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Don Masson

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Don Masson
Personal information
Full name Donald Sanderson Masson[1]
Date of birth (1946-08-26) 26 August 1946 (age 78)
Place of birth Banchory, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[2]
Position(s) Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1964–1968 Middlesbrough 53 (6)
1968–1974 Notts County 274 (81)
1974–1977 Queens Park Rangers 116 (18)
1977–1978 Derby County 23 (1)
1978–1982 Notts County 129 (11)
1981Minnesota Kicks (loan)[3] 24 (2)
1982–1983 Bulova ? (?)
1983–1984 Kettering Town 6 (1)
Total 485 (120)
International career
1976–1978 Scotland 17 (5)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Donald Sanderson Masson (born 26 August 1946) is a Scottish former footballer.

Club career

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Masson began his career with Middlesbrough in 1964. He was signed by Notts County manager Billy Gray in 1968 in a joint deal for £7000 along with Bob Worthington.[4] He stayed there for six years before moving to Queens Park Rangers in December 1974 for £100,000. Masson made his debut in the 1–0 home win versus Sheffield United on 14 December 1974.

Although approaching 29 years of age before he played top-level football, his was a signing that underlined the quality of then manager Dave Sexton's judgement. A stylish and creative midfielder, he came to be seen as the final piece in the jigsaw of an exciting and attacking QPR team. The following 1975/76 season saw QPR come close to winning the League title, being pipped by a point by Liverpool.

After three years at Loftus Road he moved to Derby County in October 1977 in exchange for Leighton James. After a further spell at Notts County he played for a time in the United States. Don was voted Notts best player of all time by Notts County supporters and also has a lounge at Meadow Lane named in his honour. On returning to England he became the player-manager of Kettering Town, before retiring from the game.

International career

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Masson won 17 caps for Scotland. He scored five goals including Scotland's first goal in the 2–1 victory over England in 1976 which clinched their first British Home International Championship since 1967.[5] He missed a penalty kick in the 3–1 defeat against Peru in the 1978 World Cup.

Retirement

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In retirement he turned his hand in to the hotel business, having bought The Gallery at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, which he later sold. He and his wife now run The Grange,[6] a guest house in Elton on the Hill.

Career Statistics

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International

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Appearances and goals by national team and year[7]
National team Year Apps Goals
Scotland 1976 5 3
1977 9 2
1978 3 0
Total 17 5
Scores and results list Scotland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Masson goal.
List of international goals scored by Don Masson
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition Ref.
1 8 May 1976 Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland  Northern Ireland 2–0 3–0 1975–76 British Home Championship [8]
2 15 May 1976 Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland  England 1–1 2–1 1975–76 British Home Championship [8]
3 8 September 1976 Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland  Finland 2–0 6–0 Friendly [8]
4 18 June 1977 Boca Juniors Stadium, Buenos Aires, Argentina  Argentina 1–0 1–1 Friendly [8]
5 12 October 1977 Anfield, Liverpool, England  Wales 1–0 2–0 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification [8]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Donald Masson". London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 26 February 2010.
  2. ^ "Don Masson". www.worldfootball.net. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
  3. ^ "NASL-Don Masson".
  4. ^ "Jack Dunnett oversaw unprecedented glory and was a true Meadow Lane great". 30 October 2019.
  5. ^ Don Masson Statistics FIFA; Retrieved 4 February 2010
  6. ^ "(Home)". The Grange Bed & Breakfast. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  7. ^ "Don Masson". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
  8. ^ a b c d e "Scotland - International Matches 1976-1980". The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
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