Jason Lee Matthews (born 13 March 1975) is an English former professional footballer who is the goalkeeper coach and the director of football at Weymouth.
Career Born in Paulton, Somerset, Matthews started playing in goal at an early age and soon won a place at Millfield's Centre of Excellence.
Bristol Rovers signed him up on schoolboy terms but he was released just before he left school. Matthews then spent six years playing for a number of clubs in the Screwfix League including Welton Rovers, Paulton Rovers and Mangotsfield United, before signing for Western Football League Premier Division club Taunton Town in 1998. Shortly after, he joined Geoff Butler's Salisbury City in the Southern Football League in August 1998.
The following season Matthews signed for Nuneaton Borough in early June 1999 without making a single competitive appearance after pre-season. This is because in August 1999, he joined Exeter City where he spent the 1999–2000 season, giving him his only taste of Football League action.
He followed this by moving over the Welsh border to Aberystwyth Town for a year before joining Clevedon Town. It was from Clevedon that Geoff Butler signed him for Weymouth in 2002, where he has stayed (and stayed almost unrivalled #1 keeper) for nearly five whole seasons.
On 17 March 2007, he scored his first ever career goal for Weymouth in a Conference National match against Southport. It was all the more remarkable as it was from his own penalty area, in the last minutes of the game, and was the winning goal. It was the first ever goal a Weymouth goalkeeper has scored from open play in the entire history of the club.
Matthews made his Eastleigh debut in the 5–0 away win over Maidenhead United on 8 March 2008 before making his home debut a week later in the 4–1 home defeat at the hands of Hayes & Yeading United a week later."Jason Matthews Signs for Eastleigh 7/3/2008"
Adie Britton brought Matthews to Bath City on 22 June 2011. It has been stated that Matthews will start off as second choice keeper but both player and manager are hoping he puts pressure on current first team keeper Glyn Garner."Keeper Jason matthews signs for Bath City 22/6/2011"
Matthews signed a one-year contract at Dorchester Town in May 2012. In June 2013 Matthews returned to Weymouth on non contract terms for the 2013–14 season. When Brendon King was sacked he was made temporary Player/Manager at Weymouth. On 12 January 2014, Matthews was appointed player/manager on a full-time basis, after winning four of his seven games.
In the summer of 2021, Matthews signed for Brislington aged 46 playing part-time also working as an electrician, debuting on 17 August 2021 during the 1–0 victory against Cadbury Heath.
In 2022 he rejoined Weymouth and retired in 2024 while only making a single appearance. He came out of retirement in February 2026 and was backup for Max Evans. Evans was shown a red card in the 1–0 loss against Havant & Waterlooville meaning Matthews made one more appearance for Weymouth at the age of fifty.
Coaching career Following his departure from Weymouth, Matthews joined Chippenham Town as player-coach. He became assistant head coach in January 2018, supporting Gary Horgan.
In June 2022, Matthews joined Salisbury as goalkeeping coach.
On 27 March 2024, following the surprise departure of Bobby Wilkinson, Matthews was appointed interim manager of Weymouth.
He became the interim manager of Weymouth again after Mark Molesley was sacked on 28 November 2024.
Career statistics
Player +Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueFA CupOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsMangotsfield United1997–98Western Football League Premier DivisionTaunton Town1998–99Western Football League Premier Division20000020Salisbury City1998–99Southern Football League Premier Division0000Nuneaton Borough1999–2000Football Conference00000000Total20000020Exeter City1999–2000Football League Third Division1201050180Aberystwyth Town2000–01League of Wales310310Clevedon Town2001–02Southern Football League Western DivisionWeymouth2002–03Southern Football League Premier Division420004202003–04Southern Football League Premier Division390003902004–05Football Conference South370003702005–06Football Conference South330003302006–07Football Conference 251002512007–08Football Conference 22000220Total241110502471Eastleigh2007–08Football Conference South0——02008–09Football Conference South41000004102009–10Football Conference South34040003802010–11Football Conference South2702020310Bath City2011–12Football Conference1000030130Clevedon Town2011–12Southern Football League Division One South & West30—1040Chippenham TownSouthern Football League Premier Division South50——50Dorchester Town2012–13Football Conference South3505040440Total15501101001760Weymouth2013–14Southern Football League Premier Division45060205302014–15Southern Football League Premier Division40050905402015–16Southern Football League Premier Division41010204402016–17Southern Football League Premier Division1200090210Chippenham Town2017–18National League South20001030Bath City2018–19National League South00000000Bracknell Town2019–20Isthmian League Division One South Central70000Total14701202301820Chippenham Town2020–21National League South10000010Brislington2021–22Western Football League Premier Division2+0002+0Salisbury2021–22Southern Football League Premier Division South00—0000Weymouth2022–23National League South100000102023–24National League South000000002025–26Southern Football League Premier Division South10——10Total50000050Career total54112403806031
Honours
Player Mangotsfield United
Gloucestershire Challenge Trophy: 1996–97
Taunton Town
Western Football League Premier Division: 1998–99
Salisbury City
Wiltshire Premier Shield: 1998–99
Clevedon Town
Somerset Premier Cup: 2001–02 Southern Football League Cup (England): 2011–12
Weymouth
Football Conference South: 2005–06 Dorset Senior Cup: runner-up 2002–03
Manager Weymouth
Dorset Senior Cup: 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17
References
External links
Jason Matthews profile at Welsh Premier Football