Matthew Saunders

Matthew Saunders was a midfielder who played in Fulham's academy from 2007 until 2011. A tireless box-to-box player, he unfortunately failed to break into the first team and was eventually released.

Fulham (2007-2011)
Matthew progressed through the academy age groups and was given a first team squad number of 24 ahead of the 2008-09 season. Despite not making an official first team appearance during his time at Fulham, he did make the touring squad which travelled to Australia in the pre-season of 2009-10 in which he took part in all three matches.

After a loan spell with Lincoln City starting in January 2010, he returned to Fulham but failed to force his way into the side and was released in the summer of 2011.

After Fulham
Matthew was out of football for a few months before he signed for Dagenham & Redbridge of League Two on 10 February 2012. Despite an ankle injury which kept him out for most of the remainder of the 2011-12 season with his new club, he returned to become a starter for the 2012-13 season, making 32 League appearances for them. Despite this, the following year he left the club in 2014, with his contract cancelled by mutual consent.

After making solitary appearances with Whitehawk and then Dover Athletic, Matthew nearly moved out to play football in India though nothing materialised. He went on to represent Hemel Hempstead Town in two seperate stints either side of a short spell at Aldershot Town, before a final move to Wealdstone in 2019. After failing to fully get over an ankle injury, he retired from playing at the young age of just 30.

He stayed with Wealdstone and coached within the academy, before progressing on to become the first team assistant manager on 11 March 2021.