Stuart James Mason (2 June 1948 – 5 February 2006) was an English professional footballer who made appearances in
The Football League
The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, the league is the oldest such competition in the world. It was the top-level football league in Engla ...
for five clubs. The vast majority of his time was spent with
Chester
Chester is a cathedral city and the county town of Cheshire, England. It is located on the River Dee, close to the English–Welsh border. With a population of 79,645 in 2011,"2011 Census results: People and Population Profile: Chester Loca ...
and
Wrexham
Wrexham ( ; cy, Wrecsam; ) is a city and the administrative centre of Wrexham County Borough in Wales. It is located between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley, near the border with Cheshire in England. Historically in the county ...
, mainly from full–back.
Playing career
Mason was born in
Whitchurch, Shropshire
Whitchurch is a market town in the north of Shropshire, England. It lies east of the Welsh border, 2 miles south of the Cheshire border, north of the county town of Shrewsbury, south of Chester, and east of Wrexham. At the 2011 Census, the ...
and educated at
Sir John Talbot's School there.
He began his playing days as a youngster with Shropshire-based non-league side
Whitchurch Alport, which led to him joining
Wrexham
Wrexham ( ; cy, Wrecsam; ) is a city and the administrative centre of Wrexham County Borough in Wales. It is located between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley, near the border with Cheshire in England. Historically in the county ...
as a 16-year-old in November 1964.
He made his first-team debut in January 1966 and was selected for England Youth three times in the following months.
In October 1966 he completed a memorable year when he moved to
Liverpool
Liverpool is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the List of English districts by population, 10th largest English district by population and its E ...
.
Mason was unable to break into the first-team squad at
Anfield
Anfield is a football stadium in Anfield, Liverpool, Merseyside, England, which has a seating capacity of 53,394, making it the seventh largest football stadium in England. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 189 ...
and after a brief loan spell at
Doncaster Rovers
Doncaster Rovers Football Club is a professional association football club based in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. The team compete in League Two, the fourth tier of the English football league system. The club play their home games at T ...
he rejoined
Wrexham
Wrexham ( ; cy, Wrecsam; ) is a city and the administrative centre of Wrexham County Borough in Wales. It is located between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley, near the border with Cheshire in England. Historically in the county ...
in June 1968. He was largely a regular over the next five years, playing in the
Division Four
The Football League Fourth Division was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season. Whilst the division disappeared in name ...
promotion winning side in
1969–70 and appearing in
European Cup Winners Cup
The UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a European football club competition contested annually by the winners of domestic cup competitions. The cup was, chronologically, the second seasonal inter-European club competition organised by UEFA. The tourna ...
action after Wrexham lifted the
Welsh Cup
The FAW Welsh Cup ( cy, Cwpan Cymdeithas Pêl-droed Cymru), currently known as the JD Welsh Cup for sponsorship reasons, is a knock-out football competition contested annually by teams in the Welsh football league system. It is considered the mo ...
in 1972.
In 1973 Mason made the short journey across the border to transfer to
Chester
Chester is a cathedral city and the county town of Cheshire, England. It is located on the River Dee, close to the English–Welsh border. With a population of 79,645 in 2011,"2011 Census results: People and Population Profile: Chester Loca ...
for £2,000,
where he was again initially a regular player. His most memorable contributions came in the club's glorious
1974–75 season, when they defied all expectations to face
Aston Villa
Aston Villa Football Club is a professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham, England. The club competes in the , the top tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1874, they have played at their home ground, Villa P ...
in the
Football League Cup
The EFL Cup (referred to historically, and colloquially, as the League Cup), currently known as the Carabao Cup for sponsorship reasons, is an annual knockout competition and major trophy in men's domestic football in England. Organised by th ...
semi–finals. Trailing 4–2 on aggregate in the second leg, Mason scored a stunning goal
to give Chester hope in a tie they eventually lost 5–4. Later in the season he scored the winner on the final day of the season at
Crewe Alexandra
Crewe Alexandra Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Crewe, Cheshire, that competes in League Two, the fourth tier of the English football league system. Nicknamed 'The Railwaymen' because of ...
that ultimately secured promotion from
Division Four
The Football League Fourth Division was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season. Whilst the division disappeared in name ...
for Chester and ensured he would hold hero status with supporters.
Two years later Mason scored in Chester's 4–1 second leg win over
Port Vale
Port Vale Football Club are a professional football club based in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, England, which compete in . Vale are the only English Football League club not to be named after a place; their name being a reference to the valley of ...
to help the club win the
Debenhams Cup
The Debenhams Cup was one of several short-lived football competitions introduced in the 1970s and 1980s, along with the Watney Cup, Texaco Cup, Anglo-Scottish Cup, the Super Cup and Full Members' Cup. It lasted for just two seasons ( 1976–77 ...
, their first national English trophy.
Mason played his last game for Chester in a 1–1 draw with
Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is a professional football club based in the city of Plymouth, Devon, England. As of the 2021–22 season, the team are competing in League One, the third tier of English football. They have played at Home Park ...
on 8 October 1977. The same month saw him play his final
Football League
The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, the league is the oldest such competition in the world. It was the top-level football league in Engla ...
matches out on loan at
Crewe Alexandra
Crewe Alexandra Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Crewe, Cheshire, that competes in League Two, the fourth tier of the English football league system. Nicknamed 'The Railwaymen' because of ...
(having spent time with
Rochdale
Rochdale ( ) is a large town in Greater Manchester, England, at the foothills of the South Pennines in the dale on the River Roch, northwest of Oldham and northeast of Manchester. It is the administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough ...
the previous year). In December 1977 Mason moved to
Bangor City, where he was to have a spell as manager. Mason was later at
Rhyl
Rhyl (; cy, Y Rhyl, ) is a seaside town and community in Denbighshire, Wales. The town lies within the historic boundaries of Flintshire, on the north-east coast of Wales at the mouth of the River Clwyd ( Welsh: ''Afon Clwyd'').
To the west ...
,
Oswestry Town
Oswestry Town Football Club was a football club from Shropshire, playing at Victoria Road. They joined the Birmingham League in 1924 and switched to the Cheshire County League in 1959. In 1975 they made the move to the Southern League before ...
and
Coedpoeth
Coedpoeth () is a village and community in Wrexham County Borough, Wales. The built-up area with Minera had a population of 5,723 in the 2011 census.
Locality
Coedpoeth is on a hill between the Clywedog and Gwenfro valleys, surrounded by cou ...
and continued to play for veterans teams.
A former captain of
Shropshire County Cricket Club
Shropshire County Cricket Club is one of twenty minor county clubs within the domestic cricket structure of England and Wales. It represents the historic county of Shropshire.
The team is a member of the Minor Counties Championship Western D ...
in 1986,
[ Mason ran his own sports shop in ]Wrexham
Wrexham ( ; cy, Wrecsam; ) is a city and the administrative centre of Wrexham County Borough in Wales. It is located between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley, near the border with Cheshire in England. Historically in the county ...
and had a spell back with the Welsh side as assistant commercial manager.
In later years he was involved in coaching Chester's youngsters. Mason's son, Simon, currently plays for Wrexham Supporters club. Operating as a central midfielder
Honours
Wrexham
• Football League Division Four
The Football League Fourth Division was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season. Whilst the division disappeared in name i ...
runners-up: 1969–70 (39 apps, 1 goal)
• Welsh Cup
The FAW Welsh Cup ( cy, Cwpan Cymdeithas Pêl-droed Cymru), currently known as the JD Welsh Cup for sponsorship reasons, is a knock-out football competition contested annually by teams in the Welsh football league system. It is considered the mo ...
winners: 1971–72.
Chester
• Football League Division Four
The Football League Fourth Division was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season. Whilst the division disappeared in name i ...
promotion as fourth placed team: 1974–75.
• Football League Cup
The EFL Cup (referred to historically, and colloquially, as the League Cup), currently known as the Carabao Cup for sponsorship reasons, is an annual knockout competition and major trophy in men's domestic football in England. Organised by th ...
semi-finalists: 1974–75.
• Debenhams Cup
The Debenhams Cup was one of several short-lived football competitions introduced in the 1970s and 1980s, along with the Watney Cup, Texaco Cup, Anglo-Scottish Cup, the Super Cup and Full Members' Cup. It lasted for just two seasons ( 1976–77 ...
winners: 1976–77.
External links
Chester City obituary
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mason, Stuart
1948 births
2006 deaths
People from Whitchurch, Shropshire
Association football fullbacks
English footballers
English Football League players
Whitchurch Alport F.C. players
Wrexham A.F.C. players
Liverpool F.C. players
Doncaster Rovers F.C. players
Chester City F.C. players
Rochdale A.F.C. players
Crewe Alexandra F.C. players
Bangor City F.C. players
Rhyl F.C. players
Oswestry Town F.C. players
English football managers
Shropshire cricketers
English cricketers
Chester City F.C. non-playing staff
Bangor City F.C. managers
Barnton F.C. managers