Sir Stanley Mathews Museum

[blueblood]

If you have or know any one who has memorabilia concerning the great man then The Sir Stanley Mathews Foundation would like to hear from you, with a view of taking it on loan for a new museum to be opened at the Britannia stadium in his honour.

The address can be found on the main Stoke site.

[zhukov]

Thanks for the posting. It is good news that they are honouring him in such a way. Apart from his magical performances on the field he was ahead of his time in the way he trained and practised his skills. It is also worth remembering that he used to go to South Africa and coach the youngsters during the period of aparthied. I am glad that I saw him play. He was the benchmark for the word 'legend'.

[I am Spartacus]

Originally Posted By: zhukov

I am glad that I saw him play.

Was it when he was a teenager that you saw him play Graham (you are surely not that old are you?)

[zhukov]

Living fifteen miles from Preston and a few more from Blackpool the eternal argument was about who was the better player, Tom Finney or Stanley Matthews. The last time I saw Matthews play was at Deepdale when he played for Stoke(the second time round!)against Preston in the old Second Division, the year Stoke got promoted. I am too old to remember the year!

[blueblood]

Not only was he a great player, he was a great man too. Always had time for others.

[sargon]

I saw Matthews play for Blackpool at West Ham and remember him leaving Noel Cantwell sitting on his [****!!****].Its amazing that England selectors of the time couldnt find a place for Stan and Tommy in the same side more times than they did.

 

Can highly recomend

 

The Way It Was...Stans Auto a great read and

Tom Finney Autobiography......by Tom(of course)....both available in paper back great reads.

 

[Drummer]

Is anyone old enough on here to remember the special Stanley Matthews football boots that you could get from the Co-op shoe shop in Margate (and any other of course) High Street in the 1950's? If my memory serves me correctly you could get them in grey or black and the shop was in the area which now houses MacDonalds.

 

 

 

 

[zhukov]

Do you remember those browny orange plastic balls with the name 'Frido'? I think they had Stan's name on them. If you hit the ball into the bushes then pop. That was the end of it. They were much too light.You needed a rich kid for a friend with a 'case' ball. Mind you when it got wet it weighed a ton!

 

I agree about the two books by Stan and Tom, excellent reads.

[Drummer]

Yes, I remember them - after using the old type footballs those Frido balls remind me of today's footballs. If you kicked one of today's footballs wearing a pair of old type boots you would probably never see the ball again. Mind you, if you kicked one of the old type balls wearing a pair of today's boots you would probably never see your foot again!

 

Oh, and I have the video of the entire 1953 "Matthews" Cup Final. I've watched it dozens of times. What a game.

[sargon]

Stan always said the real hero of the 53 final was Stanley Mortenson who scored a hat trick,one a free kick from well outside the box,with a real ball to boot(pun).

[zhukov]

Some years after the 1953 final three of Blackpool's team played for my home town team Southport who were in the Third Division/North-Fourth division. The players were well past their best but each of them spent a season at Southport.

They were Cyril Robinson(left half), Stan Mortenson and Bill Perry. I remember Bill Perry was having a mediocre season until we played Peterborough who had recently gained membership to the Football League. At half time we were losing.For the next forty five minutes Bill Perry gave an outstanding display of wing play and thanks to him Peterborough were defeated. Needless to say for the rest of the season Bill was mediocre!

[Drummer]

On the subject of books, there is a really enjoyable book now available by Wolves & England goalkeeper Bert Williams.

 

Called "A Cat in Wolf's Clothing", it has loads of photos and newspaper cuttings etc from Bert's own collection.

 

If the man was playing today he would be worth a fortune. Must have been on the end of crosses and shots from the two Stanleys loads of times. By the way, in Blackpool's "Stanley Park" there are (or were?) two concrete lion statues, known as "The Two Stanleys" and some time back I had my picture taken standing between the two. How many defenders must have been caught up between the two real Stanleys throughout the 40's and 50's I wonder

[zhukov]

Thanks for the tip about the book. I'll certainly try and find that one. With you mentioning Wolves you have prompted a recent memory. A few years ago I was doing some work locally at the 'big house' in our village. The posh chap, the owner of the house knew I was interested in sport and asked me to meet

an elderly friend of his who had been for dinner the previous evening with his wife and had stayed over night. This elderly friend looked frail, grey, short with a moustache. It was Peter Dimmock the presenter of Sportsview. I was taken by surprise and if I had been prepared would have asked him loads of questions. The only one I quickly thought of was what did he think of Matthews and Finney. He said that they would would be worth countless millions if playing today and were absolute gentlemen and he added another name. Billy Wright of Wolverhampton Wanderers.

[sargon]

Alf Ramsey it seems hated playing against Bill Perry,so much so that his team mates used to rib him a week before the game.Saying things like you know who you are up against Saturday.

 

I saw Perry right at the end of his first division days make a real monkey out of a young Chopper Harris..who ended up kicking fresh air!!!

 

He was a player Matthewes rated very highly..see his book.

[Drummer]

Here is the link to purchase the Bert Williams Book - it is a newspaper feature on it but gives the link and phone number. It's where I obtained it and the shop gave great service.

 

http://www.expressandstar.com/2007/12/10/book-reveals-the-cats-secrets/

 

Out of interest, I still have a Peter Dimmock Sportsview Annual, believe it or not, and talk of Billy Wright (another great book - A Hero for All Seasons published a few years back)he does have a link with Hartsdown.

 

When he passed away in 1994 he was shown in a very brief piece of film on TV and I recognised the ground upon which he was pictured as Hartsdown. Apparently he was making a coaching film around 1961 and the Hartsdown part was made when he appeared with a Showbiz team there. I went to the game and whilst I can't clearly recall, and didn't have a programme, I was told a few years back that in the Showbiz team, at right back, was Sean Connery, just before he made it with the James Bond films.

[zhukov]

Is that the Matthews book that mentions Eddie Clamp(I think)playing with Matthews at Stoke and he takes 'massive retribution' on Chopper Harris for fouling Stan? Very enjoyable reading!

 

It would have been magical to have seen all those wingers in their prime because I think wing play is so good to watch.

[zhukov]

Thanks for the link about the Bert Williams book. Amazing about Billy Wright and Hartsdown and Sean Connery at right back.

Does he still play? He might be needed!