Matt finally made his first team break-through in the promotion winning season of 2002/03, deputising for the injured Michael Oakes.

Previously the keeper had enjoyed brief loan spells with Slough and Kingstonian before injuries halted his progress in each case. He could have been forgiven for thinking his career was never going to take off, but he fought his way back to fitness and his performances in 2002/03 earned him wide appreciation - and an unexpected call-up to the England under 21 squad in October 2002.

The former youth team keeper went on to play 48 games for Wolves in the club's promotion winning season, and was named Man of the Match for the play-off final at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.

The post-match celebrations were short-lived for Matt as he checked in for a hernia operation the following day. His rehabilitation almost complete, Matt returned to the action at the start of the new campaign but was again dogged by injury which left him sidelined.

After lengthy rehabilitation to a stress fracture of the foot, Matt returned to a place on the substitute's bench in October 2004/05 and then the starting line-up in January 2005. Sadly, after just two games, his foot suffered another break. Matt did not play again that season and underwent lengthy rehabilitation.

He returned to reserve action in January 2006 before going out on loan to Tranmere. He was recalled to Wolves to play the last game of the season at Norwich.

A regular in 2006/07, Matt won a host of awards at club and divisional level for his consistent performances. He did, however, miss the play-off semi-finals when he cracked his shoulder in training.

After recovering from that setback, the injury blight struck again when he ruptured cruciate knee ligaments before the start of the 2007/8 season.

And having got fit and started a loan spell with Hereford successfully Matt then suffered an injury to his other knee late in 2008, a ruptured patella tendon ruling him out of the rest of the season.

Two operations later, he once again fought back to fitness, only to break down in the early stages of his comeback for the reserves against Birmingham in November, 2009.

One last effort to return, including travelling the team for the pre-season tour of Ireland in 2010, finally ended in disappointment when he announced his retirement on Thursday, August 26.

A sad day for a player tagged by many as the best keeper never to play for England.