Judy Masters
Personal information
Full name James William Masters
Date of birth (1892-05-21)21 May 1892
Place of birth Balgownie, NSW, Australia
Date of death 2 December 1955(1955-12-02) (aged 63)
Place of death Balgownie, NSW, Australia
Position(s) Centre forward
Youth career
1901-1904 Balgownie Rangers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1904–1911 Balgownie Rangers
1912–1913 Newtown
1914–1915 Granville
1919-1929 Balgownie Rangers
International career
1923–1924 Australia 6 (5)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals
James Masters
AllegianceAustralia
Service/branchAustralian Army
Years of service1915–1919
RankSergeant
Unit19th Battalion
Battles/warsGallipoli
Western Front

James William "Judy" Masters (21 May 1892 – 2 December 1955) was a football (soccer) player who captained the Australia national association football team in five matches in 1923 and 1924.[1] Masters was recognised as one of Australia's best players of his time. In over 400 club and representative games he was never cautioned.[2]

Biography

Masters was born in 1892 to Alexander George Masters and Frances Eliza Masters, née Campbell and was one of thirteen children. His father had been a miner born in Nova Scotia and his mother was from Sydney.[1]

Masters first captained the Balgownie Public School team at the age of 12.

Club career

He then joined Balgownie Rangers Soccer Club (the oldest surviving football club in Australia) in 1904, gaining selection for the senior side at the age of 15 in 1907 after being coached by Tom Thompson, and played alongside Dave Ward and Frank Smith.[3]

Masters went on to captain Balgownie Rangers, South Coast FC, and received representative honours with New South Wales (who he first played for in 1908 when 16, at inside-right), then Granville and Newton after enlisting at the Liverpool barracks before departing for service at Gallipoli and in France. He led an AIF team which was formed in France after the Armistice in 1918.

When he returned to Australia, Masters rejoined Balgownie in their undefeated 1921 championship side.

International career

Masters appeared 22 times for Australia including six full international matches. He was captain of Australia five times in full internationals.

His first match for the national side came in 1924 in a B international against a Chinese Universities team on 8 August, when he scored four times. He was captain of Australia in: five games against the Chinese Universities team in 1923, all five tests against Canada in 1924, and three games against FC Bohemians Praha of Czechoslovakia in 1927.[4]

Outside football

While playing Masters worked as a miner at the Corrimal coal mine.[1]

After retiring, he became an executive officer for the South Coast Soccer Association.

For over a decade Masters was master of the Balgownie Citizens' Band.[1]

Military service

Masters served in the Australian Imperial Force between 1915 until the end of World War I. He was in the front line at Gallipoli and later at the Western Front. In 1916, at Pozières on the Western Front, Masters was injured in the shoulder.[1]

Career statistics

International

National team Year Competitive Friendly Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Australia 1923 0 0 1 0 1 0
1924 0 0 5 5 5 5
Career total 0 0 6 5 6 5
Scores and results list Australia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Australia goal.
List of international goals scored by Judy Masters
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition Ref.
1 7 June 1924 Brisbane Cricket Ground, Brisbane, Australia  Canada 2–1 3–2 Friendly [5]
2 3–1
3 23 June 1924 Royal Agricultural Showground, Sydney, Australia  Canada – 4–1 Friendly [6]
4 –
5 26 July 1924 Royal Agricultural Showground, Sydney, Australia  Canada 1–0 1–0 Friendly [7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Masters, James William (1892–1955)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Australian National University. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
  2. ^ "James (Judy) Masters". Football Hall of Fame. Football Federation Australia. Archived from the original on 7 January 2011. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
  3. ^ "Australian Player Database - M". ozfootball.net. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
  4. ^ The Australian National Men's Football Team: Caps And Captains. Football Federation Australia.
  5. ^ "SOCCER FOOTBALL". The Bundaberg Mail. Vol. 54, no. 8, 701. Queensland, Australia. 9 June 1924. p. 5. Retrieved 21 December 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "SOCCER CODE". Daily Mail. No. 6656. Queensland, Australia. 26 June 1923. p. 8. Retrieved 21 December 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "INTER-DOMINION SOCCER". The Register (Adelaide). Vol. LXXXIX, no. 26, 079. South Australia. 28 July 1924. p. 6. Retrieved 21 December 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
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