Mike Masters (soccer)

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Mike Masters

| fullname = Michael Masters

| image = Mike Masters.1992.jpg

| upright = 0.9

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1967|4|26}}

| birth_place = Leesville, Louisiana, United States

| height = {{height|ft=6|in=4}}

| position = Forward

| youthyears1 = 1985–1988

| youthclubs1 = Williams College

| years1 = 1989–1990

| clubs1 = Albany Capitals

| caps1 =

| goals1 =

| years2 = 1990–1991

| clubs2 = San Francisco Bay Blackhawks

| caps2 = 16

| goals2 = 4

| years3 = 1990–1991

| clubs3 = → Colchester United (loan)

| caps3 = 11

| goals3 = 1

| years4 = 1991–1992

| clubs4 = Colchester United

| caps4 = 15

| goals4 = 7

| years5 = 1992–?

| clubs5 = Newbury Town

| caps5 =

| goals5 =

| years6 = ?–1994

| clubs6 = Boston Storm

| caps6 =

| goals6 =

| years7 = 1994–1997

| clubs7 = Long Island Rough Riders

| caps7 =

| goals7 =

| nationalyears1 = 1992

| nationalteam1 = United States

| nationalcaps1 = 1

| nationalgoals1 = 0

}}

Michael Masters (born April 26, 1967) is an American former professional soccer player who played as a forward. He is the first American to score a goal in Wembley Stadium. He played one season in the American Soccer League, three season in its successor, the American Professional Soccer League, and the end of the 1991-1992 English season during which his team, Colchester United, won the FA Trophy final. Masters also earned one cap with the U.S. national team in 1992.

High school and college

Born in Leesville, Louisiana, Masters grew up on Long Island and graduated from The Wheatley School of Old Westbury, New York in 1985. In 1991, the school inducted Masters into its Athletic Hall of Fame for his high school soccer, basketball and track and field exploits.{{cite news|title=WHEATLEY SCHOOL ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME |url=http://www.ewsdonline.org/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectiondetailid=2453&sc_id=1185486569&PHPSESSID=67a26fdf13b44c599ac665d386ca5fe6 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726043239/http://www.ewsdonline.org/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectiondetailid=2453&sc_id=1185486569&PHPSESSID=67a26fdf13b44c599ac665d386ca5fe6 |archive-date=26 July 2011 |work=The Wheatley School |publisher=East Williston School District |date=26 July 2011 |access-date=27 March 2020}} Masters then attended Williams College, a small NCAA Division III liberal arts college in Williamstown, Massachusetts. He chose Williams for its academic-athletic balance, and also because he wanted to play both soccer and basketball.

{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/blog/name/93/post/1840109/headline |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200327191748/https://www.espn.com/soccer/blog/name/93/post/1840109/headline |archive-date=27 March 2020 |title=Mike Masters, the first American to score at Wembley |work=ESPN FC |publisher=ESPN Inc. |date=December 1, 2012 |accessdate=December 3, 2012}} At Williams, he played on the men's soccer team from 1985 to 1988. In 1987 and 1988 he was selected as a first team All American.[https://www.ncaa.org/library/records/soccer/soccer_records_book/2002/07MensAwards.pdf 2007 Mens Awards] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930210400/http://www.ncaa.org/library/records/soccer/soccer_records_book/2002/07MensAwards.pdf |date=2007-09-30 }} He finished his four years at Williams with a school record 44 goals, a record broken in 1996 by Brad Murray.{{cite news|title=Murray's Two Goal Performance Leads Williams to Victory Over North Adams |url=http://web.williams.edu/athletics/news.php?id=3265&sport=18&year=1996&type=general |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180419005438/http://web.williams.edu/athletics/news.php?id=3265&sport=18&year=1996&type=general |archive-date=19 April 2018 |work=Williams College |date=5 November 1996 |access-date=27 March 2020}} Masters also served as captain of both the soccer and basketball teams.

Professional career

Following his graduation from Williams in 1989, Masters signed with the Albany Capitals of the American Soccer League (ASL). In 1990, the ASL merged with the Western Soccer League to form the American Professional Soccer League (APSL). Masters and the Capitals then played the 1990 and 1991 APSL seasons. In 1990, he was the third leading scorer in the APSL with 14 goals. In 1991, Masters scored seven goals as the Capitals went to the APSL title game only to lose to the San Francisco Bay Blackhawks. Despite this success, the Capitals folded during the off-season and Masters moved west to join the Blackhawks for the 1992 season. He played sixteen games, scoring four goals as the team finished 8-8.{{cite news|title=American Professional Soccer League 1992 Season |url=http://a-leaguearchive.tripod.com/1992/stats92.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200301103634/http://a-leaguearchive.tripod.com/1992/stats92.htm |archive-date=1 March 2020 |work=The A-League Archives |date=27 January 2007 |access-date=27 March 2020}}

At the end of the APSL season, Masters traveled to England for a trial with Colchester United which, after relegation the previous year, played in the GM Vauxhall Conference. The Conference is the fifth tier of English soccer and, while classified as 'non-league', still received significant media coverage and support from fans. Masters quickly attained cult status amongst Colchester supporters, scoring many vital goals in the club's promotion winning 1991–92 season, including a hat-trick in the final game — a 5–0 win against Barrow FC that saw the 'U's' promoted back to The Football League. A few days later, Masters headed the first goal in Colchester's 3–1 victory over Witton Albion in the FA Trophy final, sealing the so-called 'non-league' double for his side. That was the first goal scored by an American in a Wembley Stadium cup competition.

Despite Masters' productive time with Colchester, the British Home Office denied him a work permit and he returned to the United States.[https://web.archive.org/web/20110525150858/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=378113&root=americansabroad&&cc=5901 Soccer Net] In 1994, the Boston Storm traded Masters to the Long Island Rough Riders during the season.PLAYOFF BEGINS TONIGHT The Record (New Jersey) - Friday, August 5, 1994 He played for the Roughriders through the 1997 season.[http://www.liroughriders.com/history/325666.html Long Island Rough Riders All Time Stats] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120225120839/http://www.liroughriders.com/history/325666.html |date=2012-02-25 }}

International career

On June 27, 1992, Masters earned his only cap for the United States national team,{{cite news |title=Mike Masters |url=https://www.11v11.com/players/mike-masters-184927/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200327182043/https://www.11v11.com/players/mike-masters-184927/ |archive-date=27 March 2020 |work=11v11.com |publisher=AFS Enterprises Ltd |access-date=27 March 2020}} he replaced Eric Wynalda in the 59th minute of the 0–0 draw with Ukraine at Rutgers Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey.{{cite news |title=USA v Ukraine, 27 June 1992 |url=https://www.11v11.com/matches/usa-v-ukraine-27-june-1992-243618/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130507140314/http://www.11v11.com/matches/usa-v-ukraine-27-june-1992-243618/ |archive-date=7 May 2013 |work=11v11.com |publisher=AFS Enterprises Ltd |date=27 June 1992 |access-date=27 March 2020}}{{cite news|title=US-Ukraine - 0: 0 |url=http://www.kopanyi-myach.info/index.aspx?page=zbirna_matches&nomer=2 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170711153140/http://www.kopanyi-myach.info/index.aspx?page=zbirna_matches&nomer=2 |archive-date=11 July 2017 |work=Kopanyi-Myach.info |publisher=History of Ukrainian Soccer |access-date=27 March 2020 |language=Ukrainian}} In doing so, Masters became the first player to win a full international cap whilst playing for Colchester.{{cite news|title=Soccer: Sodje's international call |url=https://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/5514224.soccer-sodjes-international-call/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200327184905/https://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/5514224.soccer-sodjes-international-call/ |archive-date=27 March 2020 |work=Gazette-News.co.uk |publisher=Newsquest Media Group Ltd |date=29 May 2000 |access-date=27 March 2020}}

Post-soccer

Following his time with the national team, Mike spent some time coaching at DePaul University. He went on to receive his MBA at DePaul. He currently works on as an investment banker with Barclays Bank in London, Canary Wharf. He works in the high yield syndicate team. He is well known by financial issuers and investors, and has been on numerous well known European deals.

He resided in New York with his wife and son before moving to London, where he currently resides.

Honors

Colchester United{{cite web|url=http://www.Coludaybyday.co.uk/Statistics/Player%20Stats/PlayerHonours/PlayerConferenceNational.html |title=Conference Honors |work=Coludaybyday.co.uk}}{{cite web|url=http://www.Coludaybyday.co.uk/Statistics/Player%20Stats/PlayerHonours/PlayerFATrophy.html |title=FA Trophy Honors |work=Coludaybyday.co.uk}}