Born in Scotland in 1946, Don Masson’s playing days began at Middlesbrough in 1964, a club with a strong tradition but one that never quite provided him with the platform to showcase his full range of abilities. As a result, his career truly ignited when he moved to Notts County in 1968, a club at that time marooned in the lower reaches of the Football League, struggling to recapture past glories. However, with the arrival of Jimmy Sirrel as manager in 1969, change was on the horizon.
Sirrel, a Scot like Masson, had a vision for Notts County that many doubted but few could deny once it began to take shape. The club, which had once basked in the higher echelons of English football, had fallen on hard times, yo-yoing between the lower divisions for decades. With Masson at the heart of midfield, pulling the strings with his sublime passing and effortless composure, Notts County became a force to be reckoned with. Furthermore, the club’s fortunes changed dramatically as they clinched the Fourth Division title in 1970-71 and secured promotion to the Second Division in 1972-73.
Notts County’s return to the Second Division was meant to be a baptism of fire, an uphill struggle against seasoned opposition, yet on the opening day of the 1973-74 season, they swept aside Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in a performance that was as clinical as it was commanding, and at the heart of it all stood their inspirational skipper, Don Masson.
Palace, licking their wounds from relegation and with ambitions of an immediate return to the top flight, started with all the intensity one would expect from a team desperate to prove a point, and when Don Rogers thundered a strike past Eric McManus in the 24th minute, the home side looked every inch the promotion contenders they were tipped to be. However, football has a way of punishing complacency, and when Brian Stubbs, alert to a lapse in concentration from goalkeeper Paul Hammond, nodded in from a free-kick in the 37th minute, the momentum shifted irreversibly in Notts County’s favour.
With the game now finely balanced, Masson’s influence became ever more pronounced, orchestrating play with an elegance that belied the frenetic pace around him, and when manager Jimmy Sirrel introduced Mick Vinter early in the second half, the move proved to be a tactical masterstroke. Within minutes, Vinter had pounced on a loose ball to fire County ahead, and before Palace could regain their composure, he turned provider, teeing up Kevin Randall for a third. The home crowd, expectant and optimistic at the break, were now reduced to murmurs of frustration, and when Randall added a fourth late on, the humiliation was complete.
For Notts County, it was a statement victory, one that set the tone for a season of resilience and ambition, and for Masson, it was the perfect exhibition of his leadership and tactical nous. Palace, meanwhile, were left with the sobering realisation that reputations count for little when faced with a team that simply refuses to read the script. And if anyone at Selhurst Park that day needed a reminder of football’s merciless unpredictability, they got it in the form of Masson, a Scotsman whose grace and authority had just dismantled their lofty expectations with the quiet efficiency of a master craftsman.
Despite playing in the lower leagues for much of his career, Masson was never just another workhorse midfielder. His ability to dictate the tempo of a game, combined with his knack for scoring vital goals, made him stand out. It was no surprise, then, when First Division outfit Queens Park Rangers came calling in the middle of the 1974-75 season, securing his services for a fee of around £100,000. Moving to Loftus Road was a step up in class, but if Masson had any doubts about whether he belonged at the highest level, they were swiftly dispelled.
At QPR, under the guidance of Dave Sexton, Masson became an integral part of a side that played some of the most exhilarating football in England. Alongside the likes of Gerry Francis, Stan Bowles, and Dave Thomas, Masson helped Rangers mount an astonishing title challenge in the 1975-76 season, only to fall agonisingly short as Liverpool pipped them to the title by a single point. Yet, his contribution to that remarkable campaign was undeniable, his metronomic passing and calmness under pressure ensuring that QPR’s midfield functioned like clockwork.
However, football is rarely a fairytale, and as much as Masson thrived at QPR, his career took a less glittering turn when he was transferred to Derby County in October 1977 as part of a deal that saw Leighton James move in the opposite direction. Derby, a club that had won the First Division title just a few years earlier, were now in decline, and Masson found himself in a side struggling to recapture its former dominance. Nevertheless, his time at Derby was not without its moments, as he continued to demonstrate the same technical excellence and footballing intelligence that had defined his career.
Meanwhile, on the international stage, Don Masson was also making his mark. Winning 17 caps for Scotland, he played a crucial role in their successful British Home Championship campaign in 1976, scoring in an unforgettable 2-1 victory over England. His performances earned him a place in Scotland’s squad for the 1978 World Cup in Argentina, a moment of personal triumph that would, unfortunately, be overshadowed by a moment of misfortune. In Scotland’s opening match against Peru, Masson stepped up to take a crucial penalty with the score at 1-1. But football can be cruel, and his miss proved costly as Peru went on to win 3-1, a result that all but ended Scotland’s hopes of progressing in the tournament.
After his time at Derby, Masson’s career came full circle as he returned to Notts County in 1979, this time under the management of Howard Wilkinson. It was a return that would bring further success, as he helped guide the Magpies back to the First Division in the 1980-81 season, cementing his legendary status at Meadow Lane. His influence on the club was so profound that he was later voted their greatest-ever player by supporters, a testament to his impact and lasting legacy.
As his playing days wound down, Masson spent a brief spell in the United States before taking on a player-manager role at Kettering Town, where he ultimately retired from the game. However, his name lives on in the history of Notts County, with a lounge at Meadow Lane named in his honour.