Matthews, Sir Stanley (1915–2000). Footballer. Born at Hanley in the Potteries, Matthews made his début for Stoke City in 1932 and his first appearance for England in 1934, when he scored one of his comparatively rare goals. From 1947 to 1961 he played for Blackpool, returned to Stoke from 1961, and retired at the age of 50. He played for England on 54 occasions, and was Footballer of the Year in 1948 and again in 1963. He was knighted on his retirement. Matthews played on the right wing, providing crosses of pin-point accuracy for his strikers. His most famous game was the Cup Final of 1953, when Blackpool were trailing 1–3. In the last 20 minutes, Matthews turned on an extraordinary exhibition of wing play, mesmerizing opponents, to defeat Bolton Wanderers 4–3. His brilliant ball control was matched by his physical fitness and sportsmanship.

J. A. Cannon

Matthews, Sir Stanley (1915–2000) English footballer who played for Stoke City and Blackpool. Matthews made 786 appearances, including 54 caps for England, in a professional career that spanned from 1932 to 1965. He was the first European Footballer of the Year (1956).