Matthew Rush was Martin O'Neill's first signing as Norwich City manager. However the £300,000 signing from West Ham was hindered by a knee injury sustained two days after making his City debut against Sunderland in August 1995. His first team chances were limited by this injury and by the changes in managers at Carrow Road after O'Neill's departure. Loan spells at Northampton were limited by their ability to pay City's valuation. On transfer deadline day, he moved to Oldham whose manager Neil Warnock had tried to sign him before when Warnock was with Notts County.

Prior to his unsuccessful spell in Norfolk, Matthew played for West Ham for whom he made 48 league appearances scoring 5 goals. In his time at Upton Park, he gained Irish Under 21 caps and had loan spells with Cambridge (10 league games) and Swansea (13 league games).

Matthew was forced to retire from football as a result of a cruciate ligament injury suffered in a clash with Carlisle. As his knee has already been reconstructed once, the specialist advised that Matthew abandons professional football. If he does so then he will seek a second career as a PE teacher. He officially retired in September 1998.

Matthew has since signed for Rymans leaguers Dulwich Hamlet in the summer of 1999. However the November 1999 edition of Team Talk magazine revealed that Rush had moved on to fellow Rymans leaguers Dagenham and Redbridge.At the same time, he studied successfully for a BSc(Hons) in Sports Development from the University of East London

On 8th May 2002, Matthew signed for non-leaguers Droylsden, whilst maintaining his PE teaching job at Gorton's Wright Robinson Sports College. He moved to Maple Hall School in Stockport in the summer of 2002. In November 2002, Matthew switched to Droylsden's Unibond League rivals Ashton United. He has since left Ashton

In April 2008, it was reported that Matthew is teaching at a school in Barcelona. He is now teaching at Blenheim High School.