Tribute to Tilbury legend Terry Matthews after his death
By Nub News Reporter 26th Aug 2026
TILBURY Football Club has announced the death of former manager, Terry Matthews, whose drive, passion and skill took the club to as yet unsurpassed heights.
He passed away on Sunday (23 August) aged 90.
As a professional footballer he played for West Ham United, Aldershot and Gillingham.
Terry signed professional forms with the Hammers in August 1952 and made his senior debut on 22 October 1953, a 5–1 defeat against Colchester United in the Essex Professional Cup – a competition which would feature in his time at Tilbury.
He had to wait more than two years for his league debut, a Second Division match against Blackburn Rovers on 17 March, 1956 when he scored the only goal in a 4-1 defeat.
After nine league appearances for West Ham, his final game for the club was also in the Essex Professional Cup, a 3–1 win over Chelmsford City on 26 November 1956.
He joined Aldershot in July 1957 and scored 20 goals in 62 appearances, before moving to Gillingham in August 1962. He scored one goal in 12 appearances for the Gills during the 1962–63 season.
Terry moved to non-league Ashford Town where he was captain before injury curtailed his playing career and the start of a managerial career that began at Aveley.
In 1974 moved to Tilbury, accompanied by several players. He and they brought immediate success to the Dockers, with an exciting brand of football. In that first season, they brought the Isthmian League Cup, Essex Senior Cup and Mithras Cup to Chadfields.
He did even better in his second season, as he led Tilbury to the Isthmian Division One Championship, retained the Mithras Cup and reached the final of the Isthmian League Cup. The season concluded with a reassociation with the Essex Professional Cup and, at Chadfields, Dockers hammered what was effectively the first XI of Southend United 3-0.
In 1976/77, after a bad start, he led Tilbury to fifth position in the Isthmian Premier Division, the club's highest ever Isthmian placing to date. By virtue of the Division One title, Dockers qualified to play against the Italian Amateur Cup winners Unione Sportive Soresina for the Barrassi Cup and, after two 1-1 draws missed out on a trophy, in Italy, on penalties.
However, the end of the season saw Matthews move to Walthamstow Avenue.
But, in 1981, he returned to Tilbury and though ht e club didn't reach previous heights, the club's supporters enjoyed an attractive, positive team until his second and final departure in November 1985.
A statement from club supporters after Sunday's passing became known said: "Over the two spells, he gave us not only so much success, but so many great memories.
"Terry is fondly remembered by many of us, and will be sadly missed. Our sympathies and condolences go to his Family for their great loss."
As well as his role as a non-League manager at the higher levels, Terry also managed one of the most successful football sides in local Sunday football history, Ockendon Motor Spares. Over a number of years they dominated local football and won many trophies before folding in 2014.
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