Stanley Matthews

Stanley Matthews enjoyed a playing career spanning 32 years 10 months and was over 50 by the time he retired from top-class football. He is the oldest player ever to appear in English football's top flight. He is also the oldest England player; winning his last cap, at the age of 42, against Denmark in May 1957. He did not score in that match but his last goal in an international came against Northern Ireland in October 1956; he was 41 years 248 days, making him the oldest player to score for England. While it is conceivable that some of his records might be broken, it is inconceivable that Stanley Matthews’ achievements will ever be eclipsed.

At the age of 15 Matthews joined his local side Stoke City and made his debut two years later Matthews spent 17 years at the club, establishing himself as the best outside-right in world football and earning himself the tag "Wizard of the Dribble".

In his debut game for England in September 1934, he scored, helping the side to a 4-0 win over Wales. This was the start of a 20-year international career during which he won 84 caps, playing in the 1950 and 1954 World Cups. In the 1950 tournament in Brazil Matthews missed the humiliating I -0 defeat at the hands of the USA; the selectors had decided to alternate Matthews and Tom Finney on the right wing and it was Finney who played that day in Belo Horizonte.

In 1947, Matthews joined Blackpool in a ? I 1,500 transfer deal, but found himself on the losing side in the FA Cup Finals of 1948 and 1951.

When Blackpool made it to Wembley again in 1953, all neutral supporters hoped he would finally get a winners’ medal. Things looked bleak when opponents Bolton went 3-1 ahead, but 38-year-old Matthews inspired a terrific comeback, Blackpool triumphing as 4-3 winners. The match went down in footballing annals as "the Matthews Final”.

Matthews was 46 when he left Blackpool, in October 1961, but incredibly he chose to return to Stoke as a player ratherthan retire. Four more years at the Potteries club saw Matthews play his last competitive match on 6 February 1965, five days after his 50th birthday. He had just received a knighthood in the New Year’s Honours List and went out in style, with a 3-1 win over Fulham.

Matthews was twice Footballer of the Year; in 1948 and 1963, and was also the inaugural European Footballer of the Year in 1956. He died in February 2000, aged 85.

First international defeat on home soil.