Terry Matthews (footballer)

George Terence Leonard Matthews, known as Terry Matthews (born 25 February 1936), is an English former footballer who played as an inside-forward in the Football League for West Ham United, Aldershot and Gillingham. He later managed non-League clubs Aveley, Tilbury and Walthamstow Avenue.

Terry Matthews
Personal information
Full name George Terence Leonard Matthews[1]
Date of birth (1936-02-25) 25 February 1936 (age 88)[1]
Place of birth Leyton, England[1]
Position(s) Inside-forward
Youth career
Tufnell Park
Edmonton
Queens United
West Ham United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1952–1957 West Ham United 9 (1)
1957–1962 Aldershot 62 (20)
1962–1963 Gillingham 10 (1)
1963 Ashford Town 13 (0)
Managerial career
000?–1974 Aveley
1974–1977 Tilbury
1977–? Walthamstow Avenue
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Matthews played for Hackney and Middlesex Schools and joined West Ham United as a youth. He signed professional forms with the east London club in August 1952. He made his senior debut on 22 October 1953, a 5–1 defeat against Colchester United in the Essex Professional Cup, alongside fellow debutants Andy Malcolm and Fred Cooper.[2][3]

Matthews would have to wait 2+12 years for his league debut, a Second Division encounter against Blackburn Rovers on 17 March 1956. He scored the only West Ham goal of a 4–1 defeat.[2][3]

After nine league appearances for West Ham, his final game for the club came in the Essex Professional Cup, in a 3–1 win over Chelmsford City on 26 November 1956.[3]

He joined Aldershot in July 1957 and scored 20 goals in 62 appearances, before moving to Gillingham in August 1962.[1] He scored one goal in 12 appearances for the Gills during the 1962–63 season.[4]

Matthews then moved to non-league Ashford Town where he was captain before injury curtailed his playing career.[5][6] He went on to manage Aveley, and in 1974 moved to Tilbury, with Larry Hutson making a move in the opposite direction. At the end of the 1976–77 season, Matthews left for Walthamstow Avenue.[7]

He later managed Sunday league team Ockendon Motor Spares.[8]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Terry Matthews". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
  2. ^ a b Marsh, Steve. "George 'Terry' MATHEWS ... (1953)". theyflysohigh.co.uk. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
  3. ^ a b c "George Terry Matthews". westhamstats.info. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
  4. ^ Day, Richard (25 February 2013). "On This Day..." Gillingham F.C. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
  5. ^ "Official Handbook 1970-71". Ashford Football Supporters Association. 1970.
  6. ^ "Terry Matthews player profile". Nuts and Bolts Archive: History of Ashford town / United. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  7. ^ Brown, Lloyd (September 2013). "A Complete History of Tilbury Football Club". pitchero.com. Tilbury F.C. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
  8. ^ Goad, Ryan (11 December 2014). "Essex's most successful Sunday league side Ockendon Motor Spares forced to call it a day". Thurrock Gazette. Retrieved 5 July 2018.