Sir Matt Tees R.I.P.  "Merged"

According to a tweet from Grimsby Live Matt Tees has died aged 81 after a long battle with dementia.

I didn't live in Grimsby during his first spell but was one of the 7000 plus who welcomed him back for his second. Quite simply the best header of a ball I've ever had the pleasure to watch. Very sad times...

RIP to a legend

Admin..please merge

RIP Matt  you were a true legend I loved watching you play.

Just heard this sad news on RH  

RIP Matt.... you'll never be forgotten. A true Town legend!

RIP Matt, a legend of a man.

Matt Tees last played for Town 12 years before I was born, but he's one of those few names that any Town fan of any age will instantly recognise. Such a shame that there will be no crowds to honour his life and career for the foreseeable future.

RIP Matt.

Sad news, RIP Matt x

Such a nice man saw both spells. Had the pleasure of chatting with him. RIP

Very Sad news!

Before my time but R.I.P. Matt....sad news.

What a great player he was. Legend is bandied about, but Matt deserves that accolade and some.

I was lucky enough to see both his spells, and I think I actually cried when he was transferred to Charlton. I remember his homecoming though when he put thousands on the gate against Cambridge I think, and although we were in the doldrums at the time that close season Lawrie Mac arrived and Matt Tees was the main man in the promotion winning team.

The best goal I saw him score was a header from the 18 yard line against Workington early in that promotion season. He was absolutely fantastic in the air for a relatively small man.

RIP Matt Tees, a true GTFC legend.

Good all round footballer and very strong header of a ball, always a threat at set pieces and corners, seemed to hang in the air for ages,
RIP Matt a legend

My first Town hero back in 1966 when I started watching Town as a young lad.

Very sad news.

Condolences to his family and friends.

R.I.P.

RIP  Mat

One of my first Town heroes. RIP Matt

RIP Matt. Forever a Grimsby Town legend.

Absolutely devastated. Knew it was inevitable and that the last few years have been difficult but when the news finally comes....

Worst news ever, eclipses every other world problem for me. Matt was my hero through my teens and into my 20s. Loved the bones of the fella, never seen anyone give as much on the pitch for any Town side before or since, we will never ever see his like again

Named my lad after him

Great player, gentleman,

RIP sir and thank you for everything

The word Legend is often banded around too much ,but not in this case
RIP MAT,TRUE TOWN LEGEND  

I saw Matt when he was signed from Airdrie, very raw and I doubt if anyone thought then he would become the hero that he did. I think it was Jimmy McGuigan’s pairing of Matt with Rod Green that set him off. It was a great team from Charlie Wright, Matt’s brother-in-law, in goal to Brian Hill on the left wing. We came within a whisker of beating West Ham, Bobby Moore and all, and we would have deserved it. Every one of my folders at uni had “Matt Tees For King” inscribed.

Suddenly they all went, Wright, Tees and Green to Charlton for bu99er all.

Then Matt came back. Have we all read McMenemy’s description of the skinny old bloke in the dressing room? Then we took the league by storm and Matt was at the front. He was at the front of many of our minds over the last few years too. Sadly missed Matt. Thanks for the memories.

Saw his first game for us in a pre-season friendly against Leicester, he scored at the Osmond end within 10 seconds from kick off. When ever he played you knew he would score, just kept going until the ball was in the net. Sad passing, R.I.P. Sir Matt.

R.I.P. Matt. Worth the ticket money whatever the result and never let the heavy pitches affect his game.

Quoted from barralad

According to a tweet from Grimsby Live Matt Tees has died aged 81 after a long battle with dementia.

I didn't live in Grimsby during his first spell but was one of the 7000 plus who welcomed him back for his second. Quite simply the best header of a ball I've ever had the pleasure to watch. Very sad times...

My first football match - my Dad took me because of the Tees return. As the crowd was double the norm for Town at the time, struggling in the wrong half of Division 4 (not much changed in 50 years then...!) there could be a fair few for whom this was their first game...

Remember him well . used to play football and cricket with him when i was a lad where the police box is now with many of the other players back in the day when players where down to earth . I grew up behind the main stand enterance and spent lots of time wondering round the ground along with many other lads. all the players back then had time for the young fans and along with Matt would spend time chatting and kicking a ball around... How times and players have changed now   RIP Sir matt  and thanks for all the memories

Condolences to his family and friends. A true Grimsby Town legend.

R. I. P. Matt Tees.

Before my time and never got to see him play but Matt Tees is a true Grimsby Town FC legend. I'm please to have a picture of him and other greats that played for the club pride of place in my living room.

Condolences to Matt's family and friends at this difficult time.

From the Charlton fans site, one of many complementary e mails giving the same opinions as on here.



He was an extraordinary player.

Physically there was nothing of him ... and he would take a ridiculous amount of punishment from 'craggy' centre halves.  Rarely would go a game by without the spectacle of Tees in a crumpled heap, receiving treatment (aka wet sponge) from the physio (aka man with bucket).  But he would get up, limp around for a bit and then get back into the fray.

He was the absolute best header of a ball that I have ever seen.  It really seemed that he could hang in the air, thus allowing him to jump early and beat the lumbering defenders to the ball.  He would dive headlong into a sea of boots, and the ball would end up in the net.

Tees usually scored our first goal in the game ... the most important goal as many of you will know.

I can see him now ... shirt hanging on him (tucked in at the back, but loose and free at the front).

See you at the far post, Matt.

The real reason I have supported town since my first match in 1965, seeing him score under floodlights and I was hooked. Was there for his return as a 15 year old when in all honesty our gate trebled to over 7000 he scored and again on the following Tuesday, v Barrow I think, That hat trick v Scunthorpe got our promotion campaign off to the perfect start and like most fans of my age group our favourite season as a town fan, despite no Wembley trip.

Nearly wet myself when I met him at Mick Howard’s wedding in the early eighties and was great to speak with him.

RIP my favourite ever player.

RIP Matt!  A great player and a TRUE TOWN LEGEND!  Had the pleasure of watching him play through both spells at Town, condolences to his family.

Used to talk to him in the Crows Nest an absolute gent.
And a wonderful footballer he would be a multi millionaire if he played today.
A sad loss for the town.

Sad news indeed.

RIP Matt.

The saddest day for all Mariners everywhere. RIP Matt

Watched him through both his spells at Town - my hero

So sad R.I.P Sir Matt king of blundell park

What a great header of the ball and goal scorer. One of GTFC greats without doubt

Sad news to hear. My first Town hero (from 23/8/1971). What can be said about him that hasn’t already been said. He should be well-suited to the after-life ‘Up There’ the way he could hang in the air. In my 8 year old mind he scored in every game.

RIP Matt. Condolences to his family.

Matt Tees was my first hero at world level, football level and at GTFC.

I saw most of his home games from the mid 1960s.  He was unlikely hero. A gangly, beanpole of a striker.  But he could play, score goals for fun and hang in the air, defying gravity. He was a great header of the ball.  Sadly, sustained heading was probably linked to his dementia.

He was a cross between Roy of the Rovers and Alf Tupper.  A down to earth working class footballer.

In the mid 1960s he was top scorer in the league third tier (not the Covid system).

I remember as a young lad getting into BP at 1.30 pm, so excited at the prospect of watching Town play Hull City.  Hull had an all -star attack (Wagstaffe, Houghton and Chilton etc).  They were on a long unbeaten run.  Some people thought the best ever team or most attacking team in the division.

In front of a big crowd memory says that Town won 1-0 with Sir Matt heading in the winner.

On the ElectronicFishcake (remember that?) my original user name was TeesInYork.

A sad loss to an unassuming hero for all Town fans, of any age.

Alf Tupper. The Tough of the Track. Good call!

The greatest header of a ball in a town shirt I ever saw. When he took off he always seem to soar way above the defender, he was an absolute star for GTFC.

The partnership with Rod Green was the best I ever witnessed and you always knew we would score, one of the most exciting and memorable periods to be a Town fan.

RIP Matt, you are a true legend of this club.

Quoted from Ipswin

Absolutely devastated. Knew it was inevitable and that the last fews years have been difficult but when the news finally comes....

Worst news ever, eclipses every other world problem for me. Matt was my hero through my teens and into my 20s. Loved the bones of the fella, never seen anyone give as much on the pitch for any Town side before or since, we will never ever see his like again

Named my lad after him

Great player, gentleman,

RIP sir and thank you for everything

You don’t half get some shít on here at times mate, but that’s a lovely post. Sums the man up for those of us too young to have seen him play.

My first Town hero and why I wanted to be a centre forward, an inspiration for so many RIP Matt

To me, the absolute best site in football is to see a winger beat his full back, get to the bye line and curl a perfect cross into the box for a centre forward to rise above his marker and crash an unstoppable header past the keeper. Matt Tees did that with regularity, not forgetting diving headers where he would throw himself fearlessly into any amount of flying boots.

Thanks for the memories Matt and RIP. You are one of the players responsible for my lifetime love of GTFC. You were there at the start for this wide eyed 12 year old.

RIP Matt Tees. A Grimsby Town LEGEND if ever there was one.

My sincere condolences go to Matt's family and friends.

If you had to choose just one iconic photo in the whole history of GTFC, many would choose Matt Tees hanging in the air heading the ball..

The legend of all legends..

RIP King

Really sad news and an all too familar a story for players of that 60s/70s generation as we’ve seen in the last week with Nobby Stiles’ passing and Bobby Charlton’s diagnosis. RIP Matt.

There was one photo in the telegraph showing Matt jumping to head the ball in front of the ponny and his head was above the crossbar , he could jump like a gazelle .

Quoted from grimsby pete

There was one photo in the telegraph showing Matt jumping to head the ball in front of the ponny and his head was above the crossbar , he could jump like a gazelle .

Think I've got that photo somewhere, he was literally head and shoulders above anyone else. Reading Charlton and Luton's forums, their opinion mirrors ours, in saying how he could hang in the air and his courage to put his head down amongst the boots to get to the ball!

Matt Tees has always been a name I’d associated with the hierarchy of GTFC . Sad to hear he’s left us . Wish I’d had the pleasure he’s given so many on here and other clubs . To be held in such high esteem is something he and his family should always be proud of .

Before my time but there isn't a fan of GTFC that doesn't know his name. It's a status only afforded to a legendary few, he won't be forgotten in our history.

So so sad, my first real Town hero and a man who provided so many happy moments from my youth. The word legend is bandied about all too readily on very average players nowadays but this man was a TRUE Town legend.

RIP Matt, you will be sadly missed.  

Remember the homecoming, young lad of 7 years of age.

What a player, absolute diamond in that 71-72 side, like many my first hero growing up

Condolences to the family

RIP Super Matt

RIP Sir Matt
True Town legend  

Charlton fans views.

https://forum.charltonlife.com/discussion/90308/matt-tees-rip

RIP Sir Matt

True Town legend  who I had the pleasure of seeing grace BP.

Gone bit not forgotten.  

Well that has brought tears to my eyes. A massive link with my Dad, who started taking my young self in 1972 on the Harrington Street open corner. I can still hear the chant coming from the Pontoon near Christmas time, using the Noel hymn: Matt Tees Matt Tees Matt Tees Matt Tees...born is the king of Blundell Park.

Condolences to the family

RIP Matt, say hello to Harry Barker for me.

Quoted from Teesknees

Think I've got that photo somewhere, he was literally head and shoulders above anyone else. Reading Charlton and Luton's forums, their opinion mirrors ours, in saying how he could hang in the air and his courage to put his head down amongst the boots to get to the ball!

Isn't this Sir Matt in the white playing for Luton?

[img]https://www.lutontown.co.uk/siteassets/image/news-images-2017-18/matt-tees-action.jpg/Large[/img]

I only met Matt once and that was at a function at BP to raise funds for the youth set up. The guest of honour was Lawrie McMenemy but nearly all of the 71/72 side that got promotion that season were also there. I said to Matt that he’d been my childhood hero, so much so that when internet banking first came in, my account password was none other than matttees. A quick as a flash he said, “So what’s your account number and sort code!!” My password to iFollow to this very day is matttees. From what I saw of him that night he was a true gentleman and a credit to himself, his family and GTFC. RIP Matt.

Reading all these other tributes it makes me even sadder to think that there can be no proper way for all those who would love to pay respects in person at a funeral service to do so, given the current restrictions.

Perhaps some bright spark can come up with a way to do that either after 2nd Dec or by some other means for someone who so clearly meant so much to so many supporters.

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

I saw Matt when he was signed from Airdrie, very raw and I doubt if anyone thought then he would become the hero that he did. I think it was Jimmy McGuigan’s pairing of Matt with Rod Green that set him off. It was a great team from Charlie Wright, Matt’s brother-in-law, in goal to Brian Hill on the left wing. We came within a whisker of beating West Ham, Bobby Moore and all, and we would have deserved it. Every one of my folders at uni had “Matt Tees For King” inscribed.

Suddenly they all went, Wright, Tees and Green to Charlton for bu99er all.

Then Matt came back. Have we all read McMenemy’s description of the skinny old bloke in the dressing room? Then we took the league by storm and Matt was at the front. He was at the front of many of our minds over the last few years too. Sadly missed Matt. Thanks for the memories.

Was fortunate to be at his debut game. A pre season friendly v Leicester. Scored after just 7 seconds and became an instant favourite over the years. Great footballer. Great man. RIP

Quoted from IlkleyMariner

Was fortunate to be at his debut game. A pre season friendly v Leicester. Scored after just 7 seconds and became an instant favourite over the years. Great footballer. Great man. RIP

Yes it was a great start but in his first league season Matt only played 21 games and scored 5 goals, in his second it was 26 games and 9 goals. Then in summer 1965 we signed Rod Green to replace George McLean and Matt took off, 28 goals in 43 games. A golden era.

Those who wish to donate can do so here. Set up by the Tees family

https://www.justgiving.com/fun.....ticDonateButtonClick

Quoted from Ballgazer

Those who wish to donate can do so here. Set up by the Tees family

https://www.justgiving.com/fun.....ticDonateButtonClick

Done. Come on all, let’s really show how the GTFC family care. #UTM

I am sad but relieved that Matt has passed away - please don't take that the wrong way but it is a horrible condition that robs a person of their dignity.

I first saw him in his first spell when I was dragged as a 5 year old to Blundell Park by my dad. He formed a partnership with Rod Green which was extremely productive. Matt couldn't kick a ball for toffee but he was one of the finest headers in professional football at the time. Then, of course, he came back and his performances under Lawrie McMenemy were legendary.

Many years later I met him at a Trust event and he was exactly what I had been told to expect...warm, humble and good company.

RIP Matt...and thank you for the wonderful memories.

Quoted from tarka

I am sad but relieved that Matt has passed away - please don't take that the wrong way but it is a horrible condition that robs a person of their dignity.

I first saw him in his first spell when I was dragged as a 5 year old to Blundell Park by my dad. He formed a partnership with Rod Green which was extremely productive. Matt couldn't kick a ball for toffee but he was one of the finest headers in professional football at the time. Then, of course, he came back and his performances under Lawrie McMenemy were legendary.

Many years later I met him at a Trust event and he was exactly what I had been told to expect...warm, humble and good company.

RIP Matt...and thank you for the wonderful memories.

I honk you’re spot on with that first comment Dave. My mother had dementia and when she passed away earlier this year it was a relief to be honest. It was like the body died years after the person. We’d already lost mum by then.

My first Town hero and still the greatest.

He must have had wings in his boots as he seemed able to fly,

RIP the Great Matt Tees.

Quoted from KingstonMariner

I honk you’re spot on with that first comment Dave. My mother had dementia and when she passed away earlier this year it was a relief to be honest. It was like the body died years after the person. We’d already lost mum by then.

Likewise I lost my father many years ago and it was very hard for my mother and myself to see him decline in such a way. The only consolation , if you can call it such , is that those suffering are completely oblivious of exactly what is happening.

Agree with all of this. One of my earliest heroes whose heading ability was almost supernatural.

And remarkably he looked nothing like a professional footballer! Love this extract from McMenemy's book:

"I took a deep breath and entered the dressing room. I thought a sea mist had swept in. It wasn't unusual on the coast but in this case I looked toward the corner of the dressing room and saw one of my new players smoking a pipe. It turned out the player was Matt Tees. He was a Scot, a scrawny, skinny sort, a pipe-smoker who looked like a puff of wind would blow him over."

I know the word legend gets overused these days, but this man will forever be in our hearts - and deservedly so.

This is on the notices page of the GET

Due to the current Covid situation a private family Requiem Mass will take place at Corpus Christi Church Cleethorpes on Wednesday 11th November 2020 at 10.00am.

Any chance a few of you could line the route if you are not at work ?

My condolences to Matts family. His actions on the pitch kindled my love for the game and not least - Grimsby Town.  RIP Matt

Those who didnt see Sir Matt in Town colours... what an
absolute legend you missed....

RIP Matt , King of Blundell Park....

Condolences to family and friends

That photo of Matt soaring above defenders to score for Luton, epitomises perfectly how he would rise above defenders to score. You can make out that the defender is on his way down while Matt is still hovering.

In the telegraph archives, there's a similar photo of Matt hanging above Bobby Moore to plant a header into the top corner when we played West Ham in the League cup. Any chance somebody out there could dig it out and post t on here?

It would be a fitting tribute to the legend that is Matt Tees.  

Best I could do !

https://ibb.co/n1qppCK