Ten things: Joe Mason

Your ten-point guide to Wanderers' latest transfer recruit

1.    Joseph Mason was born in Plymouth on May 13, 1991.

2.    He joined his home-town club Plymouth Argyle as a youth player at the age of ten, and signed his first professional contract with the club in May 2009.

3.    His older brother, Anthony was also a professional at Plymouth, having signed a professional contract with the club in 2007. But despite featuring in a friendly against Real Madrid, Anthony was released without ever making a senior appearace.

4.    A prolific goalscorer for Plymouth at youth and reserve level, he was part of the Argyle side that won the Football Combination reserves league in 2009.

5.    Although English-born, Mason is eligible to play for the Republic of Ireland by virtue of his mother, and has represented the Emerald Isle at Under-19 and Under-21 level.

6.    He made his Plymouth debut against Sheffield United in December 2009, before scoring his first professional goal in the return fixture two months later.

7.    After joining Cardiff City in a £250,000 deal in July 2011 the forward enjoyed an eventful first year in South Wales, opening the scoring in the 2012 League Cup final as the Bluebirds lost to Liverpool on penalties, before going on to be part of the side that lost in the Championship play-off semi-finals against West Ham United.

8.    The forward scored 12 goals in 46 appearances during his first year with Cardiff, with his efforts earning him the club’s 2011/12 Young Player of the Year award.

9.    A member of the Cardiff City side that won promotion to the Premier League for the first time in 2013, he made 29 appearances over the course of the season, scoring six goals. 

10.    Mason returns to BL6 having enjoyed two separate loan spells with the Whites last season. In total, he scored six goals in 16 appearances as a temporary member of Dougie Freedman’s squad.
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