Matty Virtue
{{short description|English footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox football biography
|name = Matty Virtue
|image =
|image_size =
|caption =
|fullname = Matthew Joseph Virtue-Thick{{cite web|url=https://www.premierleague.com/news/84136|title=Squads for 2016/17 Premier League confirmed|accessdate=15 January 2018|publisher=Premier League}}
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|5|2|df=y}}
|birth_place = Epsom, England
|height = {{convert|1.75|m|order=flip}}{{cite web |url=https://www.weareimps.com/Teams/first-team/midfielder/matty-virtue/ |title=Matty Virtue |publisher=Lincoln City F.C. |access-date=7 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221007171804/https://www.weareimps.com/Teams/first-team/midfielder/matty-virtue/ |archive-date=7 October 2022 |url-status=live}}
|position = Midfielder
|currentclub = Fleetwood Town
|clubnumber = 8
|youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2006
|youthclubs1 = Chelsea
|youthyears2 = 2008–2017
|youthclubs2 = Liverpool
|years1 = 2017–2019
|clubs1 = Liverpool
|caps1 = 0
|goals1 = 0
|years2 = 2018
|clubs2 = → Notts County (loan)
|caps2 = 13
|goals2 = 0
|years3 = 2019–2024
|clubs3 = Blackpool
|caps3 = 84
|goals3 = 7
|years4 = 2022–2023
|clubs4 = → Lincoln City (loan)
|caps4 = 30
|goals4 = 3
|years5 = 2024–
|clubs5 = Fleetwood Town
|caps5 = 41
|goals5 = 9
|club-update = 15:43, 4 May 2025 (UTC)
}}
Matthew Joseph Virtue-Thick[https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/liverpool-release-seven-players-submit-13165114 "Liverpool release seven players as they submit retained squad list to Premier League"] – Liverpool Echo, 9 June 2017 (born 2 May 1997) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for {{English football updater|FleetwoT}} side Fleetwood Town. He has previously played for Liverpool and Notts County.
Career
Virtue joined Liverpool at under-11 level, having played with Chelsea until the age of 9.{{cite web|url=http://www.liverpoolfc.com/team/academy/player/matthew-virtue|title=Profile|accessdate=12 January 2018|publisher=Liverpool F.C.}} He moved on loan to Notts County in January 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42649631|title=Matty Virtue: Liverpool midfielder joins Notts County|date=11 January 2018|accessdate=12 January 2018|publisher=BBC Sport}}
He was named captain of Liverpool's Under-23 team in October 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.thisisanfield.com/2018/10/wijnaldum-on-klopps-influence-shaqiri-eyes-up-champions-league-glory-mondays-liverpool-fc-news-roundup/|title=Gini's delight, Shaq eyes glory, and Juve want Origi – Monday's Liverpool FC News Roundup|date=29 October 2018|accessdate=31 January 2019|publisher=This Is Anfield}} In January 2019, he signed for Blackpool.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47081563|title=Blackpool: Matty Virtue joins from Liverpool and Antony Evans on loan from Everton|date=31 January 2019|accessdate=31 January 2019|publisher=BBC Sport}} He scored his first professional goal against Accrington Stanley on 5 March 2019.
On 16 October 2020, Virtue signed a new two-year contract with Blackpool.[https://www.blackpoolfc.co.uk/news/2020/october/match-preview-crewe-alexandra-a2/ Match Preview: Crewe Alexandra (A)] – Blackpool F.C., 16 October 2020 In December 2020 he tested positive for COVID-19 and had to self-isolate, missing matches.{{Cite web|url=https://www.blackpoolfc.co.uk/news/2020/december/maxwell-and-virtue-return-positive-covid-19-tests/|title=Maxwell and Virtue Return Positive COVID-19 Tests|website=www.blackpoolfc.co.uk}} In October 2021 he extended his contract for a further year.[https://www.blackpoolfc.co.uk/news/post/virtue-pens-new-deal "Virtue Signs New Deal"] – Blackpool F.C., 19 October 2021
He moved on loan to Lincoln City on 1 September 2022.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/62760506|title=Virtue joins Lincoln on season loan from Blackpool|work=BBC Sport }} He made his debut coming off the bench against Cambridge United on 3 September 2022.{{Cite web|url=https://www.weareimps.com/news/2022/september/cambridge-united-2-city-0/|title=Cambridge United 2 Imps 0|via=Lincoln City FC}} He scored his first goal for Lincoln City against Bristol Rovers in a 6–3 win on 17 September 2022.{{Cite web|url=https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/sport/football/blackpool-fc/blackpool-winger-making-waves-on-the-south-coast-with-league-one-portsmouth-3848133|title=Blackpool winger making waves on the South Coast with League One Portsmouth|via=Blackpool Gazette}} After a period injured, he returned to the Lincoln first-team.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/virtue-lincoln-injury-return-future-8249250|title=Matty Virtue on Lincoln City injury return as he weighs up long-term future|first=Sam|last=Allen|date=14 March 2023|website=LincolnshireLive}}
Following the conclusion of the 2023–24 season, Blackpool confirmed that Virtue would be departing the club upon the expiration of his contract.{{cite web|url=https://www.blackpoolfc.co.uk/news/2024/may/07/retained-list-confirmed/|title=Retained List Confirmed|website=www.blackpoolfc.co.uk|date=7 May 2024|accessdate=31 May 2024}}
Virtue signed for Fleetwood Town on 1 July 2024.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c2ee98np1g0o|title=Matty Virtue: Blackpool midfielder joins Fleetwood Town|date=31 May 2024|website=BBC Sport}}
Career statistics
{{updated|match played 3 May 2025}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|FA Cup !colspan="2"|League Cup !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan=3|Liverpool
|2017–18{{soccerbase season|110247|2017|accessdate=7 April 2018}} |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2018–19{{soccerbase season|110247|2018|accessdate=31 January 2019}}
|Premier League |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Notts County (loan)
|13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 0 | |
| rowspan=7|Blackpool
|13 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 3 | |
| 2019–20{{soccerbase season|110247|2019|accessdate=5 September 2019}}
|League One |24 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3{{efn|name=EFLT|Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy}} | 0 | 31 | 3 | |
| 2020–21{{soccerbase season|110247|2020|accessdate=29 August 2020}}
|League One |16 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1{{Efn|name=EFLT}} | 0 | 20 | 2 | |
| 2021–22{{soccerbase season|110247|2021|accessdate=5 April 2022}}
|3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2022–23{{soccerbase season|110247|2022|accessdate=5 September 2019}}
|Championship |3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2023–24{{soccerbase season|110247|2023|accessdate=5 September 2019}}
|League One |25 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 34 | 1 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!84 | 7 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 104 | 9 | |
| Lincoln City (loan)
|League One |30 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 36 | 4 | |
| Fleetwood Town
|2024–25{{soccerbase season|110247|2024|accessdate=18 August 2024}} |League Two |41 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 47 | 9 | |
| colspan="3"|Career total
!168 | 20 | 11 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 15 | 1 | 202 | 22 |
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Fleetwood Town F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Virtue, Matty}}
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Footballers from Surrey
Category:Liverpool F.C. players
Category:Notts County F.C. players
Category:Blackpool F.C. players
Category:Lincoln City F.C. players
Category:Fleetwood Town F.C. players
Category:English Football League players
Category:21st-century English sportsmen
{{England-footy-midfielder-1990s-stub}}