MATTHEWS AND TEAM MANAGER WADDINGTON AND DENNIS VIOLETT AT STOKE CITY FOOTBALL CLUB GROUND.



CU MATTHEWS; CU WADDINGTON AND CU VIOLETT.



MATTHEWS WITH FOOTBALL .... SHOWING BODY SWERVE.



MATTHEWS DRIBBLING WITH VIOLETT; DITTO.



MATTHEWS PUTS STUDS IN HIS FAMOUS BOOTS, DESIGNED BY HIM AND WHICH BEAR HIS NAME.



MATTHEWS IN DRESSING ROOM STOKE; WEARING STOKE CITY JERSEY.



MATTHEWS - THE OLDEST MAN IN THE CLUB - WITH THE TWO YOUNGEST PROFESSIONALS.



MATTHEWS GREETS OLD FRIEND JACK MUDIE WHO PLAYS ALONGSIDE HIM IN THE STOKE TEAM;



MATTHEWS SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS FOR TEAM PLAYERS.



AUTOGRAPHS OUTSIDE THE CLUB.



GENERAL SHOTS OF THE OUTSIDE OF THE CLUB.



MATTHEWS LOOKS AT OLD PICTURES OF STOKE CLUB; SHOWING HIM IN THE TEAM OF 1932 AND 1935.



MATTHEWS WAVES GOODBYE.



CU OUTSIDE OF STOKE CITY CENTENARY SOUVENIR BOOKLET.



CU PHOTOGRAPH INSIDE BOOK TAKEN FROM PAGE 38 ....



GENERAL SHOTS OF THE POTTERY TOWN OF STOKE




Initials JNT/V/MGT/BB



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: AT 48, STANLEY MATTHEWS KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE WORLD AS "THE WIZARD OF DRIBBLE" IS STILL PLAYING FOR THE STOKE CITY, WHERE HE STARTED IN FOOTBALL AT THE AGE OF 17, THIRTY ONE YEARS AGO.

DURING THAT TIME HE HAS BEEN A FRONT PAGE NAME IN THE SPORTING WORLD AND HIS GUILE AND ARTISTRY WITH A FOOTBALL LEGEND.

STANLEY MATTHEWS WAS BORN IN HANLEY ON FEB.1 1915 AND GAINED HIS FIRST INTERNATIONAL CAP IN 1934 AGAINST WALES AT CARDIFF.ALTOGETHER HE HAS PLAYED 84 TIMES FOR ENGLAND AND BEEN CAPPED 51 TIMES.HE GAINED 49 CAPS WHILE PLAYING FOR HIS PRESENT CLUB STROKE.

HE PLAYED FOR BLACKPOOL IN 1947 -- AFTER BEING TRANSFERRED FOR A FEE OF GBP11,500.HE RETURNED TO HIS HOME CLUB, STOKE, IN 1961.THE CLUB WAS THEN IN A VERY POOR STATE.

THE DRAWING POWER OF STANLEY MATTHEWS WAS QUICKLY APPARENT AND SINCE THEN THE CLUB HAS NOT LOOKED BACK.STOKE CITY IS NOW AT THE HEAD OF THE 2ND DIVISION AND LOOKS ALL SET TO RETURN TO THE 1ST DIVISION.

THIS DUE LARGELY TO THE FOOTBALL GENIUS OF MATTHEWS.

HE IS SO POPULAR WITH PLAYERS THAT INTERNATIONAL JACK MUDIE, FORMER BLACKPOOL PLAYER, DENNIS VIOLETT FROM MANCHESTER UNITED AND PADDY McILROY OF BURNLEY, HAVE ALL JOINED STOKE TO PLAY ALONGSIDE HIM.ALL THESE PLAYERS HOLD INTERNATIONAL CAPS.

STANLEY MATTHEWS IS A KEEP FIT FIEND.HIS 30 YEARS PLAYING HAS BEEN LARGELY DUE TO HIS PHYSICAL FITNESS AND MENTAL AGILITY.