Pedro Matías Explained

Pedro Matías
Fullname:Pedro Manuel Miguel Matías
Birth Date:11 October 1973
Birth Place:Madrid, Spain
Position:Attacking midfielder
Youthclubs1:Ciudad de los Ángeles
Youthyears2:1989–1993
Youthclubs2:Real Madrid
Years1:1993–1994
Caps1:28
Goals1:11
Years2:1994–1996
Caps2:53
Goals2:7
Years3:1996–1997
Caps3:32
Goals3:4
Years4:1997–1998
Caps4:12
Goals4:0
Years5:1998–1999
Caps5:22
Goals5:2
Years6:1999
Caps6:4
Goals6:0
Years7:1999–2004
Caps7:144
Goals7:26
Years8:2004
Clubs8:Blackpool (loan)
Caps8:7
Goals8:1
Years9:2004
Caps9:0
Goals9:0
Years10:2004–2005
Caps10:5
Goals10:1
Years11:2005
Caps11:15
Goals11:1
Years12:2005–2006
Caps12:28
Goals12:9
Years13:2006–2007
Years14:2007–2009
Caps14:66
Goals14:12
Years15:2009–2010
Caps15:20
Goals15:0
Years16:2010–2012
Caps16:61
Goals16:13
Totalcaps:497
Totalgoals:87
Nationalyears1:1994
Nationalcaps1:1
Nationalgoals1:0

Pedro Manuel Miguel Matías (born 11 October 1973) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as an attacking midfielder.

He spent the vast majority of his professional career in England, representing six clubs, mainly Walsall for which he appeared in 162 competitive matches and scored 27 goals.[1]

Club career

Born in Madrid, Matías was an unsuccessful Real Madrid youth graduate, only playing for its reserves for three seasons, two of those in the Segunda División. For 1996–97 he was released but stayed in that level, appearing regularly and being relegated with Almería.[2] [3]

After a couple of months with Logroñés also in the second tier, Matías left his homeland, going on to spend the following decade in the English Football League with six teams: Macclesfield Town, Tranmere Rovers, Walsall – by far his biggest spell with any club in the country, five seasons – Blackpool (where he scored once against Brighton & Hove Albion),[4] Bristol Rovers[5] and Kidderminster Harriers (netting against Grimsby Town).[6] [7] On 24 March 2001, whilst playing for the Saddlers, he scored a hat-trick in a 5–1 home win over Wycombe Wanderers,[8] being crucial to the club's promotion;[9] the following campaign he also figured prominently as Walsall finished 18th and out of the relegation zone, notably scoring twice in a 3–2 home defeat of Rotherham United.[10]

Matías returned to Spain in 2005 aged 31, citing personal reasons,[6] signing with lowly Gimnástica Segoviana of Tercera División and helping the Castile and León side to win their group albeit without a final playoff promotion. Subsequently, he saw out the remainder of his career in amateur football.

Honours

Walsall

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Preview: Walsall v Macclesfield. Walsall F.C.. 12 December 2019. 25 June 2024.
  2. News: Goleada con sabor a salvación. Rout with the taste of survival. Mundo Deportivo. M.. Román. es. 12 May 1997. 25 June 2024.
  3. News: El último Mallorca-Almería de 2ª, en 1997. The last Mallorca-Almería in the 2nd tier, in 1997. La Voz de Almería. Carlos. Miralles. es. 23 October 2015. 25 June 2024.
  4. Web site: Blackpool 3–1 Brighton. BBC Sport. 10 April 2004. 22 December 2010.
  5. Web site: Rovers sign ex-Walsall midfielder. BBC Sport. 29 October 2004. 4 August 2010.
  6. Web site: Matias quits Harriers. BBC. 23 December 2004. 4 August 2010.
  7. Web site: Grimsby 2–1 Kidderminster. BBC Sport. 20 November 2004. 22 December 2010.
  8. Web site: Walsall 5–1 Wycombe. BBC Sport. 24 March 2001. 4 August 2010.
  9. Web site: Walsall break Reading hearts. BBC Sport. 27 May 2001. 25 June 2024.
  10. Web site: Walsall 3–2 Rotherham. BBC Sport. 24 October 2001. 4 August 2010.