Nicknamed the Wizard of Dribble in Britain and Der Zauberer (the magician) in Germany, Stanley Matthews, who died on February 23rd, aged 85, was the first ever European Footballer of the Year, and arguably the outstanding British player of his generation.
His career stretched from well before the second World War to the 1960s; he was still playing league football at 50. At 41, at Wembley, he was capable of demolishing as famous a left-back as Brazil's Milton Santos. Afterwards, in the England dressing room, in a rare moment of spleen, he said that when he read that he was too old he was sometimes tempted to tear up the paper.
His swerve was something which defied analysis; just as it defied attempts to counter it. He would take the ball up to the opposing left-back who, even if he were mentally prepared for it, would still "buy" the dummy when Stanley Matthews swayed slightly to the left, putting the opponent off balance, only to wriggle round to the right, flick the ball up the touchline with the outside of his right foot, and sprint away. Catch him if you could! Over those vital first 10 yards or so, he was beyond pursuit.
Having sped past his left-back and reached the goal line, he would then pull the ball back into the goalmouth; the most effective pass in the game. He seldom scored himself, but he could do so when necessary.
Not least when playing at Tottenham for England against Czechoslovakia in 1937.
Injury reduced England to 10 men, and their unbeaten home record seemed in jeopardy. But Stanley Matthews, moving to inside-right, scored three times, and England won, 5-4.
In 1939, in the Berlin Olympic Stadium, he had one of his finest games for England just when they needed it most. Forced to give the Nazi salute before they played the German international side, England proceeded to cut them to ribbons, with Stanley Matthews rampant - irresistible against a full back who had played him out of the game when last the teams met. Muenzenberg could do nothing with him that day and England won, 6-3.
Stanley Matthews was born at Hanley in the Potteries, the son of a formidable boxer, Jack Matthews.
An outstanding schoolboy footballer, he once scored a dozen goals in a game from centre-half. He played for England schoolboys, joined his local club Stoke City straight from school, worked in the office, and made his league debut for them soon after he had turned 17. During the war, he had played as a guest for Blackpool, a town where he and his wife had opened a small hotel. Early in the 1946-47 season, after he lost his place on the Stoke team, he was transferred to Blackpool, for the sum of £11,500. He would stay there happily until his romantic and belated return to Stoke, in 1961.
When it came to cup finals, a winner's medal persistently eluded Stanley Matthews until he put in an excellent performance to help Blackpool beat Bolton in 1953. His first marriage ended in 1968. He remarried, this time a Czech linguist, Mila Winter.
Knighted in 1965, a month before his 50th birthday, Stanley Matthews altogether made 698 appearances in the Football League for 71 goals, and played 54 full internationals for England for 11 goals.
A period as manager of Port Vale, after Stoke had rather sullenly parted company with him, reducing his wages and refusing him complimentary tickets, was ill-starred.
He went on to live in Malta, where he played for the Hibernians team at 55, and to coach widely abroad, especially in South Africa, where he had first worked in 1954, and in Canada.
He was later to return to his native Potteries. His wife Mila died last year.
He is survived by his daughter Jean and son Stanley junior from his first marriage.
Sir Stanley Matthews: born 1915; died February, 2000