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Neil Matthews

Name: Neil Peter Matthews
Born: 3 December 1967, Manchester (England)
Height: 6.00 ft
Weight: 11.07 st
Position: Defender/Midfielder

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 1 ‘B’ Cap (1995), 1 Under-23 Cap (1989), 1 Under-21 Cap (1990), Youth.
Club Honours: (with Cardiff) Football League Third Division Champion 1992/93; Welsh Cup Winner 1992/93; (with Rochdale) Football League Associate Members’ Cup Runner-Up 1994/95.


Club Career:
Teams
Seasons
Signed
Fee
League
FA Cup
FL Cup
Other
Blackpool
84/85-89/90
Dec-85
Youth
67 (9)/1
1(0)/0
7(0)/0
4(1)/0
Cardiff City
90/91-92/93
Aug-90
-
60 (6)/2
4(0)/0
3(0)/0
5(0)/0
Songdal
1992
May-92
Loan
-
(China)
Rochdale
93/94-94/95
Jul-93
-
15 (4)/0
1(0)/0
1(0)/0
6(0)/0
Macclesfield Town
-
-
-
-
(Football Conference)
Leigh RMI
-
-
-
-
(Northern Premier League)
TOTALS
-
£-
-
-
-
-

Biography:

Manchester-born Neil Matthews was on the Irish FA’s radar from a young age. He won Northern Ireland Youth caps while with Blackpool before graduating to the first eleven while still a teenager. Whilst with the Seasiders Matthews played as centre-half for Northern Ireland in Under-23 and Under-21 matches. He left Blackpool after the club’s relegation to Division Four in 1990.

Matthews signed for Cardiff City after leaving Bloomfield Road. He proved a versatile performer for the Bluebirds, appearing in eight different shirt numbers, including his favoured number two. In 1992 he spent some time with Chinese side, Songdal. On his return to the UK he aided Cardiff to a Welsh Cup win over Rhyl and to promotion to Division Two as champions.

A transfer to Rochdale in the summer of 1993 meant Matthews remained in Division Three. He spent two injury plagued seasons at Spotland, though in February 1995 he did have the honour of becoming Dales’ first ever international when he played in midfield for Northern Ireland 'B' in a 3-0 defeat by Scotland. Shortly thereafter Matthews drifted into non-League football.


Northern Ireland B Cap Details:
21-02-1995 Scotland...... A L 0-3 FR

Summary: 1/0. Won 0, Drew 0, Lost 1.

Northern Ireland Under-23 Cap Details:

11-04-1989 Rep of Ireland A L 0-3 FR

Summary: 1/0. Won 0, Drew 0, Lost 1.

Northern Ireland Under-21 Cap Details:
02-04-1990 Israel........ H W 2-1 FR

Summary: 1/0. Won 1, Drew 0, Lost 0.

Comments

Anonymous said…
i played with neil for manchester boys when i was 11. hadn't realised he was born the day after me. he lived in newton heath. his dad was an electrician called frank who was irish
stm said…
i went to secondary school with neil and he was the most gifted sportsmen i have ever seen, sure he would have gone right to the top in football if it was,nt for terrible injuries !
Anonymous said…
I have worked with neil on various contracts.and I have to say he is probally the best laggers labourer the world has ever seen.
Unknown said…
Great lad...likes a semi final
Anonymous said…
Great lad..he likes a semi
Anonymous said…
moved on to painting now not gonna be a banksy
Anonymous said…
Loves rhino....leeski has been demoted to the bench....