Matthews was born at Wallsend and as a teenager played for various colliery teams in his native north east before starting his professional career with Blackpool of the Football League Second Division in May 1922.
After two seasons at Oakwell, during which he made a total of 35 appearances, Matthews moved to the south coast to join another Second Division club, Southampton in May 1925.
Matthews initially played in the reserves but made his Southampton debut away to Sheffield Wednesday on 12 December 1925, when he replaced the out of favour Cliff Price at inside-left.
[3] For the following season, manager Arthur Chadwick embarked on a massive team rebuilding and signed several new players, including Dick Rowley, Alf Bishop and Sammy Taylor all of whom could play in either of the inside-forward positions.
[2] In the summer of 1927, Matthews was recruited by the former Southampton team captain Alec Campbell as one of his first signings following his appointment as manager of Chesterfield of the Third Division North.