John Matthews (footballer)
Encyclopedia
John Melvin Matthews is an English former professional footballer who played in the Football League
as a midfielder
for Arsenal
, Sheffield United
, Mansfield Town
, Plymouth Argyle
, Chesterfield
and Torquay United
.
, and played football for Islington
Schools before joining Arsenal
as an apprentice. He turned professional in August 1973 and made his league debut early the following season against Leicester City
on 17 August 1974. He started his career in defence, mainly playing as a full back, but later moved into midfield; he made 57 appearances in four seasons with Arsenal but struggled to hold down a first team place, after breaking a leg and missing almost a whole season, and especially with Liam Brady
and David Price
monopolising the Arsenal midfield places. He left to join Sheffield United
for a fee of £90,000 in August 1978, scoring 14 times in 103 games for the Blades before a free transfer move to Mansfield Town
in August 1982. In August 1984, after six goals in 72 games for the Stags, he moved to Chesterfield
, again on a free transfer.
The following season he played a major role in Chesterfield's Fourth Division
championship side, earning a free transfer move to Plymouth Argyle
in August 1985 where he again gained promotion
finishing runners up and promoted to the Second Division
. He remained at Home Park
until June 1989, joining Torquay United
on a free transfer, having scored four times in 135 games for the Pilgrims. He played only 25 times for the Gulls before being released by his former Argyle manager, Dave Smith, at the end of the season, joining non-league Dorchester Town
.
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
as a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
for Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
, Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
, Mansfield Town
Mansfield Town F.C.
Mansfield Town Football Club is an English football club from the former mining town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. The club was formed in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans and changed its name to Mansfield Wesley in 1906 before settling on Mansfield Town in 1910...
, Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
, Chesterfield
Chesterfield F.C.
Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League One, the third tier of English football. Despite being the fourth oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower...
and Torquay United
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...
.
Career
Matthews was born in the London Borough of CamdenLondon Borough of Camden
In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough were already developed and had a total population of 96,795. This continued to rise swiftly throughout the 19th century, as the district became built up; reaching 270,197 in the middle of the century...
, and played football for Islington
Islington
Islington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...
Schools before joining Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
as an apprentice. He turned professional in August 1973 and made his league debut early the following season against Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
on 17 August 1974. He started his career in defence, mainly playing as a full back, but later moved into midfield; he made 57 appearances in four seasons with Arsenal but struggled to hold down a first team place, after breaking a leg and missing almost a whole season, and especially with Liam Brady
Liam Brady
Liam Brady is a former Irish association football player, and former assistant manager of the Republic of Ireland national football team....
and David Price
David Price (footballer)
David James Price is an English former footballer who played in the Football League for Arsenal, Peterborough United, Crystal Palace and Leyton Orient....
monopolising the Arsenal midfield places. He left to join Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
for a fee of £90,000 in August 1978, scoring 14 times in 103 games for the Blades before a free transfer move to Mansfield Town
Mansfield Town F.C.
Mansfield Town Football Club is an English football club from the former mining town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. The club was formed in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans and changed its name to Mansfield Wesley in 1906 before settling on Mansfield Town in 1910...
in August 1982. In August 1984, after six goals in 72 games for the Stags, he moved to Chesterfield
Chesterfield F.C.
Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League One, the third tier of English football. Despite being the fourth oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower...
, again on a free transfer.
The following season he played a major role in Chesterfield's Fourth Division
Football League Fourth Division
The Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
championship side, earning a free transfer move to Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
in August 1985 where he again gained promotion
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
finishing runners up and promoted to the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
. He remained at Home Park
Home Park
Home Park is an all-seater football stadium in the Central Park area of Plymouth, England, and is the home of Football League Two club Plymouth Argyle. The ground, given the nickname the Theatre of Greens by the club's supporters, has been Argyle's permanent residence since 1901...
until June 1989, joining Torquay United
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...
on a free transfer, having scored four times in 135 games for the Pilgrims. He played only 25 times for the Gulls before being released by his former Argyle manager, Dave Smith, at the end of the season, joining non-league Dorchester Town
Dorchester Town F.C.
Dorchester Town Football Club are a semi-professional football club, based in Dorchester, Dorset, England, and currently playing in the Blue Square Bet South...
.