The McQueens were both born in Harthill, Matthew in 1863 and Hugh four years later. However, their parents were from nearby Shotts, his father a Pit Roadman, a miner, and soon returned. Thus it was there that the two boys really learned their football, Matt the half-back but versatile and Hugh a forward. In fact both, whilst already hewing coal, also began played the junior game for nearby West Benhar. 

However, the family was in 1885 to move, his father still working the coal, to Linlithgow, from where both boys joined Bo'ness and Matt then Champfleurie, a Lithgae team, whilst he also represented West Lothian. And from Champfleurie Matt McQueen would have an unsuccessful 1887-8 season with Hearts, return from where he had come before in 1889 being recruited once more to Edinburgh, but this time to Leith, moving into the city and now joined by his brother. However, he was to be in Lithlithgow in 1890 to marry local girl, Mary Bain. Hugh was a witness. And Mary was soon to join Matt in Edinburgh and then on his recruitment in Liverpool. Indeed she was to remain on Merseyside until her death in 1926, aged sixty, the couple seemingly remainlng childless.

By then Matt had as a Liverpool player not only seen the club survive its somewhat turbulent first season and promotion to the English Football League, he had also been a part of two promotions to its First Division with a relegation between, worked on hanging up his boots as an Insurance Agent, become a referee, from 1918 a Liverpool club director and then as a manager in 1923 oversee the winning of a League title. But later that same year on a trip to Sheffield he was involved in to road traffic accident that caused him to lose a leg, spend two months in hospital and eventually in 1928, albeit by then aged sixty-five, step back with the club secretary taking over the managerial reins.