Stanley Matthews
Roy Hay
English author Jon Henderson is writing a new biography of (Sir) Stanley Matthews. He is seeking information about Matthews visits to Australia subsequent to his first appearance in 1958 with the Blackpool team when it toured this country. Matthews came back to Australia as an individual, though I don’t think he played as a guest for any major clubs. His son, Stanley Matthews, junior was a good tennis player and coaching for the young man was part of the bait to lure Matthews senior back in the late 1950s. Matthews left his first wife, Lady Betty Matthews, and for many years he lived in Malta with his partner Mila. From there he visited South Africa, Canada and Australia.
If anyone has any knowledge or memories of later visits or newspaper reports on his visits to this country by Stanley Matthews you can contact Jon Henderson directly at .
Stanley Matthews takes on Australian captain Joe Marston at the Sydney Sports Ground during Blackpool’s tour of Australia in 1958. Photo: Laurie Schwab collection, Deakin University Library.