- Birthdate: 14 April 1897
- Birthplace: Plas Bennion, Wales
- Other clubs: Colwyn Bay (1916-1918), Bristol City (1922-23), Wrexham (1923-25), Northwich Victoria (1925), Barrow (1925-26), Bradford Park Avenue (1926-30), Stockport County (1930), New Brighton (1930-32), Chester (1932), Oswestry Town (1932), Witton Albion (1932), Sandbach Ramblers (1932-33), Colwyn Bay United (1933), Rossendale United (1933-36)
- Bought from: Colwyn Bay
- Signed for LFC: 1918
- International debut: 09.04.1921 vs. Ireland
- International caps: 3/0 (1/0 at LFC) - 13.02.1926
- Liverpool debut: 03.04.1920
- Last appearance: 01.10.1921
- Debut goal: 31.08.1921
- Last goal: 24.09.1921
- Contract expiry: 02.03.1922
- Win ratio: 55.56% W:5 D:3 L:1
- Games/goals ratio: 2.25
- Wartime games/goals: 13 / 8
- League games / goals: 9 / 4
- Total games / goals: 9 / 4
Player Profile
After having made 13 wartime appearances and scored eight goals in the 1918/19 season Matthews made his official first-team debut for Liverpool as a centre-half in a 3-0 win over Derby County on 3 April 1920. "Big, burly and boisterous" Billy played as a forward in his other eight appearances for the Reds. Matthews revealed to a reporter at the Derby Daily Telegraph: “Liverpool think I will make a centre-half, but I know I never shall. It is not in my bones to play there!" Matthews scored three goals in two games at the beginning of the 1921/22 season but in the following five matches he only got once on the scoresheet and didn't get another chance to prove himself at Liverpool who went on to win the League that season and the next.
In March 1922 Matthews joined second division Bristol City but was relegated in the spring only to bounce back immediately as the club won Third Division North. He wanted to move closer to his childhood home despite having to stay in the third tier of League football and joined Wrexham in 1922/23. He drifted into non-league football two seasons later but only spent four months in the Cheshire County League and went back into League football with Barrow and eventually Bradford Park Avenue where he gathered his third Welsh cap. He made 112 League appearances for the Bradford club and won Third Division North in 1928. Matthews was a fitness fanatic and a keen cyclist into his nineties and was known as "Billy white hat" because of the distinctive headgear he wore.
Appearances per season
A more detailed look at the player's appearances
Apps |
Minutes |
Opponent |
2 |
180 |
Sheffield United |
2 |
180 |
Chelsea |
2 |
180 |
Manchester City |
1 |
90 |
Burnley |
1 |
90 |
Derby |
1 |
90 |
Sunderland |
Total |
Venue |
5 |
Home |
4 |
Away |
Goals per season
A more detailed look at the player's goalscoring
Wartime Appearances / Goals
Season |
Appearances |
Goals |
1918-1919 |
13 |
8 |
Milestone Appearances
# |
Date |
Against |
Stadium |
Competition |
1 |
03.04.1920 |
Derby |
Anfield |
League |
Milestone Goals
# |
Minute |
Date |
Against |
Stadium |
Competition |
1 |
0 |
31.08.1921 |
Manchester City |
Anfield |
League |
Other Clubs
Club |
Season |
Club rank |
League apps |
League goals |
Total apps |
Total goals |
Colwyn Bay |
1916-1918 |
|
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Bristol City |
1921-1922 |
England Second Division |
12 |
0 |
12 |
0 |
Bristol City |
1922-1923 |
England Third Division South |
29 |
1 |
31 |
1 |
Bristol City |
1923-1924 |
England Second Division |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
Wrexham |
1923-1924 |
England Third Division North |
27 |
1 |
29 |
1 |
Wrexham |
1924-1925 |
England Third Division North |
35 |
1 |
35 |
1 |
Northwich Vict. |
1925 |
Cheshire County League |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Barrow |
1925-1926 |
England Third Division North |
9 |
1 |
10 |
1 |
Bradford Park Avenue |
1925-1926 |
England Third Division North |
8 |
0 |
8 |
0 |
Bradford Park Avenue |
1926-1927 |
England Third Division North |
17 |
2 |
17 |
2 |
Bradford Park Avenue |
1927-1928 |
England Third Division North |
42 |
2 |
44 |
2 |
Bradford Park Avenue |
1928-1929 |
England Second Division |
22 |
0 |
22 |
0 |
Bradford Park Avenue |
1929-1930 |
England Second Division |
23 |
1 |
23 |
1 |
Stockport County |
1930-1931 |
England Third Division North |
4 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
New Brighton |
1930-1931 |
England Third Division North |
30 |
1 |
31 |
1 |
New Brighton |
1931-1932 |
England Third Division North |
11 |
0 |
11 |
0 |
Chester City |
1931-1932 |
England Third Division North |
5 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
Oswestry Town |
1932 |
Birmingham & District League |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Witton Albion |
1932 |
Cheshire County League |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Sandbach Ramblers |
1932-1933 |
Cheshire County League |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Colwyn Bay United |
1933 |
Birmingham & District League |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Rossendale United |
1933-1936 |
Lancashire Combination |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Total |
275 |
10 |
283 |
10 |