
Ashes interred under the pitch at the Britannia
Stadium, Stoke-on-Trent.
