Johnny Matthews

Johnny Matthews (27 August 1946 – 25 December 2019)[1] was an English footballer and manager.

Johnny Matthews
Personal information
Date of birth (1946-08-27)27 August 1946
Place of birth Coventry, England
Date of death 25 December 2019(2019-12-25) (aged 73)
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
1965 Coventry City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1966–1979 Waterford 327 (143)
1979–1981 Limerick United 41 (6)
1981–1982 Cork United 18 (3)
1982–1983 Waterford United 11 (4)
1983–1984 Galway United 3 (0)
1985–1986 Longford Town 2 (0)
1986–1987 Newcastle West 15 (0)
National team
1970–1971 League of Ireland XI 2 (1)
Teams managed
1986–1987 Newcastle West
1989–1990 Waterford United
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Matthews started his career playing with his home club Coventry City.

He moved to Waterford United during the 1965/66 season on St. Patrick's Day under the impression from Jimmy Hill that it was for just a six-week loan period. Matthews played in the last seven games scoring twice and his loan period was extended. During the following season he signed for the club on a permanent basis. In the next 13 seasons Matthews became a legend at Kilcohan Park.

In total Matthews won 5 league medals with Waterford, was awarded a 6th many years later after not playing enough games in his first season with Waterford and another with Limerick as well as 3 runners-up medals in the FAI Cup. Matthews also played in 16 European Cup matches and scored against Celtic at Parkhead and Manchester United .

He entered management with Newcastlewest while still a player in 1986 before returning to Waterford to take the managerial reins along with Dave Kirby in 1989. His first season in charge with the Blues brought the First Division Title in 1990.

Matthews' greatest honour was winning league honours with Waterford but his cherished memory is scoring a penalty against Gordon Banks when the League of Ireland XI played the English League XI in 1971 at Lansdowne Road.

At the end of the 2012 League of Ireland season Matthews is eighth in the all-time League of Ireland goalscoring list with 156 league goals [2]

A noted cricketer, Matthews was a member of the Waterford Referee's Society and referees junior league matches in the Waterford Junior League maintaining his connection with soccer in the city and county.

Honours

As a player

As a manager

References
  1. "Sadness at death of soccer legend Johnny Matthews". www.limerickleader.ie.
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 6 April 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2016.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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