Tommy Matthews, then a teenager, played a single game as a trailist for Exeter City reserves in the Western League away at Saltash United during the autumn of 1978.

Already with Porthleven - his local club - and having also had a short trial with Plymouth Argyle, Tommy eventually signed for Falmouth Town in December 1978 but was soon on the move to Illogan RBL and Penzance before having another spell at Porthleven. With Falmouth having problems after dropping out of the Western League in 1983, Tommy re-signed for the Bickland Park club when it eventually returned to the South Western League in 1984. Making his 400th appearance for Falmouth in January 1993, and winning five league titles in the process, he ultimately played 460 competitive games for the Ambers. 

Tommy, who became a PE teacher, published 'Game of Two Halves', which charted his playing and later management career with the Cornwall county youth team, in October 2024 with proceeds going to Cancer Research UK.