Shortt Matthew Image 1 Kilmarnock 1920

Description

After playing for a number of junior clubs in Scottish football starting with Nithbank in 1905, followed by Balmoral in 1906, Skares Burnock in 1907, Dumfries in 1908, and Dalbeattie Star in 1909, Dumfries born inside forward Matthew Shortt arrived at First Division club Woolwich Arsenal in 1910, making his Football League debut against Newcastle United in November 1910 and making 4 appearances for The Gunners before the year end without scoring.

He returned to Scotland with Kilmarnock in January 1911, scoring on his Scottish League debut at Airdrieonians that month, and was a regular for Killie, scoring 4 goals in 151 appearances until a move to Clydebank in the 1916 close season. He stayed two seasons with The Bankies before a return to Rugby Park in 1918, where he stayed another four years with Killlie.

His finest moment for Kilmarnock came in the 1920 Scottish Cup Final when he scored their second goal in front of 95.000 spectators at Hampden Park as they beat Albion Rovers 3-2 in the match to win The Scottish Cup for the first time in Killie’s history.

After scoring 3 goals in 122 more appearances for Kilmarnock he joined Southern League club Llanelly in 1922. Shortt then joined the exodus of footballers to the nascent American Soccer League the following year, where he spent a number of years playing for amongst others Fall River Marksmen, Brooklyn Wanderers and Philadelphia Field Club before his eventual retirement.