The Way It Was

Stanley Matthews was the most popular footballer of his era, the man who epitomized a generation of legendary players: Tom Finney, Nat Lofthouse, Billy Wright, and many more. He was the first footballer ever to be knighted, the first European Footballer of the Year (at 41), and he played in the top division until he was 50. He will be forever remembered for his performance in the Matthews FA Cup final of 1953, when he inspired Blackpool to victory over Bolton.�The Way It Was�is the fascinating memoir of a great footballer and the remarkable story of an extraordinary life, written in the last months of his life.