Roy Massey: A Life in Football and a Coach to the Stars

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He wanted to see the type of lads that we’d got and we beat them fairly comfortably, in all three age groups. He did this again in Hereford six years later, gaining respect for his work with the choir. Hereford involved overseeing the events of the Three Choirs Festival, and Massey is proud of the works that he commissioned during his time as conductor of concerts there, including the Requiem by Geoffrey Burgon. He had two good feet but the coaching staff thought he was stronger on his left. He showed composure on the ball. He had strength and pace but the slight concern was that as he got older his success would not be maintained once the other players could compete physically with him.He was an unbelievable young player. We saw him when he was eight years old, playing for Luton Town, and we paid compensation for him. As a schoolboy, he was exceptional between the ages of eight and 18 and we all thought we've got a fantastic young player for many years to come, competing for Arsenal in midfield." Then from Stanway I went to Thomas Lord Audley as head of department and all that time, I was working with Colchester United’s youth development policy. They had an X-ray but it didn’t show and it took some time to discover what the problem was, so I was out for the rest of that season. I feel ever so sad when I look at the league tables over the last three or four years with the club more or less just avoiding relegation,” said former centre-forward Roy, who bagged 11 goals in his first 13 appearances for Colchester.

He was an unbelievable young player. We saw him when he was eight years old, playing for Luton Town, and we paid compensation for him. Over the following months Mark continued to develop his game and no doubt his efforts helped him, in part, take his mind off the devastation of losing his father at such a young age.” When I was playing, Rotherham United were usually assured by February, certainly early March, that they weren't going to be relegated or promoted. Therefore, for the last two months of the season, there'd be less pressure on the manager than there is today, as almost every club, right up to the last week of the season might have a chance of getting promotion or are in danger of being relegated. While still training with the club out of contract, and after a broken ankle injury, he was offered a lifeline when invited on a trip to play Bayern Munich in Germany and leapt at the chance — turning down an offer from Stevenage — and impressed so much he was offered a Gunners’ scholarship.Born in Birmingham, Massey was educated at Moseley Grammar School and the University of Birmingham, where he was awarded the degree of Bachelor of Music (BMus). He also holds the diplomas of FRCO(CHM) and the Archbishop's Diploma in Church Music (ADCM). He has an infectious laugh and made everyone feel welcome," added Iwobi. "He gave all of us equal opportunities to get on to the pitch during matches. He gave us belief and freedom to enjoy our football and to express ourselves." Alan was impressed and asked the eight-year-old to come and train at the Arsenal academy, where he subsequently stayed for many years before signing professionally for the Gunners."

Your life to me is planned out. What happened is in the past. I have no hatred against the Japanese, they were good fighters.” The last time Roy was at the JobServe Community Stadium he saw in action for Colchester two of the players he signed at Arsenal at the age of eight – Sanchez Watt and Craig Eastmond. Upon returning to Yorkshire Massey completed his studies to become a schoolteacher before signing for Rotherham United. He made his Millers debut in a league match at Cardiff City on 24 April 1965 and rewarded manager Danny Williams with two goals against the Bluebirds despite their 3-2 defeat at Ninnian Park.The penultimate chapter lists various organ recitals that Massey carried out, and it is clear that retirement has not meant an end to his career. The book includes many photos, including one of Massey next to the gargoyle made in his likeness, which you can see in the Lady chapel at Hereford Cathedral. He recalls finding the words of services very strange when he first joined the choir of St Martin’s, Birmingham, aged seven. He found the psalms quite difficult to read and chanting them even more bewildering at first, but he loved hymns and their tunes right from the start and soon discovered favourites among the anthems he sang, especially if they were composed by Haydn, Handel or Mendelssohn. He felt pride when walking in the great procession of men and boys as they entered the stalls in front of a large congregation – except when some senior had purloined the stud off his Eton collar and he had to make do with the last-minute substitution of an elastic band. Colchester were in English football’s third tier then but have struggled to preserve their League Two status over recent seasons. At the end if the 1971-72 seasons campaign he enjoyed a benefit match against local rivals Ipswich Town in his honour. Roy signed for his local team in July 1964 aged 20. Prior to that he spent some time in the capital were he was an amateur with Division One club Arsenal, but turned down a professional contract with the Highbury club to return to South Yorkshire.

The Revd Ronald Corp, an assistant priest at St Alban’s, Holborn, in London, is a composer and conductor. Obviously I was distraught; I had to carry on teaching but couldn’t carry on working with the Colchester United youth set-up,” he said. My knee went again halfway through that second season at Colchester and I had to have another operation. Roy's memoirs are engaging and fascinating, and the reader will enjoy the story as well as the many characters that have influenced Roy's career along the way.

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