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)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

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
  1. 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. "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.


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