Stanley Matthews playing for Port Vale

[Auchinleckian]

Picked up some nice Portmadoc programmes on ebay this last week, basically because I'd never seen one from them before and some of them looked nice anyway. They were all homes vs

Hereford Utd 68-9 Welsh Cup 1/4 Final

Tranmere 1970-1 pre season friendly

John Charles International X1 1967-8 friendly

Port Vale 1966-7 last game of the Mel Charles transfer to Port Vale.

It's the Port Vale one that interested me because Stanley Matthews was listed as playing on the right wing in his customary position. Now I thought he had hung up his boots when leaving Stoke? I suppose it's possible he may have played in a number of such friendlies for Port Vale as he would still have been a massive draw. What I would like to know though, could this possibly have been his last ever game in the UK?

[PompeyPhil]

Stanley Matthews was Port Vale's General Manager from 1965-68 so chances are he was persuaded to put his boots on a few times for some friendlies and Testimonials during that period!!! Matthews was actually at the helms in 1968 when Vale were originally expelled from the Football League for illegal payments.....they managed to get this overturned on appeal but Matthews was gone for the following season. Who says great players make great managers!! Anyway whether it was Matthews last game or not I can't help with I'm afraid!!