Matthew James Upson, (born 18 April 1979 in Hartismere, Suffolk), is an English football player. He is a central defender.
He started his career at Luton Town where he was tipped as a future England international and caught the eye of a number of Premier League clubs. He was bought by Arsenal in 1997, but never got an extended run in the first team, as the club looked abroad to replace the stalwart Tony Adams/Steve Bould rearguard.
After a number of injury setbacks and only a handful of opportunities in Arsenal’s first eleven, Upson was loaned to Reading, who were then playing in the Football League First Division, from September to December 2002. His career then progressed significantly: he was bought by Birmingham City in January 2002, who were playing in the Premier League at that time, and was selected for the England squad later that year.