Sports tutor Matty helps England lift Seniors World Cup in Thailand with ex-Three Lions stars
As the likes of Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice prepare for a tilt at World Cup glory, York College sports tutor Matty Wain has just returned from Thailand having helped another England football team taste international success.
Matty, 49, was part of the winning Three Lions squad that lifted the Seniors World Cup for a ninth time by beating France 4-0 in the final – a result that fans of Thomas Tuchel’s men will be hoping is a good omen ahead of the eagerly anticipated tournament that kicks off in the USA tomorrow.
An ex-Selby Town attacker, who still plays open-age football for Dringhouses as well as for the Harrogate and York Corinthians Over-35 teams, Matty was part of a squad packed with a number of former international footballers and Premier League professionals.
He also worked as the team's analyst, having led Dunnington to the York Minster Engineering League Premier Division title as manager in the past.
Among Matty’s team-mates in Thailand was Gareth Barry, who played for England at Euro 2000 and the 2010 World Cup and won the Premier League with Manchester City in 2012.
Others included another ex-Three Lions star Lee Hendrie, former top-flight Fulham striker Barry Hayles, one-time Tottenham midfielder Sean Davis and Ian Cox, who was a member of the 2006 Trinidad & Tobago World Cup squad.
Matty was equally thrilled, meanwhile, to share a pitch with ex-Sheffield United, Brighton and Bolton defender Jake Wright, who he taught BTEC Level 3 Sport 20 years ago when the then 16-year-old was part of Bradford City’s Youth Training Scheme.
After retiring as a footballer, Jake pursued a career in education and is now Head of Year 8 at Newfield School in Sheffield, managing pastoral care and mentoring young people, with Matty declaring: “To see Jake find massive success in professional sports, win a World Cup as my team-mate and, then, choose to give back to the Sheffield community as a teacher is the ultimate full-circle moment.”
In the final, ex-Norwich City Premier League striker Jamie Cureton opened the scoring against France, with Hayles and ex-Football League pros Aaron O’Connor and Karl Duguid also netting.
Earlier, the team had defeated Thailand 2-0, Taiwan 4-1 and USA 3-0 at the group stage, with Matty featuring in each match, and then overcame Australia 5-2 in the semi-finals.
Games lasted 80 minutes and consisted of 20-minute quarters with a demanding schedule seeing the England side play five games over a six-day period in Ubon Ratchathani, just outside of Bangkok.
The squad also made time to visit two schools and an orphanage, where they gave out kits and delivered coaching sessions, which Matty describes as a “highlight” of the trip.
Players in the team had to be aged over 40, with three over the age of 50 needing to be on the pitch at any one time.
Matty was playing in the tournament for a second time, having also been part of the victorious Three Lions squad in 2024 and, on this latest success, he said: “It was a great experience to line up for the national anthem, celebrate with the players and fans on the pitch after we lifted the trophy and just be part of such an amazingly talented squad.”
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