Middleton Matt Image 1 Sunderland 1936

Description

The Boldons, County Durham born goalkeeper Matt Middleton began his football career with Newcastle United Swifts in 1929 and played for Boldon Colliery Welfare in 1930, from where he was signed by Third Division (North) club Southport in February 1931, making his Football League debut against Chester that November. He missed only two matches for The Sandgrounders in 1932-33 before he was signed by First Division club Sunderland in August 1933.

In his first two seasons he vied for the gloves with Jimmy Thorpe, playing about half their matches including 21 matches as they finished runners up in the League Championship in 1934-35, but for the remainder of the 1930’s he was very much the back up goalkeeper at Roker Park, playing 59 times for The Wearsiders before signing for Plymouth Argyle in May 1939. However his career was severely interrupted by the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939, by when he had been involved in all 3 of Argyle’s opening League fixtures before peacetime football was abandoned.

After the War Middleton returned to Home Park and kept goal in Plymouth’s two-legged FA Cup tie, lost to Aldershot, in January 1946 before returning to the north east to play for Horden Colliery Welfare. When peacetime League football resumed he signed for Third Division (North) club Bradford City in August 1946 and was an ever present in their first post war campaign, missing just two matches in 1947-48 before losing his place in October 1948, transferring to York City the following February after 97 matches for The Bantams. He missed just 3 matches for York during 1949-50, making 56 appearances for The Minstermen before joining Blyth Spartans in 1950, finishing his career with Murton Colliery Welfare who he joined in 1951.

His younger brother Ray Middleton was also a goalkeeper who played both sides of the War for Chesterfield and also for Derby County and was an England B international who later managed Boston Town and Hartlepools United.