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F Billy Mason | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #7 |

1879-80 🕒 2 | ⚽ 2 | 🔥 0 | #7 |

Forward

Aston Villa player image

F Billy Mason | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #7 |

William Bernard Mason

Personal Profile

Aston Villa Crest 2025
Birth Date
Birthplace
Birth Country
Citizenship
Height
Foot
February 1855
Birmingham
England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
Personal

F Billy Mason | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #7 |

Villa Youth Record

Youth Record

n/a

F Billy Mason | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #7 |

Previous Clubs

Villa Crest 2025.jpg

Previous Clubs

Moseley Grasshoppers

Transfer In

F Billy Mason | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #7 |

Transfer In

Season
Joined Date
Aged
Fee
From
From
Signed Under
1879-80
1879
24
Free
Moseley Grasshoppers 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
Management Committee
Career

F Billy Mason | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #7 |

Villa Career

Villa Career

F Billy Mason | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 |
Aston Villa 1879-80 | Free |
FA Cup |
🕒 2 | ⚽ 2 | 🔥 0 | #7 |

Seasons Active | In Fee
Active in League
🕒 Games | Starts (Subs) | ⚽ Goals | 🔥 Assists | 🇺 Unused | Player Number |
🟩 Won | 🟨 Drew | 🟥 Lost |
Cards 🟨 Booking | 🟥 Sending Off |
Goalkeepers Only 🥅 Goals Conceded | ⛔ Clean Sheets |

F Billy Mason | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #7 |

Played Under

Managers

Management Committee 1879-80

Games 🕒, Starts ✅, Substitute 🔁, Won 🟩, Drew 🟨, Lost 🟥, Goals ⚽, Assists 🔥

F Billy Mason | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #7 |

Career Summary

Villa Crest 2025.jpg
🗓️
🕒
🔁
🇺
PPG
🟩
🟨
🟥
🟩 %
🟨 %
🟥 %
🔥
Yellow
Red
GI
GPG
GPGi
1
2
2
0
0
2
0
0
-
2
1.00

Seasons 🗓️, Games 🕒, Starts ✅, Substitute 🔁, Won 🟩, Drew 🟨, Lost 🟥, Unused 🇺, Goals ⚽, Assists 🔥, Goals per Game GPG, Points per Game PPG, Goal Involvements GI, Games per Goal GPG, Games per Goal Involvement GPGi

F Billy Mason | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #7 |

Competition Record

Football League Trophy.png
FA Cup Trophy.png
League Cup Trophy.png
Champions League Trophy.jpeg
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Champions League Trophy.jpeg
🕒 League
🕒 FA Cup
🕒 League Cup
🕒 Europe
🕒 European Cup
0
0
0
⚽ League
⚽ FA Cup
⚽ League Cup
⚽ Europe
⚽ European Cup
0
0
0
🔥 League
🔥 FA Cup
🔥 League Cup
🔥 Europe
🔥 European Cup
0
0
0
0
0
League Gi
FA Cup Gi
League Cup Gi
Europe Gi
European Cup Gi
0
0
0
League GPG
FA Cup GPG
League Cup GPG
Europe GPG
European Cup GPG
0.00
0.00
0.00
League GPGi
FA Cup GPGi
League Cup GPGi
Europe GPGi
European Cup GPGi
0.00
0.00
0.00

Games 🕒, Goals ⚽, Assists 🔥, Goals per Game GPG, Goal Involvements GI, Games per Goal GPG, Games per Goal Involvement GPGi

Seasons

F Billy Mason | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #7 |

Season by Season Record

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🗓️
🎂
〽️
🏆
🕒
🔁
🇺
PPG
🟩
🟩 %
🟨
🟨 %
🟥
🟥 %
🔥
Yellow
Red
GI
GPG
GPGi
1879-80
24
FAC
2
2
0
0
2
0
-
-
2
1.00

Seasons 🗓️, Age 🎂, League 〽️, Position 🏆, Games 🕒, Starts ✅, Substitute 🔁, Won 🟩, Drew 🟨, Lost 🟥, Unused 🇺, Goals Scored ⚽, Goals Conceded 🥅, Goals per Game GPG, Conceded per Game CPG, Goal Difference GD, Clean Sheets ⛔, Points per Game PPG, Goal Involvements GI, Games per Goal GPG, Games per Goal Involvement GPGi

F Billy Mason | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #7 |

Goalkeeping Record

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GK #
🕒
🥅
CPG
⛔ %
Season
🕒
🥅
CPG
⛔ %

Seasons 🗓️, Games 🕒, Goals Conceded 🥅, Goals per Game GPG, Conceded per Game CPG, Clean Sheets ⛔

F Billy Mason | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #7 |

Honours

Villa Honours

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Played for the Villa

F Billy Mason | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #7 |

Debuts & Dates

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Season
First Squad
Manager
1879-80
13 December 1879
Management Committee
Season
Debut
Manager
Aged
1879-80
13 December 1879
Management Committee
24
Game #
First Goal
Scorer(s)
Game #
First Assist
Game #
First Clean Sheet
Season
Final Game
Aged
Manager
1879-80
24 January 1880
24
Management Committee
Season
Final Squad
Manager
1879-80
24 January 1880
Management Committee
Debut
Loans

F Billy Mason | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #7 |

Loans Out

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Loans

None

Transfer Out

F Billy Mason | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #7 |

Transfer Out

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Season
Date
Aged
Fee
To
To
Left Under
1879-80
1880
24
Free
Wednesbury Town 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
Management Committee

F Billy Mason | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #7 |

Subsequent Clubs

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Subsequent Clubs

Wednesbury Town
Retired

Quotes

F Billy Mason | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #7 |

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Quotes

Biography

F Billy Mason | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #7 |

Biography

Villa Crest 2025.jpg

Player #7 for Aston Villa, William Bernard Mason, known as Billy Mason played as a forward for the club.

Billy made his debut in the 1879-80 FA Cup campaign - Villa’s first entry into the competition but he was to remain active with the Villa for just that one season.

That only told part of the story however as Billy was a Founder Member of Aston Villa FC and was appointed Honorary Secretary of Villa from foundation in May 1874.

Billy had also played in Villa’s first ever game in February 1875 vs. Aston Park, he also played in Aston Villa’s second game on 13 March 1875, against Aston Brook St. Mary’s Rugby Club.

Billy was born in Birmingham, just 3 miles from the current Villa ground, in February 1855 and made his FA Cup debut as a 24 year old.

Villa had signed him from Moseley Grasshoppers but he was only to appear on two occasions in the FA Cup, both in the 1879-80 season.

He did however score twice in the 3-1 2nd Round victory over Stafford Road played at Villa’s than home ground in. Wellington Road, Perry Barr.

Billy’s second and final game came on 24 January 1880 just over a month after his debut on 13th December 1879. He then moved on to Wednesbury Town.

Billy played in the era when team selection was made by a Management Committee rather than the latter day more typical Manager role.

Billy passed away in Birmingham in September 1922 aged 67.

Died

1 September 1922, Aged 67

Appearances

F Billy Mason | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #7 |

Appearances

2

Villa Crest 2025.jpg
Game
Matchday Summary
Match Squad
Game #1
🟨 13 Dec 1879, Villa 1-1 Stafford Road
Villa XI: GK John Ball | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | B Ted Lee | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | B Harry Simmonds | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | HB Tommy Pank | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | HB Sammy Law | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | HB Charlie Johnstone | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | IL Eli Davis | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | IR Andy Hunter | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 | IF Billy Mason | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | CF Archie Hunter | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 | CF William Crossland | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 |
Game #2
🟩 24 Jan 1880, Villa 3-1 Stafford Road, Wellington Road
Villa XI: GK John Ball | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | B Harry Simmonds | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | B Ted Lee | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | HB Tommy Pank | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | HB Sammy Law | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | IL Eli Davis | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | IF Billy Mason | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | IF George Ramsay | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 | IR Andy Hunter | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 | CF Archie Hunter | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 | CF William Crossland | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 |
Page 1 of 1

F Billy Mason | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #7 |

Starts

2

Villa Crest 2025.jpg
Game
Matchday Summary
Line Up
Game #1
🟨 13 Dec 1879, Villa 1-1 Stafford Road
GK John Ball | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 🟢 | B Ted Lee | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 🟢 | B Harry Simmonds | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 🟢 | HB Tommy Pank | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 🟢 | HB Sammy Law | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 🟢 | HB Charlie Johnstone | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 🟢 | IL Eli Davis | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 🟢 | IR Andy Hunter | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 | 🟢 | ⚽ | IF Billy Mason | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 🟢 | CF Archie Hunter | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 | 🟢 | CF William Crossland | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 🟢 |
Game #2
🟩 24 Jan 1880, Villa 3-1 Stafford Road, Wellington Road
GK John Ball | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 🔴 | B Harry Simmonds | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | B Ted Lee | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | HB Tommy Pank | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | HB Sammy Law | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | ⚽ | IL Eli Davis | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 🔥 | IF Billy Mason | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | ⚽ | ⚽ | 🔴 | IF George Ramsay | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 | 🟢 | 🔴 | IR Andy Hunter | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 | 🔥 | CF Archie Hunter | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 | CF William Crossland | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 |
Page 1 of 1
Starts
Subs

F Billy Mason | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #7 |

Substitute Appearances

0

Villa Crest 2025.jpg
Game
Matchday Summary
Substitutes
Page 1 of 1
Unused

F Billy Mason | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #7 |

Unused Substitute Appearances

0

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Game
Matchday Summary
Unused Substitutes
Page 1 of 1
Goals

F Billy Mason | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #7 |

Goals Scored

2

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Game
Matchday Summary
Scorer(s)
Game #2
🟩 24 Jan 1880, Villa 3-1 Stafford Road, Wellington Road
Scorer(s) | Billy Mason | 1-0 | 2-0 | Sammy Law | 3-0 |
Page 1 of 1
Assists

F Billy Mason | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #7 |

Assists Made

0

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Game
Matchday Summary
Assist(s)
Page 1 of 1
Cards

F Billy Mason | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #7 |

Cards Received

🟨

Villa Crest 2025.jpg

0

🟥

-

Game
Matchday Summary
Villa Cards
Page 1 of 1
International

F Billy Mason | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #7 |

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International Record

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International Career
Caps with Villa
Matches

F Billy Mason | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #7 |

Matches

Villa Crest 2025.jpg

F Billy Mason | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #7 |

🟨 13 Dec 1879, Villa 1-1 Stafford Road

AVFC.jpg
Fulham.gif

Game #1

Manager: Management Committee 1879-86
Referee: Unknown
HT Score: Unknown
FT Score: 🟨 1-1
FT Result: 🟨 Drew
Last 5 Games: 🟨

Season | 1879-80 |
Matchday | #1 |
Manager Game | #1 |
Saturday, 13 December 1879

FA Cup

Scorer(s) | Andy Hunter | 1-1 |

Assists(s) | Not recorded

Teams

AVFC.jpg

Starting XI

GK John Ball | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 🟢 |
B Ted Lee | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 🟢 |
B Harry Simmonds | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 🟢 |
HB Tommy Pank | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 🟢 |
HB Sammy Law | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 🟢 |
HB Charlie Johnstone | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 🟢 |
IL Eli Davis | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 🟢 |
IR Andy Hunter | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 | 🟢 | ⚽ |
IF Billy Mason | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 🟢 |
CF Archie Hunter | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 | 🟢 |
CF William Crossland | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 🟢 |

Substitutes

No Substitutions permitted in period

Unused Substitutes

No Substitutions permitted in period

Fulham.gif

Starting XI

GK E. Ray
B G. Selman
HB A. Mayor
HB H. Vaughan
HB A. Nicholls
F J. W. Whitehead
F C. Davies
F W. Arthur
F W. Tisdell
F H. Crane
F Charles Crump ⚽

Substitutes

No Substitutions permitted in period

Unused Substitutes

No Substitutions permitted in period

Match Timeline

🟢 | 1’ Debut, John Ball, Harry Simmonds, Tommy Pank, Sammy Law, Ted Lee, Eli Davis, Billy Mason, Archie Hunter, Charlie Johnstone, William Crossland and Andy Hunter
🥅 | Goal, 0-1, (Stafford Road), Charles Crump
⚽ | Goal, 1-1, Andy Hunter
🕒 | FT Stafford Road 1-1 Aston Villa

On This Day

  • Villa embark on their first ever FA Cup tie and are held to a draw on the Wolverhampton ground of Stafford Road Railway Works Football Club despite Andy Hunter's strike.

  • Villa face Stafford Road for the first time in competitive football, Stafford Road become the 1st team that the Villa first team has played in League or Cup football.

  • Villa received a Bye in the first round of the FA Cup and therefore made their Cup debut in the Second Round on the Wolverhampton ground of Stafford Road Railway Works Football Club needing an equaliser from Andy Hunter to force a replay at Wellington Road. 

  • John Ball, Harry Simmonds, Tommy Pank, Sammy Law, Ted Lee, Eli Davis, Billy Mason, Archie Hunter, Charlie Johnstone, William Crossland and Andy Hunter made their FA Cup debuts for the club.

  • Andy Hunter scores Villa's first ever goal in the competition.

F Billy Mason | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #7 |

🟩 24 Jan 1880, Villa 3-1 Stafford Road, Wellington Road

AVFC.jpg
Fulham.gif

Game #2

Manager: Management Committee 1879-86
Referee: L. H. Cofield | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 1880-
HT Score: 🟩 1-0
FT Result: 🟩 Won
FT Score: 🟩 3-1
Last 5: 🟨 🟩

Season | 1879-80 |
Matchday | #2 |
Manager Game | #2 |
Saturday, 24 January 1880

FA Cup

Scorer(s) | Billy Mason | 1-0 | 2-0 | Sammy Law | 3-0 |

Assist(s) | Eli Davis | 1-0 | Andy Hunter | 2-0 |

Teams

AVFC.jpg

Starting XI

GK John Ball | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 🔴 |
B Harry Simmonds | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 |
B Ted Lee | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 |
HB Tommy Pank | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 |
HB Sammy Law | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | ⚽ |
IL Eli Davis | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 🔥 |
IF Billy Mason | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | ⚽ | ⚽ | 🔴 |
IF George Ramsay | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 | 🟢 | 🔴 |
IR Andy Hunter | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 | 🔥 |
CF Archie Hunter | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 |
CF William Crossland | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 |

Substitutes

No Substitutions permitted in period

Unused Substitutes

No Substitutions permitted in period

Fulham.gif

Starting XI

GK E. Ray
B G. Selman
HB Muir
HB Grant
HB A. Nicholls
F C. Davies
F Reeves
F Holden
F H. Crane
F J. W. Whitehead
F Charles Crump ⚽

Substitutes

No Substitutions permitted in period

Unused Substitutes

No Substitutions permitted in period

Match Timeline

🟢 | 1’ Debut, George Ramsay
⚽ | Goal, 1-0, Billy Mason, Assist by Eli Davis
🕒 | HT Aston Villa 1-0 Stafford Road
⚽ | Goal, 2-0, Billy Mason, Assist by Andy Hunter
⚽ | Goal, 3-0, Sammy Law
🥅 | Goal, 3-1, (Stafford Road), Charles Crump
🕒 | FT Aston Villa 3-1 Stafford Road

On This Day

  • Villa play their first ever home FA Cup tie and comprehensively beat Stafford Road yet it would still prove to be their final FA Cup outing of the season. 

  • Having secured a draw in the original tie at the Wolverhampton ground of the Stafford Road Railway Works Football Club, 

  • Villa sweep aside their opponents in the replay at Wellington Road. 

  • Villa however, still an amateur and pecuniary disadvantaged club, had lost the toss for home status in the third round tie with Oxford University and withdrew from the competition being unable to formulate a side capable of fulfilling the fixture. 

  • Meanwhile, forward and future Villa leader George Ramsay made his sole appearance for Villa in the FA Cup whilst goalkeeper John Ball and forward Billy Mason made their final appearances for Villa.

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