Sir Stanley "Wizard of the Dribble" Matthews and Stan "Electric Heels" Mortensen, two of England's greatest-ever footballers, sold goods on the black market during the War. The two former England stars sold coffee and soap in exchange for cash.
Details of their time as spivs emerged in files kept under lock and key at the National Archives for more than 60 years.
The two men, who served in the RAF, travelled with an FA Services team in 1945 to newly-liberated Belgium to play matches against local sides. Whilst there, Mortensen produced some highly sought-after goods from a suitcase - coffee and soap.
A shop assistant told the RAF special investigations branch that she and another member of staff paid 250 francs for a kilo of coffee and a further 40 francs for ten bars of soap.
Sir Stanley Matthews, the only footballers to be knighted whilst still playing, played for Stoke City between 1932 and 1947, Blackpool between 1947 and 1961, Stoke City between 1961 and 1965 and Maltese team Hibernians in 1970. He also played 54 times for England between 1934 and 1957. He was also the very first European Footballer of the Year. He didn't hang up his boots until the age of 55!
Stan Mortensen had careers at seven different clubs, including at Blackpool between 1941 and 1955, Arsenal between 1944 and 1945 and Lancaster City between 1960 and 1962. He played 25 times for England between 1946 and 1953.
Both players played for Blackpool in the 1953 FA Cup Final, which was against Bolton Wanderers. It is the only FA Cup Final in history in which a hat-trick has been scored - it was scored by Mortensen. Despite Mortensen's goals, it became known as The Matthews Final, because of the outstanding performance of Sir Stanley Matthews. It was also the first FA Cup Final attended by Queen Elizabeth II.
Another English football icon, 1966 World Cup winning captain Bobby Moore, faced disgrace when he was accused of stealing a bracelet from a jeweller in Bogota, Colombia, shortly before the 1970 World Cup, but the case was dropped due to lack of evidence.
England football legend Sir Stanley Matthews sold goods on the black market during WWII
By Daily Mail Reporter
20th December 2009
Daily Mail
He was the unimpeachable knight of football, an icon known as The Wizard of the Dribble who played in the top flight until he was 50.
But Sir Stanley Matthews's reputation has taken a dent after it emerged he sold goods on the black market during the Second World War.
Together with another England legend, Stan Mortensen, he flogged coffee and soap in exchange for cash.
Partners in crime: England legends Sir Stanley Matthews, left, and Stan Mortensen sold goods on the black market during the second world war
Details of his sideline as a spiv emerged in files kept under lock and key at the
National Archives for more than 60 years.
They revealed both players, who served in the RAF, travelled with an FA Services team in 1945 to newly-liberated Belgium to play matches against local sides.
While there, they went into a jeweller's in Brussels claiming to be shopping for presents. But Mortensen then produced the highly sought-after goods from a suitcase.
A shop assistant told the RAF special investigations branch that she and another member of staff paid 250 francs for a kilo of coffee and a further 40 francs for ten bars of soap.
She added Mortensen - whose pace on the pitch led to the nickname Electric Heels - casually signed an autograph for her while in the shop.
According to the records, the players - who had 79 England caps between them - were charged with 'conduct prejudicial to good order and discipline'.
They admitted the allegations but escaped with a carpeting from their commanding officers.
Sir Stanley is the only player ever to have been knighted while still playing. He was also the first winner of the European Footballer of the Year and Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year awards.
The vegetarian teetotaller played his last match in the old first division in 1965 and five years later at the age of 55 was still playing for Hibernians in Malta.
He was also an inaugural inductee to the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002, two years after his death.
The outside right played for Stoke City before the war and had his international debut against Wales in 1934.
During the Second World War he was stationed in Blackpool with the RAF and played as a guest for the local team and others including Crewe Alexandra, Manchester Utd and Arsenal.
After the war he transferred to Blackpool, where he played with Mortensen, and won his only FA Cup winner's medal in 1953.
Sir Stanley Matthews in action for Blackpool against Bolton Wanderers in the 1953 FA Cup Final at Wembley, which Blackpool won 4-3. Despite Mortensen scoring three goals, it has become knows as The Matthews Final.
He made 54 official England appearances, scoring 11 goals, as well as 29 unofficial wartime appearance with two more goals.
Mortensen was 18 when war broke out and was a wireless operator who overcame injury sustained when his bonber crashed to go on to become one of England's best post-war players.
In a playing career spent mainly with Blackpool, he scored 197 league goals in 317 appearances.
The centre forward, who scored 23 goals for England in 25 appearances, died in 1991.
Rationing of food and shortages of luxuries during and after the Second World War led to black marketeering, described by one MP at the time as 'treason of the very worst kind'.
The practice was rife in England but servicemen also took advantage of countries that had been recently been liberated from Nazi occupation.
Popular items for sale included meat, butter, cheese, eggs, sugar, coffee and soap.
In Britain, the Ministry of Food investigated black market deals and Parliament passed legislation for courts to impose maximum two-year jail terms and fines.
Bobby Moore lifts the World Cup for England in 1966. At the 1970 World Cup he was accused of stealing a bracelet from a jeweller
Another English football icon, 1966 World Cup winning captain Bobby Moore, faced disgrace when he was accused of stealing a bracelet from a jeweller in Bogota, Colombia, shortly before the 1970 finals.
The case was eventually dropped due to lack of evidence.
dailymail.co.uk
Details of their time as spivs emerged in files kept under lock and key at the National Archives for more than 60 years.
The two men, who served in the RAF, travelled with an FA Services team in 1945 to newly-liberated Belgium to play matches against local sides. Whilst there, Mortensen produced some highly sought-after goods from a suitcase - coffee and soap.
A shop assistant told the RAF special investigations branch that she and another member of staff paid 250 francs for a kilo of coffee and a further 40 francs for ten bars of soap.
Sir Stanley Matthews, the only footballers to be knighted whilst still playing, played for Stoke City between 1932 and 1947, Blackpool between 1947 and 1961, Stoke City between 1961 and 1965 and Maltese team Hibernians in 1970. He also played 54 times for England between 1934 and 1957. He was also the very first European Footballer of the Year. He didn't hang up his boots until the age of 55!
Stan Mortensen had careers at seven different clubs, including at Blackpool between 1941 and 1955, Arsenal between 1944 and 1945 and Lancaster City between 1960 and 1962. He played 25 times for England between 1946 and 1953.
Both players played for Blackpool in the 1953 FA Cup Final, which was against Bolton Wanderers. It is the only FA Cup Final in history in which a hat-trick has been scored - it was scored by Mortensen. Despite Mortensen's goals, it became known as The Matthews Final, because of the outstanding performance of Sir Stanley Matthews. It was also the first FA Cup Final attended by Queen Elizabeth II.
Another English football icon, 1966 World Cup winning captain Bobby Moore, faced disgrace when he was accused of stealing a bracelet from a jeweller in Bogota, Colombia, shortly before the 1970 World Cup, but the case was dropped due to lack of evidence.
England football legend Sir Stanley Matthews sold goods on the black market during WWII
By Daily Mail Reporter
20th December 2009
Daily Mail
He was the unimpeachable knight of football, an icon known as The Wizard of the Dribble who played in the top flight until he was 50.
But Sir Stanley Matthews's reputation has taken a dent after it emerged he sold goods on the black market during the Second World War.
Together with another England legend, Stan Mortensen, he flogged coffee and soap in exchange for cash.
Partners in crime: England legends Sir Stanley Matthews, left, and Stan Mortensen sold goods on the black market during the second world war
Details of his sideline as a spiv emerged in files kept under lock and key at the
National Archives for more than 60 years.
They revealed both players, who served in the RAF, travelled with an FA Services team in 1945 to newly-liberated Belgium to play matches against local sides.
While there, they went into a jeweller's in Brussels claiming to be shopping for presents. But Mortensen then produced the highly sought-after goods from a suitcase.
A shop assistant told the RAF special investigations branch that she and another member of staff paid 250 francs for a kilo of coffee and a further 40 francs for ten bars of soap.
She added Mortensen - whose pace on the pitch led to the nickname Electric Heels - casually signed an autograph for her while in the shop.
According to the records, the players - who had 79 England caps between them - were charged with 'conduct prejudicial to good order and discipline'.
They admitted the allegations but escaped with a carpeting from their commanding officers.
Sir Stanley is the only player ever to have been knighted while still playing. He was also the first winner of the European Footballer of the Year and Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year awards.
The vegetarian teetotaller played his last match in the old first division in 1965 and five years later at the age of 55 was still playing for Hibernians in Malta.
He was also an inaugural inductee to the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002, two years after his death.
The outside right played for Stoke City before the war and had his international debut against Wales in 1934.
During the Second World War he was stationed in Blackpool with the RAF and played as a guest for the local team and others including Crewe Alexandra, Manchester Utd and Arsenal.
After the war he transferred to Blackpool, where he played with Mortensen, and won his only FA Cup winner's medal in 1953.
Sir Stanley Matthews in action for Blackpool against Bolton Wanderers in the 1953 FA Cup Final at Wembley, which Blackpool won 4-3. Despite Mortensen scoring three goals, it has become knows as The Matthews Final.
He made 54 official England appearances, scoring 11 goals, as well as 29 unofficial wartime appearance with two more goals.
Mortensen was 18 when war broke out and was a wireless operator who overcame injury sustained when his bonber crashed to go on to become one of England's best post-war players.
In a playing career spent mainly with Blackpool, he scored 197 league goals in 317 appearances.
The centre forward, who scored 23 goals for England in 25 appearances, died in 1991.
Rationing of food and shortages of luxuries during and after the Second World War led to black marketeering, described by one MP at the time as 'treason of the very worst kind'.
The practice was rife in England but servicemen also took advantage of countries that had been recently been liberated from Nazi occupation.
Popular items for sale included meat, butter, cheese, eggs, sugar, coffee and soap.
In Britain, the Ministry of Food investigated black market deals and Parliament passed legislation for courts to impose maximum two-year jail terms and fines.
Bobby Moore lifts the World Cup for England in 1966. At the 1970 World Cup he was accused of stealing a bracelet from a jeweller
Another English football icon, 1966 World Cup winning captain Bobby Moore, faced disgrace when he was accused of stealing a bracelet from a jeweller in Bogota, Colombia, shortly before the 1970 finals.
The case was eventually dropped due to lack of evidence.
dailymail.co.uk
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