Matthews Billy Image 2 Notts County 1910

Description

Derby born inside right Billy Matthews started his football career on the books of Nottingham Forest in 1899-1900 without making a first team appearance, and then joined Ripley Athletic in 1901, from where he was signed by First Division club Aston Villa in 1903, making his Football League debut at Wolverhampton Wanderers in March 1904. But while a regular goalscorer when given the chance, he was very much a fringe player at Villa Park during four seasons at the club.

In December 1906 Notts County paid a then club record fee for his services after Matthews had scored 12 goals in 26 appearances for The Villains. He had six seasons at Meadow Lane and was an ever present in their 1908-09 campaign, scoring 43 goals in 188 appearances as Notts County generally finished in the bottom half of the First Division each season, before joining hometown club Derby County in the 1912 close season. However he only made one appearance for the Derby first eleven in a 5-1 defeat at former club Aston Villa in October 1912 before joining Southern League club Newport County in 1913, his final club before the onset of the First World War forced the suspension of peacetime football in May 1915.

He died in 1916 although as yet I am unsure as to whether he was killed in the First World War, as is clearly probable.