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:
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.
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.
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