LEGEND SIGNED FOR US – AT 80!

WHEN SIR STANLEY MATTHEWS LANDED AT CLEVEDON

- Paul Davis Clevedon Town FC

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The tale of Sir Stanley Matthews’ appearance at Eynesbury Rovers in The NLP on June 7revived memories of another remarkable story involving the great man when he signed for then Beazer Homes League side Clevedon Town in 1995 at the age of 80.

Thanks to some contemporary material collected by Clevedon historians Steve Small and Paul Davis, we can piece together an often forgotten story of the legendary player’s affiliation with the Non-League game.

It began on Friday, April 28, 1995, when Sir Stanley was the guest speaker at a Sportsman’s Dinner, organized on behalf of the club by the Hand Stadium managers, Clevedon Leisure. The original speaker was supposed to be Alan Mullery, but Sir Stan was not a bad replacement!

After the dinner and seizing the moment, Clevedon manager Steve Fey made what he later admitted was a cheeky approach to Sir Stan to ask him whether he would consider signing for the club. “It was meant as a joke,” said Fey. “I nearly fell over backward when he said yes.”

Ever on the lookout for new blood, Fey took out one of his supply of Beazer Homes League forms he always carried with him and, whether or not fuelled by his soup, roast turkey, and Cointreau sorbet, Matthews was persuaded to sign.

Negotiations over what he would be paid were swiftly concluded. Fey asked Sir Stan what he had earned in the famous 1953 Matthews Cup Final and, when Matthews said it was four shillings and sixpence, Fey offered him £10 a game. “I got him for a tenner.,” Fey added. “It must be the steal of the century!”

The form was not the only thing Sir Stan signed on the night and, while the whereabouts of the form remains a mystery, an autographed Menu does remain.