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Stan Matthews was a great English footballer, being played as an outside right (winger) and gaining 54 caps for England (12 goals) from 1934 until 1957, thus playing before and after WW2. In club football he began with Stoke City (1932-1947), then Blackpool (1947-1961) and back to Stoke (1961-1965) before managing Port Vale (1965-1968). In all he played in 787 club matches and scored 87 goals, but was a creator of goals rather than a scorer. He was knighted in 1965, being the first active footballer to receive the honour. ‘Our Stan’ famously won an FA Cup winners medal with Blackpool at Wembley in 1953 with millions of people buying a new TV set to watch the match. He was never booked or sent off in his career. At the age of 42 he was the oldest player ever to play for England. He played league football until the age of 50 – the oldest-ever.
