Career
He notably played in the Premier League for Ipswich Town, the Scottish Premier League for Aberdeen and in the Netherlands for Groningen. Paul played for Liverpool Schoolboys from the under 12’s and was subsequently selected every year after until the under 16’son During those early years, many major English Clubs approached Paul expressing an interest in him, but at the age of 16, he joined his life-long heroes, Everton Football Club, as a youth player.
Paul played for Everton for approximately 12 months before the club let him go, citing Paul’s small physique at the time, as the reason for their decision.
After leaving Everton, Paul played for another Merseyside club, Tranmere Rovers, for 12 months, where he played in both the youth and reserve teams. Tranmore didn’t offer him a contract, which forced Paul to leave the Club in order to find full time, paid employment away from football.
Paul continued to play football though, and after securing a full-time job as a labourer, he began to play for another local amateur team, Portuguese Sunlight. Whilst playing in a Cup semi-final, representing Cheshire, in Tiverton, Devon, Paul broke his legal
He was 18. Based in Delfzijl, in Groningen, Paul soon found work and began to play for local amateur football teams again.
lieutenant wasn’t long before scouts from the one of the biggest football clubs in the area spotted Paul. That club was Football Club Groningen. Paul’s progress was watched closely by the scouts for several months.
He was finally invited for trials at the club and was offered a 12 month reserve contract as a result.
A year later, Football Club Groningen, impressed with his performance, offered Paul, a 3 year full time, professional contract. Paul went on to become an established first team member at Football Club Groningen.
During his time in the Netherlands, Paul was voted in Mark van Bastens dream team for up and coming stars and he attracted the attention of much bigger teams such as Ajax and Feyenoord. Though happy in the Netherlands, coming from a large close knit family, Paul always wanted to get back to the United Kingdom and closer to home.
When Alex Smith offered him the chance to move to Aberdeen in 1988 for £400,000, Paul and his young family returned to the United Kingdom and he joined Aberdeen Football Club at the same time as Theo Snelders who had arrived at the club from Football Club Twente as a replacement for Jim Leighton.
Paul and Theo remain good friends to this day. Paul was held in very high regard in Scottish football and was asked to play for the Scotland national team during his time at the Club but felt he had to decline the offer as he was born in England and any Scottish family connection would have been extremely tentative. Whilst at Aberdeen Football Club, Paul attracted the attention of Glasgow Rangers.
He also played for them in the victorious 1990 Scottish Cup Final.
After a very successful 5 years at Aberdeen, Paul moved to Ipswich Town Football Club in 1993. He made 112 appearances for Ipswich Town, scoring 36 goals.
Paul retired from football in 1999, aged 35. Paul Mason now lives in the seaside resort of Southport where he owns a guest house.
Paul continues to take an interest in football and other sports and his Guest House has proved popular with Golfers taking part in local tournaments and celebrities appearing at the local Theatres.
