Johnny Matthews: Scotland Call would cap a season to remember for the Glasgow Warriors hooker and proud Everton fan

It’s a phrase that could be applied to the career of the Glasgow Warriors hooker, who has been working hard and now finds herself as part of Scotland’s summer tour of South America.

At 28, Matthews is not an overnight sensation, but his diligence and patience have been rewarded in a journey that began in the lower echelons of English football with Sedgley Park and Otley and continued in Scotland with Boroughmuir before Glasgow called.

He had to wait until the 2020/21 season to win his first full-time contract with the Warriors, only making his first start for the club in February last year. He’s now a first-team regular and the club’s top scorer this season, quite an achievement considering fellow Glasgow hookers George Turner, Scotland’s No.

“Personally, I think this season has gone pretty well for me,” Matthews said. “I’ve had a good run of games for one reason or another.

“I’ve worked pretty hard off the pitch, on the training pitch and just like that to bring myself to a level where I can not only fight for the jersey but keep it.”

Born and raised in Liverpool, Matthews has a distinctive Scouse brogue but his mum is from Blantyre and the hooker has ambitions to play for Scotland. He has already worn the thistle at U18 and Club XV level and would like to travel to Chile and Argentina this summer.

“I’d be happy to get a call in Scotland,” he said. “It would be fantastic for me and a great achievement considering where I come from in club play. But I’ve always said my focus is on getting into the Glasgow team, keeping my place in the team and seeing what happens from there.

“If I get the opportunity to go on the summer tour, that’s fantastic. My mother’s side would be buzzing, in fact both sides would be pretty happy. Liverpool isn’t really a rugby city.

“But my ambition at the moment is to make sure Glasgow finishes in the best possible position.”

A win over Edinburgh at Murrayfield on Saturday would ensure Glasgow finish ahead of their old rivals in the URC and the Warriors would also retain the 1872 trophy and secure a spot in next season’s Heineken Champions Cup.

“First and foremost we want to win the game,” he said. “I don’t think we see that 13-point lead. If we win the game we win the Scottish-Italian Shield and that then qualifies us for the Champions Cup. So from our point of view we are winning the game, not just the 1872 Cup.”

With his own career reaching new heights this season, Matthews has watched with some concern as Everton have flirted with relegation. As a die-hard fan, he dabbled in both codes in his youth.

“I played football growing up in Liverpool. It was a big part of my upbringing,” he said.

How did he come to switch to rugby?

“Wasn’t good enough at soccer!”