1947-06-21 — Page 6

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH. SATURDAY, JUNE 21, 1847.

STANLEY MATTHEWS, wizard of dribble, continues

the

story of his football. life

When I asked Stoke City

Stoke City I have

Wenjoyed some of the hap-

piest hours any man could wish for, and considering I have been with only one club Bince I was 15 I have had very few ups and downs,

But there were two occasions

for a transfer

Every paper carried a front page story next day, and what hurt me most of all was a re-

when Stoke City and myself port that the Stoke players had bad misunderstandings which became sensational newa.

The first uproar was early in 1938 when I asked Stoke City to place my name on the trans. for list. The second was more recently when I refused to play In the reserve side in October, after reporting fit following a log injury that not only kept me out of the Stoke cloven for Beveral weeks, but also lost me two "caps" against Ireland and Eire...

• When I refused to play with the "Stiffs's football sup porters speak of reserve sides. I was more in the news than who the same week Goering.

had cheated the hangman.

My telephone was going night and day, and eventually I was forced to stay away from the hotel I run at Blackpool, eating menis out to avoid calls and photographers.

many ru- There have been

accusations about mours and this unpleasant incident, so I would like to clear up any mis- understandings.

there was First let me say never any truth in the rumours

sent a deputation to the manage- mont requesting I should not George return in place of Mountford,

This hurt me. I like all the boys at Stoke, and believe they like me.

From this moment onwards I was given little peace. The newshounds wene chasing me for statements, and delivering the postman began

of which polson-pen letters, some

sportsman- acoused ship.

mc

of poor

опе

However, the post brought letter that

all the mnde up for cheap stuff from anonymous writern. It was from Nell Franklin, the centre-half, Stoke and England

players were denying there was any truth in the reports that against me.

the

Team Called Together

NEIL had called together the whole team, asking anybody who had approached the management to own up.

and Nobody stepped forward,

could deny the Nell asked if he

behalf of the team. statement on They all nodded agreement,

This was reassuring

be- TCWS.

RECORD-BREAKING DAYS

Stanley Matthews, record-breaking on his 44th International appearance, congratulated by Mr. Attlee at the England v. Belglum match a year ago.

after the hotel If I spent most of my time in Stoke.

ultimatum

There was never any from elther side.

unfortunate whole And so the

lasted a week incident that had ended, and was I glad?

The other difference with the club in 1038 seems a long, long time ago, but it caused chaos in Stoke

it was because Perhaps

I was eight years younger, but whatever it was I know I was sloggered by to the one the limelight afforded

I wanted to got away from cause, obviously, if it had been truc and only occasion I requested to be Stoke, and was forcing a crisis,

Neither was it true the Stoke deliberately City directors chose me in the reserves hoping I would protest and ask to be placed on the transfer list.

I think it was

misunderstandings

of

a series

that made a mountain of trouble out of what really was a mole-hill.

that the rest of the team did not

like me I would have had no alterna- tive than to ask to be placed on the transfer list,

This

Never at any time during difference did I make the request to be put on the transfer list, although stories were being circulated that I was going to join Blackpool.

Chelsea, Other

storica reported Arsenal, Newcastle and Aston Villa seeking my transfer. They were not

sides mis true. both Perhaps handled the affair a little, and overnight it grow into a crisis.

Let me give both sides.

Headlines stated if I should be transferred £20,000 would go into the tills at Stoke, but I have never considered myself to be a £20,000

Early in September. when footballer. Stoke City were playing Man- chester United, I ran for the. ball, and pulled a thigh muscle. Obviously, I was out of the Stoke team for some weeks, but I was anxious to get fit for the internationals at the end of the month.

Chosen for England

I WAS chosen by the England selectors, but to my great disappointment, had to cry off. The leg was not quick to mend, and I did not want to take any chances.

In the meantime, Stoke well, were doing extremely and had gone six weeks without losing.

་

On October 12, Stoke went 'to Chelsea, and trounced the London club 5-2. The Press were full of praise for Stoke, and for George Mount- ford, who was deputising for

me.

Stoke's match on the fol- 'lowing Saturday was against Arsenal at Highbury, and, now quite fit, I was particu- larly anxious to make my come-back in London, and against Arsenal of all clubs,

1

While the rumours grew, and the

rang Incessantly, phone bell-

formal continued to go about my business.

placed on the transfer list.

It happened that I was browned- off, and wanted a change of club and atmosphere, so I approached the directors, belleving my request would be accepted without much ado, but this was not wo.

Mr Booth and his board invited me 'to meet them to discuss the reasons for my request.

Seven Hectic Days

I explained I was not happy at Stoke, but hastened to assure the board that the reason for my in- was not due to tended departure any of my colleagues in the Stoke team, in spite of the rumour in the city that bad-feeling had developed between myself and one or two of

I trained on the Blackpool ground the players. each morning...

1 never spared myself.

Stoke went to Arsenal, and I stay- ed in Blackpool.

Stoke were strong favourites

to

•

This was untrue.

After an hour's discussion the board declined to accept my request until I had thought the matter over I was asked to reconsider ogain. beat Arsenal, who so far that season had not won a match at Highbury, my decision. first home win with a 1-0 victory.

but the Lordon team claimed their

STANLEY MATTHEWS MUST

...NOT GO!

PUBLIC MEETING OF STOKE CITY: SUPPORTERS

King's Hall, Stuks

Mozl.

TO URGE THE RETENTION; OF STANLEY MATTHEWS

to the newspaper, re- According ports George Mountford did not play to his usuni standard. I was

up

Bob McGrory, the Stoke sorry for him. 1 had no quarrel manager, was not so anxious. with him, because he is a grand

fellow, and a good footballer.

He suggested it might be as well for me to have a run with the reserves.

It was unfortunate he should also become a victim of publicity.

Bob McGrory later contacted me

Next day, I decided to get away from Stoke because I could not make a move in the street without being into Arzu- stopped, and dragged

ments.

I knew I had many friends In the elty and town, but I had never realised how really staurich they

were.

Within a few hours of the head- lines in the Evening

Sentinel de cllaring that I was not happy at Industrialists Stake, seven leading got together and decided to call a publie protest meeting the following

Monday.

Soon every hoarding seemed to bear one of the familiar "Stanley Matthews Must Not Go!" bills.

Advertisements were put into the local Press, T, of course, there were many editorial comments.

Three thousand Stoke City tans attended the meeting, and more than 1,000, who could not get inside the hall, paraded the streets demanding

I should not leave Stoko.

It was claimed by some that the controversy was undermining put in the Potteries.

Out

lillo To me it all seemed crazy, that by asking to be placed on the transfer Est I should be dis- rupting the workings of a city!

It was decided at this meeting, presided over by Mr Ashley Myolt, chairman of the Wages and Con- ditions Committes of the British Manufacturers Federation, that સ deputation should meet the Stoke directors and myself At separatu meetings:

My decision is unchanged

TN the meantime I had again met

BY THE WAY

by Beachcomber

UCK-001 "Tis spring.

Next

to put its tentacles Here is word of that octopus through the armholes of a walricon they are educating in the was a miserable fallure.

comes the typewriter test, which aquarium at Milan. For twelve will show whether the octopus can consecutive days, ut 11.30 a.m., produce Shakespeare's connets or a mass of spinach was put into Beethoven's sonatas by banging the the tank, and a boll was rung keyn at random. to draw the creature's attention. Brief and beautiful

that the beast

The theory was I would hear the bell and would grow to associate the sound with spinaen the Laundrimann theory. But on the twelfth day the octopus was a

spinach and the Indifferent to the bell as on the first day: Thinking this might be a natural aversion to spinach the experts substituted mor rels of cheese, in little waterproof Mr Booth, Stoke City chairman,tes, and Instead of ringing the at his own request, but had refused bell, they flashed a yellow light, to change my decision.

The octopus took no notice, and its cducation hung fre. Further experiments MEANWHILLE

On February 15, 1930-a week after my request-the directors an- nounced they had declined to accept my request, which meant I would have to remain with the club until

when the first week in May.

the 1938-39 season ended.

Fortunately for me, the voice of the supporters had not been raised in vain, and after the deputation from the protest meeting had visited tu directors and myself, dimculties began to be smoothied out. I was given an assurance that efforts would be made to make me more comfor- table in the future.

As in the more recent trouble, I was glad this meeting had ended on a friendly note.

For my pari I assured my loyal Stoke supporters that at all times I would serve -Stoke City to the best of my ability.

Stoke has been kind to me. Never before has

any player had such backing.

Without the encouragement of tho Stoke supporters I should never have susup

Like every footballer I have my off days, but I have received more cheers than kicks from the fans of Stoke. Warm hearts certainly beat in the Potteries.

in many

I have played football parts of the world. More than once have been surprised to hear the North Staffs dialect floating from the terraces packed with German, Ita

SCIENTIST has discovered yet another thing that nobody has ever seen: a

mere particle, which lives in an atomic nucleus. But it is doomed to die young, for it lives only one hundredth of 100,000,000,- 000,000,000,000,000th of a second. In fact its life is lived faster than, sound, and watching for It required a special technique. And what will happen it someone sees it? Oh, sir, can't you understand that it will bring Utopia

to everybody's door- step? Holiday camps on the moon, prefabricated perpetual television,

telephones inside the hat, nationalization of breath,

divorce Profesour Crack before marriage, compulsory sy stood, who grew eyebrows on hound racing, electric sculpture and En plaice, and tought a crocodile to peerages for all professional politi

balance a

bottle on its tail, has ciona made an

experiment with the

pronounced

L

octopus, For nine hours, at one Custardy of the child minute intervals he clearly and slowly the word "scrap- The Hatle boy, she said, had Ziman." There was no response from fallen into a custard she was mak-

the octopus, which had fallen Into ing, which annoyed his' father." an uneasy doze. An attempt to get

(News Item.)

6,000 see what's there behind the Palace front

By

JAMES CAMERON

And the men....It

is on record

60

T might be called From Covent Garden to Bucking- that never. since the war have ham Palace--the story of many morning couts and grey top-

and

many, were old troupers, stable an or Portuguese crowds and de-a hat. It would salute that era been gathered together. They

oke City,****

great bobbing legion of well- of many models and vintages, from the bottomless claring "Play up Stoke

Stoke fans have sluck by me in preserved toppers which had companions

In Covent Garden who as 1 know foul weather as well as when the their one day of glory in trunk of those resourceful brothers

park behind elegant shone, and it was more than that

only too well-had spent a brisk I deserved when the football sup- porters of the city started a public Buckingham Palace which not morning dispensing auch finery to

after. I had one Londoner in a thousand furtive members of the gentry. testimonial for me broken Eddie Hapgood's record appearances for England.

sun

hps

Next Week

A great footballer loses his form--and is cured by a psychiatrist.

What will happen to our sailors?

THIS

by W. A. CRUMLEY

of ever sees-which our disgrace- ful grandfathers' called Farmer George's Forty-Acre the King's back garden.

First officers of armed merchant

Most of the men soon to be dis- GET HIS is what the B.B.C.

and mirged from these Liberty calls a gale,"

laughs victory ships aro Burvivors of the master

Empire British vessels lost in the war. of

Lost rank Halberd as his ship runs home to Hull, without a roll.

He glances shrewdly at the sea to make sure that the wind is not whipping the tops from white horses, the steepening

along his trim fore and aft ship to her Red Ensign, stan- The seven days following wernding out stiff and straight in

the fresh breeze.

I chose to visit Blackpool, for the first time in my life-not realising I would be stationed there during the war, and that it was in become my permanent home.

hoctic

Football

reporters phoned day

The Empire Halberd will not

and night. Some of them made wear that Red Ensign much Journeys from London to laterview lenger. me, and although some of my beat friends ate journalists I was so sick of the whole business that often I had to give them the slip to get a little peace.

It was

that Everton rumoured Bolton Wanderers, Derby County, Leicester City and Manchester City were interested in obtaining my signature,

Everton, Leicester and Aston Villa

Atlantic convoys, hoping for a com- mand not so long ago, now spil us acconds, and seconds as fourths.

It was the first Royal Gardens Party for eight years. Of London's Upper Ten some 4,000 were there, which meant a great deal of high

class queueing.

J

Once in, there was room to spread, since, as only a few well-connect- ed people ever find out, the Palace as big as St. grounds are about James's Parks.

The Gardens

+

do.

THESE, then, are the gardens which In James t'a tund werd mulberry plantations; which were noble estates right to the time when George III. bought them from the Duke of Buckingham. Among these beds and walks the earnest Albert courted his Victoria. Now, they are 40 beautiful acres with little to

At a time like a Garden

endin however, 40 acres la hardly The King and the Queen, the censes and Queen Mary thread their four separate ways through a mill- The trouble with Buckingham ing multitude that divides only just Palace or as some sensitive archi- as far as it has to. There is much tects will tell you," the great ad well-bred elbowing in the third rib.. vantage is that it has only one face. There is much confusion at the tea where competition, I may All one ever sees is that broad, at counter. Palladian facade looking down the sav, is quite ruthless.

Not all the debutantes could be Mall.

This, however, But backstage, now; that is differ- actually presented."

At these ent. There may be smoother bor- has been looked after. dera or turf in better trim, but you austerity substitutes for the prewar rarely see it nowadays. They sweep Courts, regulations lay down that of the invitation down from the terrace doors, aru "the handing-in lost among the trees, lap down to card ranka as Presentation," which a lake; London seems a long way is as good a way of rationalising a

social convention as any, olt.

Dapper Tide

seemed

So the afternoon moves warmly

on. The groups, in some chemical process of fusion, have awelled. The

cruisers and crack ships of the fast FOR the Party, however, London greetings grow gayer and gayer 10 to have made some acquaintances more and more super- Knroads. The dapper tide swarmed ncial. At the brink of the lake two in from three sides, suffering sore tall and angular cranes, bow and discreet shoving around from the stalk about in attitudes of almost police at the gates who, on occasions cruel mimicry. The shadows of the like this, let the quality through. In lovely tall trees grow just a Little manageable little groups.

What will become of them when they are put on the beach and the ships crew market is glutted?

Officers can sign up with a ship- ping company, That suits the where achlor officer Well enough long and faithful service Atill already counts, though there are more masters than ships.

Or they can join the Pool, where they will be paid when on shore There are storm signals over but after each voyage and spell of waiting, must take the first job that all

comes along, whatever the rank or the Empire Halberd, over

Merchant kind of vessel. the vessels of our

the NAVY. In

next few months Britain' will be return-

For the men, the Pool will keep the ing chartered ships to

is loot over their henda and our familles, but they may not have a United States faster than slowing shipyards will turn out ship to feel under their feet. new vessels.

Britain is compelled to send back to American harbours

What now?

their

Is nothing being done? Private British owners have offered to buy 40 Victory ships, never and faster than the Liberty class, but of the type that American vested interests for 40,000,000 dollars.

I emphasise hore that the and I agreed to go to Stoice to meet had already approached Stoke for to join the "Mothball Fleet" of do not want Britain to have-even

Stoke manager did not order, the directors. me to play in the second team, but only suggested it.

Reports were printed that Alder man Harry Booth, our chairman, was going to reprimand me, and an.. slst I must train at Stoka..

I motored to Stake on the Tues-

some

my signature, before I had made my surplus ships laid up there request to leave the club.

140 merchant vessels Newcastle United, who had offered built under Lease-Lend during £10,000 for me in 1935, were soon the war and sailed by British on the trail, and my old friend Tom crews.

Can't tho shipyards. help? Baven't they got world record or- ders, enough for three yours?

fulf The shipyards are keeping up employment by using steel'accumu- lated in the worst of the winter, While we are giving up nearly a when there was no, buliding. "For million tons of those ships that we every 10,000 tons they used at war- cannet spare dollars to buy, British time peak pressure, they now. getr

7,000. He was accompanied by Mr A. G. shipyards will turn out less than Stableforth, a director, who was 600,900 tons of new British ships. Allocations will be cut again price Our merchant marine, despito tons for every ten they used to get. soon, what' they will average" four prepared to pay whatever Stoke might place on my, hoed, persistent American exaggeration

[ofita- strength," is !! stille,500,000. But if the Government planners Amid all this commotion, I had tons smaller than before the war. and controllers of raw materials I hope ( nhall not be accused t

ed. The directors agreed is my re- one great chladiation, and that soars infancora of being swollen-headed; but I quoot, for a work, s

was the worldthin 2 wdsport given | petition, by us at sea are a myth hands of the brakes, the Merchant do copeider myself worthy of inue to train at Blackpool, because me by the people of Stoke and Han-employment that is the new name saved by the exertions and work of

Our

seamen's fears

·be of "under» Navy (and our (dollars) -- can* aplace in League football. it would be impossible för ma to look....ley.

I was in a perilous position. Football is my livelihood, and once I begin slipping I intend day, and met my directors behind Mather, at this time managing New- getting out of the game, but I locked doors.

castle, travelled overnight with a had no reason to believe that I

blank cheque in his pocket, had started to slip. If I agreed both sides pointed out grievances, It was a friendly meeting, and to play with the reserves, and and agreed that perhaps the business Stoke's first team Continued had been handled a little hastity. their successful run, I might

We Anished with handshakes all bave remained in the reserves round after a two-hour discusión. all the season, tinand Pa

"rest, and also freed I should be allowed to con-

|for 1-are-real.

Our own people.

are the

Longer.

So you left your Card, you got The young ladies, who standardised nucleus of the groups, your tea, you wore your dress, you great each other with delighted cries saw the Queen, you are Presented. and critical eyes.

Un, what a beautiful afternoon).

DAVID LANGDON CARTOON

SECOND-HAND CARS

Each time I ask him