page_title: Matthew Etherington
section_title: Stoke City
hierarchical_section_title: Matthew Etherington / Club career / Stoke City
caption_attribution_description: Matthew Etherington in Stoke City's away kit at a game against Fulham in 2009
context_page_description: Matthew Etherington is an English former footballer who played as a winger. He currently manages the under-18 team at Peterborough United.
  Born in Truro, Cornwall, Etherington began his footballing career at Peterborough United and was a stand-out performer for the Posh, which attracted the attention of Premier League clubs. He joined Tottenham Hotspur in 2000, along with Simon Davies. He struggled at Tottenham and left for West Ham United in 2003. At the East London club, Etherington showed his true form and became a vital player for the Hammers. However, he had personal problems related to an addiction to gambling and in 2009 was sold by manager Gianfranco Zola to fellow Premier League side Stoke City.
  At Stoke, Etherington became a vital member of the side under manager Tony Pulis, winning the player of the year award for the 2009–10 season and also played in the 2011 FA Cup Final. Etherington remained a regular under Pulis in 2011–12 and 2012–13 before he was released by Mark Hughes at the end of the 2013–14 season.
context_section_description: On 8 January 2009, Etherington completed a transfer, thought to be for £2 million, from West Ham United to Stoke City, signing a three-and-a-half-year contract. He made his debut for Stoke two days after his transfer, against Liverpool in the Premier League, in a match which finished goalless. He was sent off in his fifth game with Stoke for kicking out at Danny Collins as his side lost 2–0 to Sunderland. He scored his first goal for Stoke in a 4–3 League Cup win over Blackpool on 22 September 2009. Etherington scored his first League goal for Stoke in a 2–2 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers. Etherington went on to have a successful season for Stoke which led him to win the player of the year award. Etherington signed a new four-year contract with Stoke on 11 July 2010.
  Etherington started the 2010–11 season in fine form providing a number of assists from corners and left midfield. He scored his first goal of the season in a 3–0 win over West Bromwich Albion and followed this up by scoring a last minute equaliser against Manchester City a week later and then scored another against Wigan Athletic. He scored the opening goal in the FA Cup semi-final as Stoke defeated Bolton Wandereres 5–0, clinching a first FA Cup Final appearance in their 148-year history. Etherington described the performance as the match of their lives. On 28 April, in a match against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Etherington tore his hamstring, leaving him in doubt for the FA Cup Final. He ultimately regained fitness for the final as Stoke lost 1–0 to Manchester City.
  In the 2011–12 season, Etherington was again the club's only recognised left winger and he scored twice against his old club Tottenham on 11 December 2011. After some indifferent performances, he has admitted his form has dipped since the previous season. He made his 100th Premier League appearance for Stoke against Fulham on 11 February 2012. He scored the winning goal against Norwich City on 3 March 2012. Etherington lost his place in Tony Pulis' starting line up at the start of the 2012–13 season due to the signing of Michael Kightly, which restricted him to making cameo appearances from the substitutes' bench. He regained his starting place in November 2012. However, Etherington struggled with form and fitness throughout the campaign. He made 33 appearances in 2012–13 as Stoke finished in 13th position and the end of the season, Tony Pulis left the club and was replaced by Mark Hughes.
  Hughes changed the team's style of play for the 2013–14 season, and while Etherington stated Stoke had adapted well, a lack of goals was still a concern. As the season progressed, Etherington lost his place in the side to Oussama Assaidi. Etherington left Stoke at the end of the 2013–14 season.
  After leaving Stoke, Etherington began training with Millwall and had an offer from manager Ian Holloway to join the club. However, he turned it down and announced his decision to retire from football in December 2014, due to a back injury which he had been suffering from for some time.
  In May 2018, Etherington was announced as manager of the under-18 team at Peterborough United, rejoining the club where he started his career over 20 years earlier.
caption: Etherington with Stoke City in 2009
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