Johnny Matthews

{{Short description|English footballer and manager (1946–2019)}}

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{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}

{{Use British English|date=May 2016}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Johnny Matthews

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1946|8|27}}

| birth_place = Coventry, England

| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|2019|12|25|1946|8|27}}

| death_place =

| height =

| position = Forward

| youthyears1 = 1965

| youthclubs1 = Coventry City

| years1 = 1966–1979

| years2 = 1979–1981

| years3 = 1981–1982

| years4 = 1982–1983

| years5 = 1983–1984

| years6 = 1985–1986

| years7 = 1986–1987

| clubs1 = Waterford

| clubs2 = Limerick United

| clubs3 = Cork United

| clubs4 = Waterford United

| clubs5 = Galway United

| clubs6 = Longford Town

| clubs7 = Newcastle West

| caps1 = 327

| caps2 = 41

| caps3 = 18

| caps4 = 11

| caps5 = 3

| caps6 = 2

| caps7 = 15

| goals1 = 143

| goals2 = 6

| goals3 = 3

| goals4 = 4

| goals5 = 0

| goals6 = 0

| goals7 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 1970–1971

| nationalteam1 = League of Ireland XI

| nationalcaps1 = 2

| nationalgoals1 = 1

| manageryears1 = 1986–1987

| manageryears2 = 1989–1990

| managerclubs1 = Newcastle West

| managerclubs2 = Waterford United

}}

Johnny Matthews (August 27, 1946 - December 25, 2019),{{Cite web |title=Sadness at death of soccer legend Johnny Matthews |url=https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/sport/504459/sadness-at-death-of-soccer-legend-johnny-matthews.html |website=www.limerickleader.ie}} British football player and manager. A famous cricket player and a member of the Waterford Referee Association, he serves as a referee for the youth league competition in the Waterford Youth League.

His career began in his hometown club Coventry City. He was loaned to Waterford United in the 1965/66 season on St. Patrick's Day under the impression from Jimmy Hill that it was for just a six-week loan period., extended the loan period with two goals in seven games, and officially signed a permanent contract in the next season. In the next 13 seasons, he became a legend of Kilcohan Park and won five league medals.

In his first season in Watford, due to insufficient appearances, Limerick won the 6th place and 3 runner-up medals in the FAI Cup. In addition, he also participated in 16 European Cup matches and scored goals against Celtic in Parkhead[http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/archive/1970/1105/Pg003.html#Ar00304:17663F1B064F1B063F1BE64F1BE63F1EC64F00037F0E43C50EF38215C3C717A4091F94230514350D044F0664C60AB4DD0D452D1185440625F60AA60D12263014C64714C63015164705363D06F65522F4DC2594F32594DC25F4F31604E717D4FF] and Manchester United [http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/archive/1968/0919/Pg003.html#Ar00309]. In 1971, the Irish League 11 team played against the English League XI at Lansdowne Road, and Matthews broke through the defense against Gordon Banks with a penalty kick.

In 1986, he entered the management of Newcastlewest and returned to Waterford in 1989 to work as a manager with Dave Kobe. In 1990, he led the team to win the League A championship. At the end of the League of Ireland season, Matthews ranked eighth in the Irish League goal list with 156 league goals.{{cite web |title=Ireland - List of Topscorers |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/iertops.html |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406093820/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesi/iertops.html |archivedate=6 April 2012 |accessdate=6 July 2016}}