185-576: Sir Stanley Matthews CBE (1 February 1915 – 23 February 2000) was an English footballer who played as an outside right . Often regarded as one of the greatest players of the British game and one of the greatest players of all time, he is the only player to have been knighted while still playing football, as well as being the first winner of both the European Footballer of the Year and
370-445: A 4–3–3 formation ), or they have even been switched to a deeper position in which they are required to drop back to link-up with the midfield, while also supporting another striker playing alongside them up front (in a 4–4–2 formation). Many teams still employ one of their strikers in this latter more withdrawn role as a support forward for the main striker, in a role broadly similar to the inside forward. An outside forward plays as
555-489: A Europe XI at Highbury , their 4–0 win over Norway in Newcastle , and their 7–0 win over Ireland at Old Trafford . On 15 April 1939, he returned to a muddy Hampden Park with England to claim a 2–1 victory in front of 142,000 rain-soaked supporters; he set up Tommy Lawton for the winner with seconds to spare. That summer was the last time England would tour Europe before Hitler 's Nazis were defeated. The first game
740-564: A second striker – such as Roberto Baggio or Alessandro Del Piero. Another similar example of an effective partnership at international level was that of Alex Morgan and Abby Wambach with the United States national team , who scored a combined 55 goals in 2012, matching a 21-year-old record set in 1991 by Michelle Akers (39 goals) and Carin Jennings (16 goals) as the most goals scored by any duo in U.S. WNT history. One of
925-491: A striker . This role is somewhat comparable to what is known as the raumdeuter role in German football jargon (literally "space interpreter"), as exemplified by Thomas Müller , namely an attacking-minded wide player, who will move into central areas in order to find spaces from which he can receive passes and score or assist goals. The "false winger" or "seven-and-a-half" is instead a label which has been used to describe
1110-399: A "target man", despite having all the necessary features. Such forwards as Zlatan Ibrahimović , Romelu Lukaku , and Erling Haaland have all rejected the term when applied to specifically them, with Ibrahimović preferring to be described as an attacking all-rounder, while Lukaku and Haaland have said to favour poaching goals rather than physical play. As stated above, the target forward is
1295-498: A 3–1 win over local rivals Port Vale at The Old Recreation Ground . He played 29 First Division games in 1933–34 , as Stoke secured their top-flight status with a 12th-place finish. Matthews added a Staffordshire Senior Cup winners' medal in 1934. He continued to progress in the 1934–35 campaign and was selected by The Football League for an Inter-League game with the Irish League at The Oval , which finished 6–1 to
1480-852: A 4–4 draw with a Europe XI and a 3–1 win over Northern Ireland, he found himself back on the international scene following his heroics in the 1953 FA Cup final . He was selected to play Hungary 's Golden Team on 25 November 1953, in a 6–3 defeat that became known as the " Match of the Century ". He blamed the FA and the selectors for the heavy loss, though he had great admiration for the Hungarians, particularly Ferenc Puskás . He did not play in England's 7–1 defeat to Hungary in Budapest in May 1954. However, he
1665-484: A Blackpool shirt in a 3–0 defeat at Arsenal on 7 October 1961. It was a fitting final bow as he always enjoyed playing against Arsenal. He had "so many wonderful memories" at Highbury. With former teammate and close friend Jackie Mudie at Stoke City, and with Tony Waddington keen to welcome Matthews back to the Victoria Ground , his return to his home-town club was sealed. However, Matthews was not impressed when
1850-543: A GBE (in recognition of his role as chairman of the Scottish War Savings Committee) and the award of medal of the order to Lizzie Robinson, a munitions worker. The order had been established primarily as a civilian award; in August 1918, however, not long after its foundation, a number of awards were made to serving naval and military personnel. Four months later, a 'Military Division' was added to
2035-481: A Scotland team containing a young Bill Shankly . He then travelled to Berlin for another encounter with Münzenberg, where pre-match he witnessed first hand the foreboding devotion the people showed the Führer when his motorcade drove past a café the England team were dining in. The game became infamous as The FA , themselves under instruction from the British government, informed the England team that they had to perform
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#17327834080512220-870: A boxer, but Stanley decided at the age of 13 that he wanted to be a footballer. After a rigorous training session that made Matthews vomit, his mother, Elizabeth, stood firm and made Jack realise that his son, who had one more year at school, should follow his passion for football. His father conceded that should he be picked for England Schoolboys then he could continue his footballing career; around this time his school football master picked Matthews as an outside-right , rather than as his then-preferred position of centre-half . Matthews played for England Schoolboys against Wales in 1929, in front of around 20,000 spectators at Dean Court , Bournemouth . Wolverhampton Wanderers , Birmingham City , Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion were all rumoured to be interested in Matthews in
2405-490: A bright future for the teenager, and though he could have then joined any club in the country, he signed as a professional with Stoke on his 17th birthday. Paid the maximum wage of £5-a-week (£3 in the summer break), he was on the same wage as seasoned professionals before he even kicked a ball. Despite this, his father insisted that Matthews save this money and only spend any winning bonus money he earned. He made his first-team debut against Bury at Gigg Lane on 19 March 1932;
2590-404: A broad riband or sash, passing from the right shoulder to the left hip. Knights Commander and male Commanders wear the badge from a ribbon around the neck; male Officers and Members wear the badge from a ribbon on the left chest; female recipients other than Dames Grand Cross (unless in military uniform) normally wear it from a bow on the left shoulder. An oval eight-pointed star is worn, pinned to
2775-553: A burning building containing explosives. In December 1922 the statutes of the order were amended; there having been a large number of awards for war work prior to this date, these amended statutes placed the order on more of a peacetime footing. For the first time numbers of appointments were limited, with the stipulation that senior awards in the Civil Division were to outnumber those in the Military Division by
2960-422: A charity game. Blackpool finished seventh in 1949–50 , and though they were never title contenders, vast crowds still turned out home and away to witness the entertaining football they displayed. At this time he received the maximum wage allowed for a professional player – £12 a week. In 1950–51 Blackpool stormed to a third-place finish, and Matthews played 44 games in league and cup. He cited his highlights of
3145-453: A circlet bearing the motto of the Order; the reverse bears George V's Royal and Imperial Cypher. (Prior to 1937 Britannia was shown within the circlet.) The size of the badges varies according to rank: the higher classes have slightly larger badges. The badges of Knights and Dames Grand Cross, Knights and Dames Commander, and Commanders are enamelled, with pale blue crosses, crimson circlets and
3330-466: A citizen of a Commonwealth realm can convert their appointment from honorary to substantive, and they then enjoy all privileges of membership of the order, including use of the title of Sir and Dame for the senior two ranks of the Order. (An example of the latter is Irish broadcaster Terry Wogan , who was appointed an honorary Knight Commander of the Order in 2005, and on successful application for British citizenship, held alongside his Irish citizenship,
3515-484: A defeat to Port Vale at Vale Park in the Fifth Round. Matthews missed just eight league games in 1954–55 , though journalists were keen to write him off with every occasional off-performance and missed game – "it was all balderdash", he replied. Despite his age, and more pertinently the media's constant references to his age, Arsenal manager Tom Whittaker tried, unsuccessfully, to lure Matthews to Highbury with
3700-474: A few days off from the club to relax in Blackpool . Finding no peace there either, Stoke chairman Albert Booth told Matthews he would not be allowed to leave the club, and 3,000 City supporters organised a meeting to make their feelings known – they too demanded that he stay. Touched by their strength of feeling and worn out by the attention he was receiving, Matthews agreed to stay. Despite playing regularly for
3885-432: A flexible attacking approach which opposition teams found difficult to effectively mark. In a two-player front line, it is common for two forwards who complement one another to be paired together; for example, former Italy manager Cesare Maldini often used a large, physical, and prolific player as a traditional centre-forward – such as Christian Vieri – alongside a smaller, faster, creative and more technical player as
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#17327834080514070-456: A goalscoring opportunity. They should also be capable of finishing well with either foot as well as their head (which is less common, seeing as many second strikers are diminutive creative players), as this will lead to a good scoring percentage on attempts on goal and give their team an advantage offensively. Although they are often deployed in a free role, and given "licence to roam", and either run forward, or drop further back in order to pick up
4255-443: A gold central medallion. Officers' badges are plain silver-gilt, while those of Members are plain silver. From 1917 until 1937, the badge of the order was suspended on a purple ribbon, with a red central stripe being added for the military division in 1918. Since 1937, the ribbon has been rose-pink with pearl-grey edges (with the addition of a pearl-grey central stripe for the military division). Knights and Dames Grand Cross wear it on
4440-516: A large and physical player who usually plays as a centre-forward, and who will attempt to win aerial challenges and hold up the ball on the flank, or drag full-backs out of position. Jostein Flo epitomizes this role so much so that a tactic was named after him – Flo Pass . Egil Olsen , while managing the Norway national football team , positioned Flo, usually a centre-forward, on the right flank to exploit
4625-426: A local boxer known as the "Fighting Barber of Hanley". In the summer of 1921, Jack Matthews took six-year-old Stanley to the Victoria Ground , home of the local club Stoke City , for an open race for boys under the age of 14, with a staggered start according to age. His father placed a bet on his son winning, and he did. Matthews attended Hanley's Wellington Road School and later described himself as "in many respects
4810-529: A lone centre-forward in Johan Cruyff's Barcelona Dream Team , a role which was similar to that of the modern false 9 role. Roma under manager Luciano Spalletti used Francesco Totti , nominally an attacking midfielder or trequartista , up-front in an innovative "4–6–0" formation in the mid-2000s; this was met with a run of 11 consecutive victories. At Euro 2012 , Spain manager Vicente del Bosque , although sometimes deploying Fernando Torres as
4995-459: A long history in the game, but the terminology to describe their playing activity has varied over the years. Originally such players were termed inside forwards, creative or deep-lying centre-forwards ("sub forwards"). More recently, the role has occasionally been colloquially referred to as the centre-forward role, however, two more variations of this old type of player have developed: the second, or shadow, or support, or auxiliary striker and, in what
5180-401: A lucrative, if somewhat illegal approach. As Smith began to establish a new side with talents such as Jackie Mudie and Jimmy Armfield , Blackpool posted a second-place finish in 1955–56 . However, they ended up some 11 points behind champions Manchester United. Matthews believed that the performance he gave in a 3–1 win over Arsenal on the season's opening day was the finest he ever gave. At
5365-532: A model pupil". He also said the kickabout games the children played helped to improve his dribbling and prepared the children for future life by giving them "a focus, a purpose, discipline, and in many respects an escape". At home he also spent "countless hours" practising dribbling around kitchen chairs he placed in his backyard. Though he would later become indelibly associated with Stoke City, Matthews grew up supporting that club's local rivals Port Vale . His father wanted him to follow in his footsteps and become
5550-401: A more advanced attacking midfielder/playmaker role, is an unconventional lone striker or centre-forward, who drops deep into midfield. The purpose of this is that it creates a problem for opposing centre-backs who can either follow the false 9, leaving space behind them for onrushing midfielders, forwards or wingers to exploit, or leaving the false 9 to have time and space to dribble or pick out
5735-416: A pass. The term comes from the traditional number for centre-forwards (nine), and the fact that normally a centre-forward traditionally stayed near the line of defenders until they got an opportunity to move past them toward goal. Key attributes for a false 9 are similar to those of a deep-lying striker: dribbling ability to take advantage of space between the lines, good short passing ability to link up with
Stanley Matthews - Misplaced Pages Continue
5920-420: A player who does not run or look to make runs as compared to other forwards. Typically they are strong, tall, and physical players. Usually, the build-up play of a target forward will often consist of one of the following options: firstly, the goalkeeper will either launch a long kick or distribute the ball to a central defender or full-back. From there, the defender will play a long ball to the striker, either in
6105-492: A proportion of six to one. Furthermore appointments in the civil division were to be divided equally between UK and overseas awards. With regard to the Medal of the Order (but not the order itself), a distinction was made in 1922 between awards 'for gallantry' and awards 'for meritorious service' (each being appropriately inscribed, and the former having laurel leaves decorating the clasp, the latter oak leaves). In 1933 holders of
6290-612: A record-breaking number of goals for Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League group stage. The next year, the Liverpool attacking quartet of Roberto Firmino , Mohamed Salah , Sadio Mané and Philippe Coutinho , dubbed the "Fab Four" (in reference to the Beatles ), contributed to a record-breaking 47 goals for a single Champions League season. MSN is known to be one of the most successful striker combinations in
6475-505: A second transfer request, which the Stoke board eventually accepted. He selected Blackpool as his next club as he still lived in the area following his service in the RAF; the Stoke board sanctioned the move on the condition that the deal was to remain a secret until the end of the season, not to disrupt the club's title bid. The secret was revealed in a matter of hours, as an unknown person informed
6660-405: A tall and physically strong player, who is adept at heading the ball; their main role is to win high balls in the air, hold up the ball, and create chances for other members of the team, in addition to possibly scoring many goals themselves. However, the two terms are not necessarily synonymous, with the target forward having developed into a more specialised role, while the centre-forward description
6845-431: A traditional striker, often used Cesc Fàbregas as a false 9 in several matches, including the final . By the end of 2012, the false 9 had gone "mainstream" with many clubs employing a version of the system. Barcelona's Lionel Messi has been an epitome of the false 9 position to much success in recent years, first under coach Pep Guardiola and later under his successor Tito Vilanova . Brazilian forward Roberto Firmino
7030-412: A trend of playing inverted wingers – wide players stationed on the 'wrong' side of the pitch, in order to enable them to cut inside and shoot on their stronger foot and sometimes provide in-swinging crosses. This tactic was used by Frank Rijkaard , who, whilst at Barcelona , moved Lionel Messi from the left flank onto the right wing, initially against the player's wishes. This allowed him to cut into
7215-400: A two-year contract at £50-a-week – this was double the wages he received at Blackpool. The signing was broadcast live on Sportsview , as Waddington whispered in his ear "Welcome home, Stan. For years this club has been going nowhere. Now we're on our way". Waddington delayed his return debut until 24 October 1961, when Stoke played Huddersfield Town at the Victoria Ground , the attendance
7400-402: A type of player who normally plays centrally, but who instead is deployed out wide on paper; during the course of a match, however, they will move inside and operate in the centre of the pitch, in order to drag defenders out of position, congest the midfield and give their team a numerical advantage in this area, so that they can dominate possession in the middle of the pitch and create chances for
7585-595: A wealth of attacking options. Four-man packages expand options even more. Strikers must also be flexible, and be able to switch roles at a moment's notice, between the first ( advanced penetrator position ), second ( deep-lying manoeuvre ) and third ( support and expansion, e.g. wings ) attacker roles. Another example was the Total Football played by the Dutch team in the 70s, where the ability of their players, and in particular Johan Cruyff , to swap positions allowed
Stanley Matthews - Misplaced Pages Continue
7770-520: Is also a prolific goalscorer; otherwise, a mobile forward with good technical ability ( dribbling skills and ball control), acceleration, vision, passing, and link-up play, who can receive the ball and retain possession, in addition to being capable of scoring goals and creating opportunities for a less versatile centre-forward, is more suited to playing in the second striker role. This player should also be able to position themselves well in order to receive passes and subsequently either create or finish off
7955-516: Is an image of Britannia surrounded by the motto, with the words "For Meritorious Service" at the bottom; on the reverse is George V's Imperial and Royal Cypher, with the words "Instituted by King George V" at the bottom. The name of the recipient is engraved on the rim. This medal is nicknamed "the Gong", and comes in both full-sized and miniature versions – the latter for formal white-tie and semi-formal black-tie occasions. A lapel pin for everyday wear
8140-702: Is embodied in the Declaration of the Olympic Games". Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry , rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service . It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions,
8325-528: Is in fact a distinct position unto its own, the number 10; the former role is exemplified by players such as Dennis Bergkamp (who would play just behind the striker Thierry Henry at Arsenal ), Alessandro Del Piero at Juventus , Youri Djorkaeff at Inter Milan , or Teddy Sheringham at Tottenham Hotspur. Other creative offensive players who play further back, such as Lionel Messi , Diego Maradona , Ronaldinho , Kaká , Rivaldo , Michael Laudrup , and Zinedine Zidane are often instead described as
8510-423: Is known as "segundo atacante" or "ponta-de-lança". The position of inside forward was popularly used in the late nineteenth and first half of the twentieth centuries. The inside forwards would support the centre-forward, running and making space in the opposition defence, and, as the passing game developed, supporting him with passes. The role is broadly analogous to the "hole" or second striker position in
8695-508: Is more broad, encompassing many types of forwards. When numbers were introduced in the 1933 English FA Cup final , one of the two centre-forwards that day wore the number 9 – Everton's Dixie Dean , a strong, powerful forward who had set the record for the most goals scored in a season in English football during the 1927–28 season. The number would then become synonymous with the centre-forward position (only worn that day because one team
8880-973: Is not a member of the College of Arms , as are many other heraldic officers; and the Lady Usher of the Purple Rod does not – unlike the Order of the Garter equivalent, the Lady Usher of the Black Rod – perform any duties related to the House of Lords . Since the Second World War, several Commonwealth realms have established their own national system of honours and awards and have created their own unique orders, decorations and medals. A number, though, continue to make recommendations for appointments to
9065-629: Is the idea that players should disturb the ball holder and block passing lanes, which is done in high-pressing and closing down. Closing down is the ability of a player to very quickly start defending the opposing player with the ball. This usually falls under the concentration principle of football, so strikers must be able to start defending the opposing team very high up in the opposing half. Although many believe strikers are not very involved in defensive strategies, they greatly help with "gathering defense to protect vital zones from progression of offensive actions, direct play to less vital zones, and allow for
9250-464: The 1946–47 season, during which Matthews played 23 league games and contributed to 30 of the club's 41 league goals. Stoke matched their record finish of fourth in the league, finishing just two points shy of champions Liverpool after losing to Sheffield United on the final day of the season. However, in February, Matthews was returning from a knee injury when manager McGrory told him he was not in
9435-692: The 1954–55 British Home Championship , though on the pitch he did not gel well with Don Revie . Matthews then put in a superb performance in a 2–0 win over the Welsh before he helped England to record a 3–1 victory over World Champions West Germany, though only three of the Germans used at Wembley had been in the first XI in the World Cup final . England beat Scotland 7–2 in April 1955, and this time, Matthews linked up much better with Revie and 40-year-old Matthews
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#17327834080519620-529: The 1955 FA Cup Final , but lost to Newcastle United 3–1. The following year City again reached the final where they played Birmingham City , this time winning 3–1. Throughout his career, Johan Cruyff was often deployed in a free role as a centre-forward with Ajax, Barcelona, and the Netherlands in the 1970s in Rinus Michels 's fluid 1–3–3–3 formation, which was a key and trademark feature of
9805-413: The 1964–65 season playing for the reserve side. On 1 January 1965, he became the only footballer to ever be knighted (for services to football) whilst still an active professional player. However, he never thought himself worthy of such an honour. His only first-team appearance of the season was also the last Football League game of his career; it came on 6 February 1965, just after his 50th birthday, and
9990-606: The Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year awards. His nicknames included "The Wizard of Dribble" and "The Magician". Matthews kept fit enough to play at the top level until he was 50. He was also the oldest player to play in England's top football division (50 years and 5 days) and the oldest to represent the country (42 years and 104 days). He was an inaugural inductee to the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002 to honour his contribution to
10175-605: The Nazi salute as part of the strategy of appeasement . England won 6–3 with Matthews himself getting on the scoreboard having got the better of Münzenberg this time. The next game was a shock 2–1 defeat to Switzerland , which in turn was followed by a 4–2 win over France in Paris. Following the conclusion of this summer tour of the continent, Matthews scored in a 4–2 defeat to Wales in Cardiff , and then played in England's 3–0 win over
10360-495: The Order of Canada . On the other hand, the Australian Honours System unilaterally created in 1975 did not achieve bi-partisan support until 1992, which was when Australian federal and state governments agreed to cease Australian recommendations for British honours; the last Australian recommended Order of the British Empire appointments were in the 1989 Queen's Birthday Honours . New Zealand continued to use
10545-413: The centravanti di manovra (which literally translates to "manoeuvring centre-forward"), due to the player's tendency to move freely and participate the build-up of attacking plays. The term " target forward " or " target man " is often used to describe a particular type of striker or centre-forward whose main role is to win high balls in the air, hold up the ball, and create chances for other members of
10730-400: The pitch , do it in the knowledge that you have my full support." He assembled a talented frontline in Matthews, Stan Mortensen , Jimmy McIntosh , and Alex Munro ; with an emphasis on entertaining football. The Seasiders finished in ninth place and reached the 1948 FA Cup final . On 23 April 1948, the eve of the final , Matthews won the inaugural Football Writers' Association Footballer of
10915-488: The " Matthews final " of 1953. In 1956, he was named the winner of the inaugural Ballon d'Or , a prize given to the best European footballer each year. Between 1934 and 1957, he won 54 caps for England , playing in the FIFA World Cup in 1950 and 1954 , and winning nine British Home Championship titles. Following an unsuccessful stint as Port Vale 's general manager between 1965 and 1968, he travelled around
11100-516: The " Matthews final ". Bolton were leading 3–1 with 35 minutes to go, but Matthews had "the game of his life" in "the greatest ever FA Cup final" and spurred his team on to a last gasp 4–3 victory. He always credited the team and especially Mortensen for the victory and never accepted the nickname of the "Matthews final". He helped the Tangerines to record a sixth-place finish in 1953–54 , though hopes of retaining their FA Cup title were ended with
11285-459: The "Potters" won the game 1–0 and Matthews learned how physical and dirty opponents could be – and get away with it. After spending the 1932–33 pre-season training intensely by himself (as opposed to playing golf with his teammates), Mather selected Matthews in 15 games, enough to earn him in a winners medal after Stoke were crowned Second Division champions, one point ahead of Tottenham Hotspur . On 4 March 1933 he scored his first senior goal in
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#173278340805111470-400: The "number 10", and usually operate as an attacking midfielder or advanced playmaker . The second striker position is a loosely defined and most often misunderstood description of a player positioned in a free role, somewhere between the out-and-out striker, whether the player is a "target man" or more of a "poacher", and the number 10 or attacking midfielder, while possibly showing some of
11655-529: The 2010s in the La Liga , as well as the UEFA Champions League . Although the striker is mainly an offensive position in many cases, they still play critical roles for defense that are often overlooked. Strikers can be involved in tactics such as high-pressing, cutting out passing lanes, defending set pieces, and tracking back (mostly for wingers). For high-pressure, this tactic is employed when
11840-473: The 21st century quotas were introduced to ensure consistent representation among recipients across nine categories of eligibility: with the largest proportion of awards being reserved for community, voluntary and local service. Non-military awards of the British Empire Medal resumed in 2012, starting with 293 BEMs awarded for Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee . In 2017 the centenary of
12025-407: The 4–3–1–2 or 4–1–2–1–2 formations. The term centre-forward is taken from the earlier football playing formations , such as the 2–3–5, in which there were five forward players: two outside forwards , two inside forwards , and one centre-forward. The term " target forward " is often used interchangeably with that of a centre-forward, but usually describes a particular type of striker, who is usually
12210-472: The Blackpool board demanded a £3,500 transfer fee, with one director being so bold as to tell him "You forget. As a player, we made you." Having kept secret from Stoke a niggling knee injury Matthews had been carrying, Blackpool got their £3,500 for the player. At Stoke, Matthews played Second Division football for the first time in 28 years. Despite Stoke being strapped for cash, Tony Waddington gave him
12395-792: The British Empire . Rather than using this chapel, the Order now holds its great services upstairs in the nave of the cathedral. In addition to the Chapel of the Order of the British Empire, St Paul's Cathedral also houses the Chapel of the Order of St Michael and St George . Religious services for the whole Order are held every four years; new Knights and Dames Grand Cross are installed at these services. Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commander prefix Sir , and Dames Grand Cross and Dames Commander prefix Dame , to their forenames. Wives of Knights may prefix Lady to their surnames, but no equivalent privilege exists for husbands of Knights or spouses of Dames. Such forms are not used by peers and princes, except when
12580-494: The British Empire for Gallantry. Any individual made a member of the order for gallantry after 14 January 1958 wears an emblem of two crossed silver oak leaves on the same ribbon as the badge, with a miniature version on the ribbon bar when worn alone. When the ribbon only is worn the emblem is worn in miniature. It could not be awarded posthumously , and was replaced in 1974 with the Queen's Gallantry Medal (QGM). If recipients of
12765-411: The England selectors, and representing The Football League , Matthews was given his England debut at Ninian Park in 1934. Matthews scored the third goal as England beat the Welsh 4–0. His second game would be the infamous Battle of Highbury , where he set up Eric Brook for the first goal of a 3–2 win over world champions Italy . The Italians turned the match into a "bloodbath", and it ended up as
12950-608: The English game. Matthews spent 19 years with Stoke City , playing for the Potters from 1932 to 1947 and again from 1961 to 1965. He helped Stoke to the Second Division title in 1932–33 and 1962–63 . Between his two spells at Stoke, he spent 14 years with Blackpool , where, after being on the losing side in the 1948 and 1951 FA Cup finals, he helped Blackpool to win the cup with a formidable personal performance in
13135-539: The English. His England debut followed, and so did a further game for the Football League against the Scottish League. Stoke finished the season in 10th place. In 1935–36 Matthews continued to improve, adding the double body swerve technique to his increasing arsenal of tricks. Largely out of the international picture, he put in 45 games for the "Potters" as Stoke finished fourth under Bob McGrory –
13320-824: The Military Division of the order from the UK and across the Empire. Recommendations for all appointments to the Order of the British Empire were originally made on the nomination of the King's United Kingdom ministers (recommendations for overseas awards were made by the Foreign Office , the Colonial Office , the India Office and the Dominions Office ); but in the early 1940s the system was changed to enable
13505-436: The Order of the British Empire for Gallantry received promotion within the order, whether for gallantry or otherwise, they continued to wear also the insignia of the lower grade with the oak leaves; however, they used only the post-nominal letters of the higher grade. When the order was founded in 1917, badges, ribands and stars were appointed for wear by recipients. In 1929 mantles, hats and collars were added for recipients of
13690-520: The Order of the British Empire. In 2024 appointments to the order were made by the governments of: Most members of the order are citizens of the United Kingdom or Commonwealth realms that use the UK system of honours and awards. In addition, honorary awards may be made to citizens of nations where the monarch is not head of state ; these permit use of post-nominal letters, but not the title of Sir or Dame . Honorary appointees who later become
13875-404: The Order, however, are not assigned any special precedence. As a general rule, only wives and children of male recipients are afforded privileges. Knights and Dames Grand Cross are also entitled to be granted heraldic supporters . They may, furthermore, encircle their arms with a depiction of the circlet (a circle bearing the motto) and the collar; the former is shown either outside or on top of
14060-478: The Portuguese, with Matthews scoring the 10th. In September, he put in one of his finest performances in an England shirt as he set up all of England's five goals in a 5–2 victory over Belgium . In April 1948, he once again travelled with England to Hampden Park, helping his country to a 2–0 victory. However, after the match, he was the subject of an FA inquiry after he claimed tea and scones on his expenses (at
14245-463: The United Kingdom; those who would formerly have met the criteria for the medal were instead made eligible for the MBE. In 2004, a report entitled A Matter of Honour: Reforming Our Honours System by a Commons select committee recommended phasing out the Order of the British Empire, as its title was "now considered to be unacceptable, being thought to embody values that are no longer shared by many of
14430-435: The Year award . Despite taking the lead twice in the match, Blackpool lost out 4–2 to Matt Busby 's Manchester United in the final, with Matthews assisting Mortensen for Blackpool's second. Injury limited him to only 28 appearances in 1948–49 , as Blackpool struggled to a 16th-place finish. He spent the summer touring theatres in a variety act with his brother Ronnie, though he was troubled by an ankle injury he picked up in
14615-469: The ability to link-up with teammates and pass the ball under pressure in breakaway situations. While many strikers wear the number 9 shirt, such as Alan Shearer , an out and out striker, the position, to a lesser degree, is also associated with the number 10 , which is frequently worn by more creative deep-lying forwards such as Pelé , and occasionally with numbers 7 and 11, which are often associated with wingers. Deep-lying forwards or second strikers have
14800-450: The addition of a vertical pearl grey stripe in the centre for awards in the military division). From time to time the order was expanded: there was an increase in the maximum permitted number of recipients in 1933, and a further increase in 1937. During the Second World War, as had been the case during and after World War I, the number of military awards was greatly increased; between 1939 and 1946 there were more than 33,000 appointments to
14985-462: The advanced forward on the right or left wing – as an outside right or outside left , typically as part of a 2–3–5 formation or one of its variants. As football tactics have largely developed, and wingers have dropped back to become midfielders , the terminology has changed and "outside forward" has become a historical term. Many commentators and football analysts still refer to the wing positions as "outside right" and "outside left". Such players in
15170-453: The air or ground. The target forward usually has perfected their ability to provide first touches of the ball on all areas of the body. They will control the ball and provide holdup, which allows their teammates to transition forward. From here, they may create more opportunities such as passing the ball backwards and creating space by moving around defenders, making combination plays with a "false 9", midfielders, or wingers, or turning and facing
15355-516: The ball in deeper areas, giving them more time and space in possession, second or support strikers do not tend to get as involved in the orchestration of attacks as the number 10, nor do they bring as many other players into play, since they do not share the burden of responsibility, functioning predominantly in a supporting role as assist providers. In Italy, this role is known as a "rifinitore", "mezzapunta", or "seconda punta", whereas in Brazil, it
15540-435: The best football clubs of all time. Of the prolific trio, Karim Benzema typically played the center forward position, while Ronaldo and Bale played as inverted or outside forwards, so they were able to cut into the center with their dominant side. Between the two trios Lionel Messi has won the most Ballon d'Or trophies, while Cristiano Ronaldo has won the second most of these trophies, at 5. BBC rivaled MSN throughout
15725-474: The cathedral. That year, Commonwealth awards made up 40% of all OBEs and MBEs awarded (and 35% of all living recipients of the higher awards). Gradually that proportion reduced as independent states within the Commonwealth established their own systems of honours . The last Canadian recommendation for the Order of the British Empire was an MBE for gallantry gazetted in 1966, a year before the creation of
15910-493: The centre and shoot or cross with his left foot. Another example of a successful inverted winger partnership was Bayern Munich 's pairing of the left-footed Arjen Robben alongside the right-footed Franck Ribéry , on the right and left flanks respectively. A description that has been used in the media to label a variation upon the inverted winger position is that of an "attacking", "false", or "goalscoring winger", as exemplified by Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale 's roles on
16095-695: The centre-forward, the traditional role of a striker is to score goals; strikers are therefore known for their ability to peel off defenders and to run into space via the blind side of the defender and to receive the ball in a good goalscoring position, as typified by Ronaldo and Thierry Henry . They are typically fast players with good ball control and dribbling abilities. Shorter statured, more agile strikers like Michael Owen , Romário , Dries Mertens , Sergio Agüero , and Paulo Dybala have an advantage over taller defenders due to their short bursts of speed. Good strikers should be able to shoot confidently with either foot, possess great power and accuracy, and have
16280-404: The characteristics of both. In fact, a term coined by French advanced playmaker Michel Platini , the "nine-and-a-half", which he used to describe the playing role of his successor in the number 10 role at Juventus, Italian playmaker Roberto Baggio , has been an attempt to become a standard in defining the position. Conceivably, a number 10 can alternate as a second-striker provided that the player
16465-418: The circlet. In 1929, to bring the order into line with the other orders of chivalry, members of the first class of the order (GBE) were provided with mantles, hats and collars. Only Knights/Dames Grand Cross wear these elaborate vestments; the hat is now rarely, if ever, worn. Use of the mantle is limited to important occasions (such as quadrennial services and coronations ). The mantle is always worn with
16650-399: The club's best finish. He played 42 games in 1936–37 , including the club's record 10–3 win over West Brom at the Victoria Ground . At the end of the season, he was paid a loyalty bonus of £650, though the Stoke board initially insisted he was only due £500 as he had spent his first two years at the club as an amateur – this attitude left a sour taste in Matthews' mouth. Stoke slipped down
16835-426: The club. In 1957, at the age of 42, Matthews travelled to Ghana to play some exhibition games for Ghanaian club Hearts of Oak . On 26 May 1957, Matthews made his 'debut' for Hearts of Oak at Accra Sports Stadium against Asante Kotoko in front of 20,000 spectators. Similar attendances were recorded for Matthews' next two games against Sekondi Hasaacas and Kumasi Cornerstone . As a result of Matthews' visit to
17020-444: The collar. Although the mantle was introduced in 1929, very few mantles would have been produced prior to the 1937 design changes, as there were few occasions for wearing them in the intervening years. On certain days designated by the sovereign, known as " collar days ", members attending formal events may wear the order's collar over their military uniform, formal day dress, evening wear or robes of office. Collars are returned upon
17205-460: The cost of sixpence). Regardless of this treatment by the FA, the next month he helped England record a 4–0 victory over Italy in Turin . Folklore said that he beat Alberto Eliani only to have the audacity to then pull a comb from his shorts pocket and comb his hair; the reality was that he used his hand to wipe his sweating brow in the beating Italian sun. However, the legend would follow him around
17390-479: The country's population". The committee further suggested changing the name of the award to the Order of British Excellence, and changing the rank of Commander to Companion (as the former was said to have a "militaristic ring"), as well as advocating for the abolition of knighthoods and damehoods; the government, however, was not of the opinion that a case for change had been made, and the aforementioned suggestions and recommendations were not, therefore, pursued. In
17575-409: The country, he was installed as a "soccerhene" (soccer chief). Matthews' visit to Ghana also convinced Ghana's first prime minister Kwame Nkrumah that sport could help the development of Ghanaian football, as well as push the ideals of Pan-Africanism . Ghana won their first Africa Cup of Nations six years later in 1963 under the management of Charles Gyamfi . Back in England, Smith's replacement
17760-403: The death of their owners, but other insignia may be retained. The six office-holders of the order wear pearl-grey mantles lined with rose-pink, having on the right side a purple shield charged with the roundel from the badge. Each of these office-holders wears a unique badge of office, suspended from a gold chain worn around the neck. The British Empire Medal is made of silver. On the obverse
17945-399: The defense of the opponent in order to create scoring chances, where they benefit from a lack of predictability in attacking play. Modern team formations normally include one to three forwards. For example, the common 4–2–3–1 includes one forward. Less conventional formations may include more than three forwards, or sometimes none. The traditional role of a centre-forward is to score
18130-626: The distinction between ranks in military operational gallantry awards will cease'. The reforms affected the order at various levels: for example the automatic award each year of a GBE to the Lord Mayor of London ceased; the OBE replaced the Imperial Service Order as an award for civil servants and the number of MBEs awarded each year was significantly increased. As part of these reforms the British Empire Medal stopped being awarded by
18315-550: The end of the campaign, Matthews was named the winner of the inaugural European Footballer of the Year award , having narrowly defeated Alfredo Di Stéfano 47 to 44 in the poll. Remaining a key first-team member in 1956–57 , injury restricted him to 25 league appearances, though Blackpool claimed a creditable fourth-place finish. Matthews scored his 18th and final goal for Blackpool in a 4–1 league victory over Tottenham Hotspur at Bloomfield Road on 3 September 1956. Blackpool finished seventh in 1957–58 , after which Joe Smith left
18500-408: The entire tournament as a starting line-up forward tasked primarily with pressing, counter-pressing, winning high or loose balls, and providing key passes to quicker and more agile teammates, namely Antoine Griezmann or Kylian Mbappé . Another example of a striker who played in this position is Didier Drogba . However, not any tall and/or physically strong player feels comfortable in the role of
18685-484: The first XI for the game against Arsenal; the press reported this as a bust-up. Relations between McGrory, the Stoke City board, and Matthews had indeed always been sour – though once again a story that the players sided against Matthews were untrue. Recalled against Brentford , only after the game did he find out that this was only because he was a last-minute replacement for an injured Bert Mitchell . Matthews put in
18870-529: The former was to be responsible for recording all proceedings connected with the order, issuing warrants under the seal of the order and making arrangements for investitures, while the latter (at that time the Permanent Secretary to the Treasury ) was responsible for collecting and tabulating the names of those who were to receive an award. The office of Dean was added in 1957. The King of Arms
19055-413: The forwards; this position also leaves space for full-backs to make overlapping attacking runs up the flank. Samir Nasri , who has been deployed in this role, once described it as that of a "non-axial playmaker". On occasion, the role of an offensive winger can also be occupied by a different type of player. For example, certain managers have been known to use a "wide target man" on the wing, namely
19240-461: The game after picking up early injuries; this injury forced him to sit out the following encounter with Romania . Following the war , his return for England came against Scotland on 12 April 1947 at Wembley , in a match which finished as a 1–1 draw. In the summer he took part in England's tour of Switzerland and Portugal . Following a surprise defeat to the Swiss, England cantered to a 10–0 win over
19425-601: The goal and attempting to score by dribbling or shooting. Because of their strength and physicality, target forwards may be defended against by man-to-man marking . Sometimes the central defender of the opposing team will be of similar strength and height, which makes the matchup more evenly based. Due to this man-to-man marking, target forwards are often fouled and receive many calls from the referee. Strike teams consist of two or more strikers who work together. The history of football has been filled with many effective combinations. Three-man teams often operate in "triangles", giving
19610-401: The governments of overseas dominions to make their own nominations; Canada and South Africa began doing so in 1942, followed by Australia, New Zealand and other Commonwealth realms. In May 1957, forty years after the foundation of the order, it was announced that St Paul's Cathedral was to serve as the church of the order, and in 1960 a chapel was dedicated for its use within the crypt of
19795-450: The highest class of the order (GBE). The designs of all these items underwent major changes in 1937. The badge is worn by all members of the order; the size, colour and design depends on the class of award. The badge for all classes is in the form of a cross patonce (having the arms growing broader and floriated toward the end) with a medallion in the centre, the obverse of which bears a crowned image of George V and Queen Mary within
19980-416: The history of football. However, BBC was often compared as the same elite level of forwards. The combination consisted of Karim Benzema , Gareth Bale , and Cristiano Ronaldo . During the height of their success with Spanish team Real Madrid , they were frequently compared to MSN. The two striker combinations played on long time rivals teams Real Madrid and Barcelona, both of which are considered some of
20165-605: The honours system, calling it "a preposterous charade". The order has attracted some criticism for its naming having connection with the idea of the now-extinct British Empire . Benjamin Zephaniah , a British poet of Jamaican and Barbadian descent, publicly rejected appointment as an Officer in 2003 because, he asserted, it reminded him of "thousands of years of brutality". He also said that "it reminds me of how my foremothers were raped and my forefathers brutalised". Forward (association football)#Outside forward In
20350-418: The hotel he and his wife ran. It was during this time that he cut red meat from his diet to begin his new near-vegetarian diet. At this point new Stoke manager Frank Taylor enquired as to whether he might bring Matthews back to the club; all parties agreed to the idea in principle until Joe Smith put his foot down to ensure he stayed, with an inspirational speech he promised Matthews that an FA Cup winners medal
20535-730: The inside forward was initially occasionally known as a mezzala (literally "half-winger", not to be confused with wing-half ); however, the use of this particular term to describe inside forwards is now obsolete, as the mezzala label was later reapplied to describe the role of offensive-minded central midfielders in Italian football, while the inside forward role was instead labelled as "interno" ("internal", in Italian) in Italian football in subsequent years. In today's game, inside forwards have been pushed up front to become either out-and-out attackers or false-9s , or out wide to wingers (in
20720-446: The insignia to Buckingham Palace and by ceasing to make reference to their honour, but they still hold the honour unless and until annulled by the monarch. In 2003, The Sunday Times published a list of the people who had rejected the Order of the British Empire, including David Bowie , John Cleese , Nigella Lawson , Elgar Howarth , L. S. Lowry , George Melly , and J. G. Ballard . In addition, Ballard voiced his opposition to
20905-640: The junior post-nominal letters. The British sovereign is the sovereign of the order and appoints all other officers of the order (by convention, on the advice of the governments of the United Kingdom and some Commonwealth realms ). The second-most senior officer is the Grand Master (a 'Prince of the Blood Royal, or other exalted personage' appointed by the sovereign, who, by virtue of their appointment, becomes 'the First or Principal Knight Grand Cross of
21090-596: The last games of the period was an FA Cup Sixth Round second-leg tie clash between Stoke and Bolton Wanderers ; the match ended in tragedy in what would be known as the Burnden Park disaster – 33 people died and 500 were injured. Matthews sent £30 to the disaster fund and could not bring himself to train for several days afterwards. Matthews' father died in 1945. From his deathbed, he made his son promise him two things: to look after his mother and to win an FA Cup final . The regular Football League returned in time for
21275-411: The latter variation usually requiring quicker pace and good movement, in addition to finishing ability. Most modern centre-forwards operate in front of the second strikers or central attacking midfielders, and do the majority of the ball handling outside the box. The present role of a centre-forward is sometimes interchangeable with that of an attacking midfielder or second striker, however, especially in
21460-528: The latter. Knights and Dames Commander and Commanders may display the circlet, but not the collar, surrounding their arms. The badge is depicted suspended from the collar or circlet. See List of current honorary knights and dames of the Order of the British Empire Only the monarch can annul an honour. The Honours Forfeiture Committee considers cases and makes recommendations for forfeiture. An individual can renounce their honour by returning
21645-404: The league in an extremely tight 1937–38 season, and, annoyed by rumours circulating the city of resentment in the dressing room against him for his England success, Matthews requested a transfer in February; his request was denied. His request became public knowledge, and, disturbed by the attention and harassment he was receiving from Stoke supporters urging him to stay, Matthews decided to take
21830-407: The left and right flank during their time at Real Madrid in particular. This label has been used to describe an offensive-minded inverted winger, who will seemingly operate out wide on paper, but who instead will be given the freedom to make unmarked runs into more advanced central areas inside the penalty area, in order to get on the end of passes and crosses and score goals, effectively functioning as
22015-463: The left breast, by Knights and Dames Grand Cross; Knights and Dames Commander wear a smaller star composed of 'four equal points and four lesser'. The star is not worn by the more junior classes. Prior to 1937 each star had in the centre a gold medallion with a figure of Britannia, surrounded by a crimson circlet inscribed with the motto of the order ('For God and the Empire'); since 1937 the effigies of King George V and Queen Mary have been shown within
22200-486: The left winger Adolfo Pedernera as a man of reference. When Pedernera transferred to Atlanta , a young Alfredo Di Stéfano took his place. A false 9 was also utilised by Hungary at the beginning of the 1950s, with striker Nándor Hidegkuti acting in the role as a deep-lying centre forward. In 1953, English football was astounded by the Hungarian team which beat England 6–3 at Wembley Stadium . The Revie Plan
22385-427: The main game itself, two teams of legends were formed, a Stan's XI (consisting of Football League players) and an International XI (including Ferenc Puskás , Alfredo Di Stefano , Josef Masopust and Lev Yashin ). The International side won 6–4, and Matthews was carried shoulder-high from the field at full time by Puskás and Yashin. After playing for England Schoolboys , playing in a trial at Roker Park in front of
22570-406: The majority of goals on behalf of the team. If they are tall and physical players, with good heading ability, the player may also be used to get onto the end of crosses, win long balls , or receive passes and retain possession of the ball with their back to goal as teammates advance, in order to provide depth for their team or help teammates score by providing a pass ('through ball' into the box ),
22755-415: The manager's total football system; although Cruyff was a prolific goalscorer in this position, he also frequently dropped deep to confuse his markers and orchestrate attacks, or moved out onto the wing in order to create space for other teammates' runs, which has led certain pundits to compare this role retroactively as a precursor to the modern false 9 role. Michael Laudrup was occasionally used as
22940-588: The medal 'for gallantry', which had come to be known as the Empire Gallantry Medal , were given permission to use the postnominal letters EGM (and at the same time to add a laurel branch emblem to the ribbon of the medal); however, in 1940, awards of the EGM ceased and all holders of the medal were instructed to exchange it for a new and more prestigious gallantry award: the George Cross . In 1941,
23125-559: The medal of the order 'for meritorious service' was renamed the British Empire Medal , and the following year its recipients were granted the right to use the postnominal letters BEM. During the war, the BEM came to be used to recognise acts of bravery which did not merit the award of a George Cross or George Medal , a use which continued until the introduction of the Queen's Gallantry Medal in 1974. The designs of insignia of
23310-449: The medal. The colour of the riband was also changed: twenty years earlier, prior to the order's establishment, Queen Mary had made it known that pink would be her preferred colour for the riband of the proposed new order, but, in the event, purple was chosen. Following her appointment as Grand Master of the order in 1936 a change was duly made and since 9 March 1937 the riband of the order has been 'rose pink edged with pearl grey’ (with
23495-442: The midfield and the forward line, where their well-honed ball control, technical skills, ability to create chances, and improved reading of the game in the final third can serve to improve their teams' attacking options in tight spaces. An example is Inter Milan 's use of veteran Luís Figo behind one or two other attackers, either as a second striker or in a playmaking role as an attacking midfielder. In recent years there has been
23680-607: The midfield and vision to play through teammates making runs from deep to goal. The first false 9 in a World Cup was Juan Peregrino Anselmo in the Uruguay national team , although he could not play the match against Argentina in the 1930 World Cup due to injury. Matthias Sindelar was the false 9 of the Wunderteam , the Austria national team , in 1934. In South America, in 1941, River Plate's La Máquina team started using
23865-500: The midfield when the more central players are trying to pressure the opposition for the ball. This is a large responsibility for attack-orientated players, and particularly those like Joaquín (winger/wide midfielder), or Ryan Giggs (winger/striker), and John Barnes (winger/central midfielder), who lack the physical attributes of a wing-back or of a more orthodox midfield player. As these players grow older and lose their natural pace, they are frequently redeployed as "number 10s" between
24050-412: The midfield. It is a winger's duty to beat opposing full-backs , deliver cut-backs or crosses from wide positions and, to a lesser extent, to beat defenders and score from close range. They are usually some of the quickest players in the team and usually have good dribbling skills as well. In Dutch, Spanish and Portuguese usage, the defensive duties of the winger have been usually confined to pressing
24235-451: The modern era have been labelled "wing forwards", particularly when the two wingers play high up the pitch in a 4–3–3 or similar formation, where the front 3 attacking players have 3 central midfielders behind them. A wing forward who is known for cutting inside and shooting can have the term "inverted winger" used interchangeably. The responsibilities of an outside forward include but are not limited to: Due to these responsibilities some of
24420-512: The modern game, although here, there were two such players, known as inside right and inside left . In early 2–3–5 formations the inside-forwards would flank the centre-forward on both sides. With the rise of the WM formation , the inside forwards were brought back to become attacking midfielders, supplying balls to the centre-forward and the two attacking outside forwards – known as the outside right and outside left . In Italian football jargon,
24605-521: The most important attributes include: A winger is an offensive player located in a wide position near the touchlines. They can be classified as forwards, considering their origin as the old "outside-forward" position, and continue to be termed as such in most parts of the world, especially in Latin and Dutch football cultures. However, in the British game (in which the 4–4–2 formation and its variants are most commonly used) they are usually counted as part of
24790-549: The most lenient and easy-going NCOs in the forces. He played 69 Wartime League and Cup games for Stoke and also made 87 guest appearances for Blackpool . In addition to these, he also played a handful of games for Scottish sides Airdrieonians , Morton and Rangers , where he collected a Charity Cup winners' medal, and also played for an unofficial Scotland XI and Arsenal against FC Dynamo Moscow in extremely thick fog. He also played 29 times for England , though no caps were awarded as these were unofficial games. One of
24975-406: The most prolific forward combinations in the history of the game was the front three of Barcelona, Lionel Messi , Luis Suárez and Neymar , dubbed MSN . On average they scored a goal every 45 minutes – two goals per game from the three forwards. The trio scored a record-breaking 131 goals in one season for Barcelona during 2015–16 . In 2017, Kylian Mbappé , Neymar , and Edinson Cavani scored
25160-446: The most senior two of which make the recipient either a knight if male or a dame if female. There is also the related British Empire Medal , whose recipients are affiliated with, but not members of, the order. The order was established on 4 June 1917 by King George V , who created the order to recognise 'such persons, male or female, as may have rendered or shall hereafter render important services to Our Empire'. Equal recognition
25345-463: The most violent match that Matthews would ever be involved in. His third cap came in a 3–0 over Germany at White Hart Lane on 4 December 1935, after Ralph Birkett was unable to play due to injury; Matthews was outplayed by his opposite number Reinhold Münzenberg in both attack and defence. Matthews was jeered by England supporters and condemned by the press. He would have to wait until 17 April 1937 for another chance in an England shirt, when he
25530-473: The names of the former are written out in their fullest forms. Male clergy of the Church of England or the Church of Scotland do not use the title Sir (unless they were knighted before being ordained) as they do not receive the accolade (they are not dubbed "knight" with a sword), although they do append the post-nominal letters ; dames do not receive the accolade, and therefore female clergy are free to use
25715-512: The national side, Matthews put in 38 games for Stoke in 1938–39 , helping them to a seventh-place finish – there would not be another full season of Football League action until 1946. The war cost Matthews his professional career from the age of 24 to the age of 30. He instead joined the Royal Air Force and was based just outside Blackpool, with Ivor Powell his NCO . He rose to the rank of corporal , though he admitted to being one of
25900-399: The numbers restricted to the order as full members do. Although the Order of the British Empire has by far the highest number of members of the British orders of chivalry, with more than 100,000 living members worldwide, there are fewer appointments to knighthoods than in other orders. From time to time, individuals may be promoted to a higher grade within the Order, thereby ceasing usage of
26085-559: The odd point. In 1961, during the English off-season, he played abroad in the Eastern Canada Professional Soccer League with Toronto City , appearing in 14 matches. He returned for the 1965 season, playing in another five matches for Toronto City. He started the 1961–62 season behind Hill in the pecking order, only getting his place back in time for a 4–0 win over Chelsea after Hill picked up an injury. He made his 440th and final appearance in
26270-593: The oldest England player ever to score an international goal. He played three of England's four qualification games for the 1958 FIFA World Cup : a 5–1 victory over the Republic of Ireland , and the 5–2 and 4–1 wins over Denmark. On 15 May 1957, Matthews became the oldest player ever to represent England , when at 42 years and 104 days old he turned out for the victory over the Danes in Copenhagen . Despite calls by
26455-411: The oldest team in the Football League . Matthews scored his only goal of the season in the final home game of the campaign, as Luton Town were beaten 2–0, the result ensured Stoke gained promotion to the top flight. Stoke went up as Second Division champions. Matthews was voted FWA Footballer of the Year for the second time in his career, 15 years after he was made the award's inaugural winner. When he
26640-422: The opposing player is not able to pass the ball or make a play. By performing this method, they can effectively force the opposing team to one area of the pitch and create better opportunities for the opposing team to turn the ball over. They are heavily used in the "delay, coverage, balance, and concentration principles of football" through a variety of methods. According to the delay principle of defense in football
26825-499: The opposing team without the ball will defend the team all the way to their back line of defenders so that they have little area to pass or perform play buildup. Strikers will usually be at the forefront of this high-pressing movement and will attempt to direct ball movement. As part of this high-pressing technique, they can also cut out passing lanes. This means that they will position their bodies in-between an outside defender and central defender or midfielders and center defenders so that
27010-443: The opposition full-backs' lack of aerial abilities. Another example is Mario Mandžukić , a natural centre-forward, who was used on the left flank under manager Massimiliano Allegri at Juventus during the 2016–17 season, as well as the following season. Unlike wide target men of earlier eras, Mandžukić was also tasked with pressing opposing players. Romelu Lukaku has also been used in this role on occasion. A false 9 , similar to
27195-409: The opposition fullbacks when they have the ball. Otherwise, a winger will drop closer to the midfield to make themself available, should their team win back the ball. In British and other northern European styles of football, the wide-midfielder is expected to track back all the way to their own corner flag should their full-back require help, and also to track back their marker, as well as tucking into
27380-620: The order alongside its own honours until the establishment of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 1996. Other Commonwealth realms have continued to use the Order of the British Empire alongside their own honours. In 1993 the Prime Minister, John Major , instituted a reform of the honours system with the aim 'that exceptional service or achievement will be more widely recognised; that greater importance will be given to voluntary service; that automatic honours will end; that
27565-408: The order and medal were altered in 1937, prior to the coronation of King George VI , 'in commemoration of the reign of King George V and Queen Mary, during which the Order was founded'. The figure of Britannia at the centre of the badge of the order was replaced with an image of the crowned heads of the late King and Queen Mary, and the words 'Instituted by King George V' were added to the reverse of
27750-409: The order was celebrated with a service at St Paul's Cathedral. The order is limited to 300 Knights and Dames Grand Cross, 845 Knights and Dames Commander, and 8,960 Commanders. There are no limits applied to the total number of members of the fourth and fifth classes, but no more than 858 officers and 1,464 members may be appointed per year. Foreign appointees, as honorary members, do not contribute to
27935-426: The order, to which serving personnel would in future be appointed. The classes were the same as for the Civil Division (as it was now termed), but military awards were distinguished by the addition of a central vertical red stripe to the purple riband of the civil awards. In 1920 appointment as an MBE 'for an act of gallantry' was granted for the first time, to Sydney Frank Blanck Esq, who had rescued an injured man from
28120-587: The press for him to be included in the 1958 World Cup squad, this time the selectors did not bow to the pressure. Yet after 23 years, nobody would ever enjoy a longer career with the England team. He was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1956 when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at the BBC Television Theatre. He was one of many signatories in a letter to The Times on 17 July 1958 opposing "the policy of apartheid" in international sport and defending "the principle of racial equality which
28305-615: The press. On 10 May 1947, immediately after a Great Britain versus Rest of Europe match in Glasgow (Britain won 6–1), he made the move for £11,500, at the age of 32. The match raised £30,000 for the four Home Nations Football Associations, and since the eleven British players received £14 each, Matthews questioned where exactly this money ended up – he doubted that much of it ended up as funding for grass-roots football. Smith told Matthews, "There are no shackles here ... express yourself ... play your own game and whatever you do on
28490-603: The same Order'). The position of Grand Master has been held by the following people: In addition to the sovereign and the grand master , the order has six further officers: At its foundation the order was served by three officers: the King of Arms, the Registrar & Secretary and the Gentleman Usher of the Purple Rod. In 1922 the Prelate was added, and the office of Registrar was separated from that of Secretary:
28675-508: The season as a 2–0 win at Sunderland , a 4–4 draw at Arsenal , and a 4–2 defeat at Newcastle United . They also reached the 1951 FA Cup final , where they were favourites to beat opponents Newcastle; However, Matthews ended up with a second runners-up medal thanks to a brace from Jackie Milburn . After picking up an ankle injury in November, he missed most of the 1951–52 campaign and was forced to spend most of his time instead working at
28860-415: The social scene to focus on improving his game. In one of these games, against Manchester City , he attempted to run at the left-back and take him on with a deft swerve as the defender committed himself to a challenge, rather than follow the accepted wisdom of the day which was first to wait for the defender to run at the attacker – his new technique "worked a treat". The national press were already predicting
29045-505: The sport of association football , a forward ( attacker or striker ) is an outfield position which primarily plays further up the pitch than midfielders and defenders . As with any attacking player, the role of the forward relies heavily on being able to create space for attack. Their advanced position and limited defensive responsibilities mean forwards normally score more goals on behalf of their team than other players. Attacking positions generally favour direct players who take on
29230-461: The standard of the George Medal (even though, as appointments to an order of chivalry, they were listed before it on the Order of Wear . In contrast to awards for meritorious service, which usually appear without a citation, there were often citations for gallantry awards, some detailed and graphic. From 14 January 1958, these awards were designated Commander, Officer or Member of the Order of
29415-421: The system went unbeaten for the last 26 games of the 1953–54 season. Before the start of the 1954–55 season, Manchester City manager Les McDowall called his team into pre-season training two weeks early to try the new tactic. Manchester City lost their first game using the system 5–0, but as the players became more used to the system it started to become more successful. Using the system Manchester City reached
29600-399: The team in addition to scoring goals themselves. These players are usually tall and physically strong, adept at heading the ball, and capable of playing with their back to goal in the final third of the pitch. Some of the most high-profile examples of this type of players in modern football include Olivier Giroud and Fernando Llorente , both World Cup winners, with the former having played
29785-911: The tight maximum wage that had been enforced upon the English game and only abolished a few years before his retirement. The game was played at the Victoria Ground on 28 April 1965. By that time, Matthews had decided to retire as a player, and the pre-match entertainment consisted of another match of two veteran teams featuring many legends of the game. Harry Johnston led out a team consisting of Bert Trautmann , Tim Ward , George Hardwick , Jimmy Hill , Neil Franklin , Don Revie , Stan Mortensen , Nat Lofthouse , Jimmy Hagan , Tom Finney and Frank Bowyer (reserve). Walley Barnes led out an opposing team consisting of Jimmy O'Neill, Jimmy Scoular , Danny Blanchflower , Jimmy Dickinson , Hughie Kelly , Bill McGarry , Jackie Mudie, Jackie Milburn , Jock Dodds , Ken Barnes , and Arthur Rowley (reserve). In
29970-506: The title Dame . Knights and Dames Grand Cross use the post-nominal GBE; Knights Commander, KBE; Dames Commander, DBE; Commanders, CBE; Officers, OBE; and Members, MBE. The post-nominal for the British Empire Medal is BEM. Members of all classes of the order are assigned positions in the order of precedence . Wives of male members of all classes also feature on the order of precedence, as do sons, daughters and daughters-in-law of Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commander; relatives of Ladies of
30155-589: The titles Sir for men and Dame for women before their forenames, except with honorary awards. King George V founded the order to fill gaps in the British honours system : In particular, George V wished to create an order to honour the many thousands of individuals from across the Empire who had served in a variety of non-combat roles during the First World War . From its foundation the order consisted of five classes (GBE, KBE/DBE, CBE, OBE and MBE) and
30340-506: The wake of his appearance for England Schoolboys . The Stoke City manager Tom Mather persuaded Matthews' father to allow Stanley to join his club's staff as an office boy on his 15th birthday for pay of £ 1-a-week. Matthews played for Stoke's reserve team during the 1930–31 season, coming up first against Burnley . After the game, his father gave his usual realist assessment: "I've seen you play better and I've seen you play worse". Matthews played 22 reserve games in 1931–32 , shunning
30525-555: The world in later life, and spectators in the crowd were convinced that they had witnessed it. Later in the year, he played in a goalless draw with Denmark , a 6–2 win over Northern Ireland , a 1–0 win over Wales , and a 6–0 triumph over Switzerland. Manager Walter Winterbottom began to look for a more defensive winger, and so used Matthews just once in 1949 – a 3–1 defeat to Scotland in the British Home Championship . Only after impressing in an FA tour of Canada
30710-581: The world, coaching enthusiastic amateurs. His experiences included coaching in South Africa, where despite the harsh apartheid laws of the time he established an all-black team in 1975 in Soweto known as "Stan's Men". Stanley Matthews was born on 1 February 1915 in a terraced house in Seymour Street, Hanley , Stoke-on-Trent , Staffordshire. He was the third of four sons born to Jack Matthews,
30895-434: Was Ron Suart , who wanted Matthews to stay out wide and did not value his contribution as Smith did. Suart limited Matthews to 19 league appearances in 1958–59 . Matthews was then used just 15 times in 1959–60 , as Suart signed Arthur Kaye to take his place. Local lad Steve Hill also vied for the outside-right position. He enjoyed more games in 1960–61 , playing 27 league games as the club narrowly avoided relegation by
31080-481: Was 35,974 – more than treble the previous home game – and Matthews set up one of City's goals in a 3–0 win. He went on to score three goals in 21 games in the rest of the 1961–62 campaign. Waddington signed hardman Eddie Clamp to protect Matthews in the 1962–63 season, and the two would also become close friends off the pitch. Along with veteran teammates Jackie Mudie , Jimmy O'Neill , Eddie Stuart , Don Ratcliffe , Dennis Viollet , and Jimmy McIlroy , Stoke had
31265-631: Was 48, he picked up this award, and he became the oldest award winner by a wide margin, which remains so more than half a century later. After picking up an injury, he missed January onwards of the 1963–64 campaign and thereby missed the 1964 Football League Cup final defeat to Leicester City , playing in just nine of Stoke's 42 First Division matches that season. Discovering that niggling injuries, which would have cost him one day out of action, now required more than two weeks' worth of rest to recover from, Matthews decided to retire after one more season, taking his playing career into his 50th year. He spent
31450-472: Was a variation on the tactics used by the Hungarians, involving Don Revie playing as a deep-lying centre-forward. Revie started attacks by coming into the centre of the field to receive the ball, drawing the opposing centre-half out of position. The role can also be compared to the false role in which Hidegkuti operated. The system was first implemented by the Manchester City reserve team, who using
31635-683: Was against Italy, who gave the English a warm reception despite Benito Mussolini 's breast-beating and the bad blood of five years previous. Again the World Champions, the Italians managed to salvage a 2–2 draw at the San Siro after scoring with a clear handball; this time Matthews left the field with a chipped hip bone for his efforts. The next game was a 2–1 loss to Yugoslavia , with Matthews and captain Eddie Hapgood passengers in
31820-753: Was back in the team in October for a 1–1 draw with Wales. Having been awarded the inaugural Ballon d'Or in 1956 , that May he was recalled to the England front line for an encounter against Brazil in a crowded Wembley in what was the first friendly match played by both teams. England won the match 4–2, though the Brazilians would later become world champions in 1958 . He then refused to take part in that summer's European tour, having already committed himself to his second summer of coaching in South Africa. In his next international game, against Northern Ireland on 6 October 1956, aged 41 years and 248 days, he became
32005-402: Was first announced at the end of December 2006, and is available to recipients of all levels of the order, as well as to holders of the British Empire Medal . The pin design is not unique to any level. The pin features the badge of the order, enclosed in a circle of ribbon of its colours of pink and grey. Lapel pins must be purchased separately by a member of the order. The creation of such a pin
32190-525: Was he named as a last-minute inclusion in the England squad for the 1950 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. He did not play in the win over Chile or in the infamous defeat to the United States , but played just once, in the 1–0 defeat to Spain at the Maracanã Stadium . The preparation was not ideal as the FA did not take the competition seriously, and the hotel had "unpalatable" food and no training facilities. After playing only in two further games,
32375-535: Was in the squad for the 1954 FIFA World Cup in Switzerland. Matthews helped England to a 4–4 draw with Belgium , though was left out of a win over Switzerland before he returned to the first XI as England crashed out of the competition with a 4–2 defeat to Uruguay at the St. Jakob Stadium after mistakes from goalkeeper Gil Merrick . His third match of the year was a 2–0 win over Northern Ireland at Windsor Park in
32560-407: Was largely credited for the outstanding margin of victory. In this game, Duncan Edwards was making his England debut; when Matthews made his, Edwards had not even been born. Matthews went on England's unsuccessful tour of the continent in 1955, as the selectors erratic choices helped to ensure a 1–0 defeat to France, a 1–1 draw with Spain , and a 3–1 defeat to Portugal . Left out against Denmark, he
32745-480: Was later also successfully used in the false 9 position under manager Jürgen Klopp at Liverpool. One approach to stop false 9s has been to create congestion in the midfield by bringing several players back into a more defensive role in an attempt to deny them space needed to create plays, notably in José Mourinho 's "parking the bus" strategy. In Italian football jargon, this role is historically known as
32930-469: Was made a substantive member and subsequently styled as Sir Terry Wogan). Although initially intended to recognise meritorious service, the order began to also be awarded for gallantry. There were an increased number of cases in the Second World War for service personnel and civilians including the merchant navy, police, emergency services and civil defence, mostly MBEs but with a small number of OBEs and CBEs. Such awards were for gallantry that did not reach
33115-429: Was necessitated by injuries to both Peter Dobing and Gerry Bridgwood . The opponents that day were Fulham , and Stoke won the game 3–1. Though he felt he had retired too early and could have carried on playing for another two years, this brought an end to his 35-year professional career. Stoke City arranged a testimonial match in honour of Matthews; it was much needed as he had spent most of his career constricted to
33300-469: Was numbered 1–11 whilst the other was numbered 12–22). The role of a striker is rather different from that of a traditional centre-forward, although the terms centre-forward and striker are used interchangeably at times, as both play further up the field than other players, while tall, heavy and technical players, like Zlatan Ibrahimović , and Edin Džeko , have qualities which are suited to both positions. Like
33485-513: Was open to both women and men; provision was also made for conferring honorary awards on foreign recipients. At the same time, alongside the order, the Medal of the Order of the British Empire was instituted, to serve as a lower award granting recipients affiliation but not membership. The first investiture took place at Ibrox Stadium , as part of a royal visit to the Glasgow shipyards, with the appointment of Alexander Ure, 1st Baron Strathclyde as
33670-585: Was recommended in Sir Hayden Phillips ' review of the honours system in 2004. The Chapel of the Order of the British Empire is in St Paul's Cathedral . It occupies the far eastern end of the cathedral crypt and was dedicated in 1960. The only heraldic banners normally on display in the chapel are those of the Sovereign of the Order of the British Empire and of the Grand Master of the Order of
33855-494: Was selected to play in front of 149,000 spectators against the auld enemy at Scotland 's Hampden Park . He was physically sick before the match, as he would be before any big game. The "Hampden Roar" a big factor; the Scots won 3–1 despite a good English performance. After another game against Wales, Matthews scored a hat-trick in a 5–4 win against Czechoslovakia . In 1938 he played eight games for England, starting with defeat to
34040-409: Was still possible, telling him that "a lot of people think I'm mad, but even though you're 37, I believe your best football is still to come." Despite spending some three months of the season out with a muscle injury, the 1952–53 campaign proved Smith's words to be accurate, as a 38-year-old Matthews won an FA Cup winners medal in a match which was, despite Mortensen's hat-trick , subsequently dubbed
34225-526: Was to be given for services rendered in the UK and overseas. Today the majority of recipients are UK citizens, though a number of Commonwealth realms outside the UK continue to make appointments to the order. Honorary awards may be made to citizens of other nations of which the order's sovereign is not the head of state. The five classes of appointment to the Order are, from highest grade to lowest grade: The senior two ranks of Knight or Dame Grand Cross and Knight or Dame Commander entitle their members to use
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