Masson recalls top advice from Notts boss Sirrel
AND LEGENDARY MAGPIES MIDFIELDER LOOKS BACK ON DAY HE JOINED QPR
DON Masson led Notts County to three promotions during his two eventful spells at Meadow Lane and the talented Scottish midfielder will forever hold a prominent place in the club’s history.
He witnessed so many changes as County made their way up from the Fourth Division to the First and the crucial games and goals – plus all the big characters involved – are revealingly featured in his classic new autobiography ‘Still Saying Sorry’.
Here, we exclusively bring you extracts from his book to whet your appetite:
Masson on Jack Wheeler, who appointed him as club captain during his spell as caretakermanager
I launched a self-imposed regime for doing extra training.
I was utterly determined to make a success of the opportunity I’d been given to make a fresh start with County.
Not much got past Jack. I knew he’d taken note and it soon prompted him to call me into his office.
He wanted me to captain the team. I was only 22 so it was a great honour.
I was absolutely delighted and that decision had a huge influence on my life.
It really brought out the best in me – and was an incredibly shrewd move on Jack’s part.
He knew changes would have to be made because we couldn’t carry on the way we were. We had an ageing team and several players were just seeing out their time.
But easing people out and bringing in others can sometimes lead to confrontation.
Jack definitely didn’t do confrontation but I think he could see it didn’t bother me in the slightest.
All I was interested in was playing my part in a team that won matches. I was more than willing to lead from the front.
Masson on Jimmy Sirrel, the legendary manager who had such a big influence on his career as they journeyed together up the leagues
I think the best of many pieces of advice Jimmy gave me was to ‘sell myself’.
It would have been easy after the way we’d stormed the Fourth Division to believe I’d made it as a player.
Just in case I was thinking that way, he made certain that I raised my sights and dedicated myself to setting new standards. He insisted I must always assume a manager or scout had come to watch me and would be studying my every move.
“Be sure to catch their eye … don’t let them give up on you after 30 minutes.”
Jimmy reckoned the best way to achieve that would be to get totally immersed in the game.
He wanted to see me getting on the ball at every opportunity and that included taking all the corners, free kicks and penalties - even the throw-ins. I didn’t need to be told twice.
Masson on finally getting chance to sample the First Division - at the age of 28
I know it must sound far-fetched but I refused to have a telephone installed at home because if I did that, people would want to talk to me!
That was all well and good but what about when someone needed me urgently?
On this occasion Jimmy Sirrel did and he had to call his wife Cathy and tell her to come round and bang on our door.
The whole thing was a bit cloak and dagger. You couldn’t make it up.
Her instructions were to tell me I must meet Jimmy at Nottingham station at 2pm.
“No discussion,” was Jimmy’s message - “just do it”.
Terms had been agreed for a move. That was all the information I had and weirdly, I didn’t have much more to work on as we boarded a train to London.
Maybe Arsenal needed a new central midfielder or was it Tottenham? I knew that Cyril Knowles, who was a good friend from our time together at Middlesbrough, had recommended me to Bill Nicholson.
It wouldn’t be Fulham because they were in the Second Division but what about Chelsea?
After weighing up all the possibilities as we sped through the countryside, my money was on Tottenham.
It really set the juices flowing and when we finally eased our way into St Pancras, Jimmy could keep his secret no longer.
He had to give the cab driver a destination and I heard him say: ‘Queens Park Rangers Football Club please.’ Was I disappointed?
Absolutely not. They were less fashionable than most of the other clubs in the capital but I knew they had good, experienced players. They were in a position to give me the platform I desperately wanted.
‘Still Saying Sorry,’ published by Bowlesmasson, costs £20 in hardback and is now available at all good bookshops, including Waterstones and the Notts County FC Club Shop, or on-line at www.donmasson.co. uk.