The Premier League talent from Portsmouth past now in 7th tier as former Coventry City and Watford man seals move
He was cruelly denied a Pompey deal after rubbing shoulders with De Bruyne, Aguero and Toure. Now the former Premier League starlet has moved to the seventh tier of English football at the age of 27.
He was one of a procession of triallists in the summer of 2021, as Danny Cowley assembled his squad for a first full season at the Pompey helm.
Yet fate was to strike a cruel blow as injury dashed hopes of the former Premier League man earning a Fratton deal, which could well have been in the offing.
Brandon Mason was to go under the knife for a hamstring issue which put paid to his time at PO4 following a single warm-up outing at Bristol City, after being given the chance to earn a Fratton deal while with Coventry City.
He said: ‘Brandon did just fine against Bristol City.
‘He’s an athletic, overlapping full-back with good technical qualities, one that we’ve known for quite a while.
'For us, it’s an opportunity to take a look and, from there, we will try to make some intelligent decisions. And also for him to look at us, which is equally as important.’
Within weeks of the injury, however, Mason had been paid up by the Sky Blues with a year remaining on his deal, as he faced a gruelling period of rehab and not kicking a competitive ball until the following season.
Fast forward four years and the Londoner is on the move again, but this time to the seventh tier of the game at the age of 27.
Farnham Town’s Memorial Ground is a world away from taking on Yaya Tour, Kevin De Bruyne and Sergio Aguero, as Mason did on full Premier League debut for Watford in 2017 after three previous appearances for the Hornets.
Yet, it’s to be Mason’s home next season in a career which has dropped out of the pro ranks and into the non-league game with spells at MK Dons, Crawley Town, Wealdstone and most recently St Albans.
De Bruyne and Aguero to the Memorial Ground
Paul Johnson’s side are stepping up to the Southern League Premier Division next term after title success this season, with the left-back bolstering his squad last night.
It means Mason has dropped the pinnacle of the English game to Step Three of the football pyramid in eight years, with Johnson delighted to have landed a player of his experience.
He told Farnham’s official site: ‘We knew the left side was an area we wanted to address this summer, bringing in a player who is a natural down that flank and could add real quality to the side, and Brandon is exactly that.
‘He’s been in the pro game, has played his entire career in the Football League or at the top end of the Non-League system and has enjoyed a great career so far.
‘That experience in the pro game is going to be big for us, bringing that into our dressing room and being a vocal leader in the group is something we’re looking forward to seeing Brandon add.
‘As a player, his quality speaks for itself and I expect him to settle in fast. He’s a great lad and I look forward working closely with him this season.’