Why would anyone sell arguably the best, and definitely the most famous, footballer in the country three games before the end of a season where they had every chance of winning the 1st Division for the first time?
Stans own explanation was he was lied to by a manager McGrory who didn’t play straight with him. He cited the Brentford team sheet as evidence. However another interpretation was that Mountford was preferred because Stoke were a stronger unit with him in it rather than relying on the individualistic approach of the great man. McGrory would have found support from the Moscow Dynamo Russians and Stan`s international colleague Raich Carter. There are also suggestions that he went over the managers head in negotiating his exit direct with the club directors.
“He had become a blessed nuisance to the Board” Taw Footballs War & Peace p216
“[He was] so much of the star individualist that though he was one of the best players of all time, he was not really a good footballer. When Stan gets the ball you don’t know when its coming back. He`s an extraordinarily difficult winger to play alongside.”Raich Carter the biography Frank Garrick p144
“his individual qualities are high but we put collective football first and individualism second so we do not favour his style as we think the team-work would suffer.” Mikhail Yukushkin Moscow Dynamos trainer 1945
07.12.1946 Blackpool – Stan Matthews had been the victim of rumours suggesting he preferred the seaside to the delights of Stoke, as he owned a Blackpool hotel, trained there and guested for them during the war. Hence he remembered this game as one of his favourites playing a major part in a solid win.
19.04.1947 – Brentford – The team sheet in the programme proved to Matthews that his manager had been lying to him when he said he was back in the team after England duties. Injuries meant he played anyway.
03.05.1947 – Leeds – Turned out to be Stan’s last in a Stoke shirt for 14 years.
14.06.1947 – Sheff Utd – Stoke having sold their star player 3 weeks previously, needed to win here to take the title. They lost 2-1.
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Stoke City - An Official History (1946)
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Stoke v Charlton 31.08.1946
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Stoke v Charlton 31.08.1946
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Stoke v Bolton 02.09.1946
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Stoke v Middlesbrough 07.09.1946
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Bolton v Stoke 11.09.1946
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Stoke v Derby 14.09.1946
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Stoke v Man Utd 21.09.1946
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Stoke v Man Utd 21.09.1946
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Preston v Stoke 28.09.1946
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Stoke v Sheff Utd 05.10.1946
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Stoke v Chelsea 12.10.1946
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Chelsea v Stoke 12.10.1946 (Pirate)
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Stoke v Arsenal 19.10.1946
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Stoke v Arsenal 19.10.1946 (pirate)
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Stoke v Wolves 26.10.1946
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Stoke v Sunderland 02.11.1946
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Stoke v Aston Villa 09.11.1946
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Portsmouth v Stoke 16.11.1946
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Stoke v Everton 23.11.1946
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Stoke v Huddersfield 30.11.1946
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Stoke v Blackpool 07.12.1946
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Stoke v Brentford 14.12.1946
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Stoke v Blackburn 21.12.1946
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Stoke v Liverpool 26.12.1946
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Stoke v Charlton 28.12.1946
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Stoke v Middlesbrough 04.01.1947
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Spurs v Stoke 11.01.1947 (FA Cup 3rd Round)
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Spurs v Stoke 11.01.1947 - FA Cup 3rd Round (Pirate)
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Stoke v Spurs 15.01.1947 - FA Cup 3 Round Replay
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Stoke v Derby 18.01.1947
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Stoke v Chester 25.01.1947 - FA Cup 4th Round
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Stoke v Chester 29.01.1947 - FA Cup 4th Round Replay
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Stoke v Preston 01.02.1947
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Man Utd v Stoke 05.02.1947
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Man Utd v Stoke 05.02.1947
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Stoke v Sheff Utd 08.02.1947 (FA Cup 5th Round)
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Stoke v Chelsea 15.02.1947
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Stoke v Arsenal 22.02.1947
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Stoke v Wolves 01.03.1947
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Stoke v Aston Villa 15.03.1947 (match abandoned)
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Stoke v Portsmouth 22.03.1947
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Everton v Stoke 29.03.1947
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Stoke v Grimsby 04.04.1947
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Stoke v Huddersfield 05.04.1947
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Stoke v Grimsby 07.04.1947
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Stoke v Blackpool 12.04.1947
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Stoke v Brentford 19.04.1947
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Stoke v Blackburn 26.04.1947
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Stoke v Leeds 03.05.1947
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Daily Express Stan Matthews Article 04.05.1947
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Stoke v Sunderland 17.05.1947
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Stoke v Aston Villa 26.05.1947
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Bury Reserves v Aston Villa Reserves 26.05.1947
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Stoke v Sheff Utd 14.06.1947 (Title Decider)
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Liverpool v Everton 14.06.1947 - Liverpool Senior Cup Final (Awaiting the Stoke v Sheff Utd result)
