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Matt Rush’s footballing journey began at his local sides Wickford Town and Billericay Town as a youngster, setting the stage for his development. The forward caught the attention of Southend United’s youth scouts, who brought him into their academy setup in 2014. After many years in the Shrimpers’ youth setup, a first taste of senior football for Matt came during the second half of the 2018/19 season when he joined Great Wakering Rovers on loan. His time there was followed by a prolific stint at then Isthmian League Premier Division side, Harlow Town in the 2019/20 season, where Rush found the back of the net 11 times in just 13 appearances across all competitions.
Rush’s first team and Football League debut for Southend United arrived in November of 2019, coming in a narrow 1–0 defeat to Sunderland at the Stadium of Light. Despite limited opportunities with the Shrimpers, the forward continued to gain experience through loan spells, including a brief stay with Tonbridge Angels in January of 2021. In February of 2022, Rush made a loan move to Chelmsford City, adding more National League South appearances to his CV. However, following nine league outings for Southend United, he departed Roots Hall at the conclusion of the 2021/22 campaign.
Looking to make a fresh start, Rush signed for Braintree Town in June of 2022 with the forward becoming an important figure for the Iron during the 2022/23 season. However, after a single season at Cressing Road, Matt made the switch across Essex to join newly promoted National League South side, Aveley in July of 2023, where he continued to showcase his attacking talents. In November of 2023, fellow National League South outfit Maidstone United came calling with Rush signing a deal to see out the campaign at the Gallagher Stadium, with the lure of a return to full-time football being too much to turn down.
After an impressive stint in amber and black, the summer of 2024 saw Rush secure a move to Sutton United, who had recently been relegated to the National League. However not long after, in November, Rush returned to Maidstone United on loan, continuing his presence in the National League South before landing a move to Meadow Park in December 2024.
