Matthew Armstrong (English footballer)

Matthew Armstrong (26 January 1919 – 12 July 1941) was an English footballer who made 38 appearances in the Football League playing as a wing half for Darlington in the 1930s.[1] He joined Aston Villa in 1939 – a preview in the Daily Express highlighted him as one of "two young defenders who look as if they have that certain Soccer something"[5] – but he never played for Villa's first team before the league was abandoned for the duration of the Second World War.[1][6]

Matthew Armstrong
Personal information
Full name Matthew Armstrong[1]
Date of birth (1919-01-26)26 January 1919[2]
Place of birth High Spen,[1] County Durham, England
Date of death 12 July 1941(1941-07-12) (aged 22)[3]
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[4]
Position(s) Wing half
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1936–1939 Darlington 38 (2)
1939–19?? Aston Villa 0 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Armstrong was killed during the Second World War while serving as a private in 149 Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps. He was 22, and is commemorated on the Brookwood Memorial.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 11. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
  2. ^ "Matthew Armstrong's life in 1939: 26 East Street Blaydon U.D., Durham, England". 1939 Register. RG101/2754F/021/21 Letter Code: FFEX – via Findmypast.
  3. ^ a b "Casualty details: Armstrong, Matthew". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  4. ^ "Sykes transferred". Birmingham Mail. 27 June 1939. p. 11 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. ^ Halsey, Stanley (17 August 1939). "Villa, Fulham put faith in young players". Daily Express. p. 14.
  6. ^ "Armstrong, Matthew". Aston Villa Player Database. Jörn Mårtensson. Retrieved 22 April 2020.