Matthews, Reg: fearless in goal

Reg Matthews

THEY say that all goalkeepers have to be a little bit mad to follow their profession, writes Anton Rippon.

This photograph shows Reg Matthews, the Rams goalkeeper for much of the 1960s, who would have cheerfully admitted to being somewhat eccentric. Coventry-born Reg was already a colourful character when manager Harry Storer signed him for Derby County in October 1961.

Storer had first signed Matthews for his home-town club in May 1950, when he was only 17. He was still a Third Division player with Coventry when he won the first of his five full caps for England.

In 1956, Chelsea paid £20,000 for his signature. It was a record fee for a goalkeeper at the time and Matthews justified that. Indeed, he was one of the most exciting young goalkeepers of his era.

When Storer signed him for a second time, for a £6,300 fee, it was money well spent as far as Derby were concerned. He set a club record for a goalkeeper (later beaten by Colin Boulton) of 246 appearances between the Rams’ posts.

For one season alone, it was Reg Matthews who, almost single-handedly, saved the Rams from relegation to the Third Division.

He was fearless beyond the call of duty – and feared by both opponents and team-mates alike as he crashed and careered about his penalty area in search of the ball, knocking everyone – friend and foe – out of the way.

One opposing forward said that a collision with Reg Matthews “was like being hit with a muslin sack full of scrap iron”.

He showed great positional sense, lightning reflexes and, of course, great courage. Brian Clough was just one manager who turned a blind eye to Reg’s half-time cigarette in the toilet.

In August 1968, when he was in his 36th year, Matthews was given a free transfer by Clough. He became player-manager of Southern League club Rugby Town. Reg Matthews died in Coventry in October 2001.

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Matthews, Reg: fearless in goal

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