Former Irish player query........

[Junior]

Back in '93 I went to Upton Park to watch an Ireland 11 play a West Ham 11 in a testimonial pre USA94.

A youngish Black/ mixed race lad played that day. From memory I think he played a half for WH and a half for Ireland. My memory is very vague but I think he was called Matthew Rush (but could be wrong).

Anyone got any ideas? and if so what happened to him?

Cheers,

Jnr

[Dawn_Run]

Date of Birth: 06/08/1971
Nationality: English


Matthew Rush was Martin O'Neill's first signing as Norwich City manager. However the £300,000 signing from West Ham was hindered by a knee injury sustained two days after making his City debut against Sunderland in August 1995. His first team chances were limited by this injury and by the changes in managers at Carrow Road after O'Neill's departure. Loan spells at Northampton were limited by their ability to pay City's valuation. On transfer deadline day, he moved to Oldham whose manager Neil Warnock had tried to sign him before when Warnock was with Notts County.

Prior to his unsuccessful spell in Norfolk, Matthew played for West Ham for whom he made 48 league appearances scoring 5 goals. In his time at Upton Park, he gained Irish Under 21 caps and had loan spells with Cambridge (10 league games) and Swansea (13 league games).

Matthew was forced to retire from football as a result of a cruciate ligament injury suffered in a clash with Carlisle. As his knee has already been reconstructed once, the specialist advised that Matthew abandons professional football. If he does so then he will seek a second career as a PE teacher. He officially retired in September 1998.

Matthew has since signed for Rymans leaguers Dulwich Hamlet in the summer of 1999. However the November 1999 edition of Team Talk magazine revealed that Rush had moved on to fellow Rymans leaguers Dagenham and Redbridge.At the same time, he studied successfully for a BSc(Hons) in Sports Development from the University of East London

On 8th May 2002, Matthew signed for non-leaguers Droylsden, whilst maintaining his PE teaching job at Gorton's Wright Robinson Sports College. He moved to Maple Hall School in Stockport in the summer of 2002. In November 2002, Matthew switched to Droylsden's Unibond League rivals Ashton United. He has since left Ashton

[Dawn_Run]

Yeah - my BSc in googlology did more for me than this guys BSc in Sports Development did for him!! No idea where he is now :/

[Junior]

cheers Dawn run, Saw the nationality: 'English' and thought I must have drank to much Buckfast that afternoon! - However, seeing as he gained U21 caps for us, I think I must have been correct first time.

Jnr