‘Perhaps the most surprising ‘fashion news’ was the time I met Stanley Matthews (and Danny Blanchflower) when they were naked’
So, I have seen Jimmy Quinn wearing his raincoat in a Glasgow street, Billy McNeill in jacket and tie at Tynecastle, Willie Fernie in shirt-sleeves in his living-room … but perhaps the most surprising ‘fashion news’ was the time I met Stanley Matthews (and Danny Blanchflower) when they were naked.
In the early 1960s the Canadian soccer authorities attempted to engender greater interest in the sport by having several British stars, such as Matthews, Blanchflower and others like Jackie Mudie, turn out for the recently formed Toronto City. Their first match was against Italia at Varsity Stadium in Toronto, but it ended in a 3-2 defeat.
I was at the game with John McMulken, also from Glasgow but a Rangers’ supporter, and afterwards we decided to loiter and see what was going on. We wandered under the bleachers and found ourselves in a warren of rooms; we wandered on, opened a door and found ourselves in the Toronto City dressing room and unchallenged by anybody.
‘It is a bit unsettling to meet such stars in person for the first time and realise they are totally naked’
Most of the players were in a state of undress, and there we were face-to-face with the legendary Stanley Matthews and Ireland’s own Danny Blanchflower. Both were stark naked, and drinking energy drinks (probably Lucozade).
They nodded to us affably enough, probably thinking we had some official connection with the club … and we struck up a conversation: yes, they both liked Toronto, the weather was nice, the natives were friendly… the team would get to know one another and settle down … I have to admit I really don’t recall anything specific or memorable the great men said. After all, it is a bit unsettling to meet such stars in person for the first time and realise they are totally naked.
However, we noticed some things: Matthews, although about fifty years old, was in magnificent shape, he could have served as a model for a live-drawing class in an Art College, not one ounce of fat on him, muscles and tendons in relief on his body; Blanchflower was in cheerful, jovial mood and my friend commented later that “he was hung like a horse”.
So, there you are: Jimmy Quinn in his bunnet and raincoat, Bobby Evans in sports jacket and flannels, Billy McNeill in business suit and tie, Willie Fernie in his shirt sleeves … Stanley Matthews in the buff.
Tom Campbell
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