| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Matthew Stephen Heywood[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 26 August 1979[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Chatham, Kent, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –1998 | Burnley | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1998–2001 | Burnley | 13 | (0) |
| 2001–2005 | Swindon Town | 183 | (8) |
| 2005–2006 | Bristol City | 24 | (2) |
| 2006–2008 | Brentford | 60 | (2) |
| 2008–2010 | Grimsby Town | 19 | (0) |
| 2010 | Barrow | 0 | (0) |
| 2010–2011 | Buxton | 9 | (0) |
| Total | 309 | (12) | |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Matthew Stephen Heywood (born 26 August 1979) is an English former professional footballer who played as a defender from 1997 until 2011.
Having started his career at Burnley as a trainee he signed professional terms in 1997. In 2001 after failing to establish himself a first-team player he left to join Swindon Town where his career took off, becoming an established centre half for four years before moving on to Bristol City in 2005. A year later he joined Brentford and in 2008 following his final season at the club he was awarded the supporters player of the season award for the 2007–08 season. He then joined Grimsby Town who were the last professional club he was to play for inside the Football League before he was released in 2010 and briefly joined Barrow on a short-term deal. He finished his career in non-League football with a 6-month stay at Buxton.