GoS: Player Details

You have Javascript disabled in your browser, so not all features of this site will function correctly. Consider changing your browser's security settings
to allow javascript, or include www.greensonscreen.co.uk as a trusted site. Feel free to contact me if I can help (steve@greensonscreen.co.uk).

To get in touch, please write to [email protected]

Greens on Screen started its life in 1999 before many of the football sites that we are familiar with today, including Plymouth Argyle's own official site. Greens on Screen is dedicated to the sights, sounds and history of Plymouth Argyle Football club. It is owned and run by the Plymouth Argyle Heritage Archive, a charity dedicated to the promotion, preservation, and display of the heritage of our great football club.

The site owes its existence to Steve Dean. Without Steve's dedication and commitment for over 25 years, GoS would not exist and be the valued and loved resource for all football fans that it is today. The site is truly the envy of many clubs, and we owe a huge debt to Steve for his tireless work, and continued support behind the scenes.

Greens on Screen's first page was published in January 1999. Its early purpose was to bring Plymouth Argyle a little closer to those unable to see their team, and whilst it has changed a great deal over the years, its core themes - sights and sounds for Westcountry exiles - still stand. The site was very lucky to take on the content of Trevor Scallan's Semper Viridis in the summer of 2007, and in 2009 launched GoS-DB, a wealth of facts and figures from PAFC's history. A year later, we embarked on a complete history of Argyle, with much-valued contributions from chapter authors. Greens on Screen was taken over by its new custodians, The Argyle Archive, in 2024.

Greens on Screen is an amateur website and proud of it. It is run by a team of volunteers from the Plymouth Argyle Heritage Archive (Argyle Archive). Without the hard work and much-valued contributions of these volunteers, running the site would not be possible. Greens on Screen is self-taught and as a result, a little bit quirky.

Greens on Screen remains advertisement free, which means we are grateful for the generous support of our donors and the work of our volunteers to help keep it free of promotions. If you would like to support the work of Greens on Screen, please consider donating to the Plymouth Argyle Heritage Archive.

GoS's sole aim is to be a service to fellow supporters, and we look forward to continuing to celebrate Argyle's history for many years to come.

Plymouth Argyle Heritage Archive.
April 2024

Can you help? This page is the result of the best endeavours of all concerned. If you spot a mistake or know of facts to add, or have a better photo, please get in touch using 'Contact Us' (top, right).

Back to GoS-DB Hub Find Another Player

FORBES PHILLIPSON-MASTERS

Full Name: Forbes Ernest Phillipson-Masters

Born: 14 November 1955

Came from: Southampton Went to: Bristol City

First game: 04 August 1979 Last game: 09 October 1982

Appearances: 139 (139/0) Goals: 0

The fabulously named Forbes Ernest Phillipson-Masters was born in Bournemouth, then in Hampshire, in November 1955.

He began his football career with Southampton, initially as a goalkeeper, but after being released by Lawrie McMenemy, Saints youth coach John McGrath persuaded him to try his luck as a centre-half. The switch proved successful and led to his first team debut during the 1976-77 season. His time at The Dell also included loan spells with Exeter City in 1976 (six appearances), home town club AFC Bournemouth in 1977 (seven appearances and two goals) and Luton Town in 1978 (10 appearances).

After making nine senior appearances for Southampton across five years, he joined Argyle for £50,000 in August 1979 as a Bobby Saxton signing. He spent four seasons at Home Park, making 139 appearances in Green while also playing under Bobby Moncur following Saxton's departure.

Phillipson-Masters then moved to Bristol City, where he spent three seasons. During his time at Ashton Gate he also enjoyed a second loan spell with Exeter City in 1985, making seven appearances and scoring once. After leaving the Robins, for whom he made 94 appearances and scored four goals, he spent a season with non-league Yeovil Town before returning to Dorset. He later moved into local non-league management and ran his own building company in Verwood.

His son, Ollie, played for Bournemouth Poppies in the Wessex League during the 2009-10 season.

Note: Phillipson-Masters is often thought to be the Argyle player with the longest name, although that is something of an urban myth. There have been players with even longer full names both before and since his time at Home Park.

As of 2025, he had even slipped outside the club's top 10 longest names, largely reflecting the increasingly diverse backgrounds of Argyle's players. The current record is held by 2021-22 loanee Timmy Abraham - Jason Timiebi Ogheneobrucheme Bakumo-Abraham in full - whose name comprises 41 characters.

Forbes may still, however, have a strong claim to the most memorable name in Argyle's history.

YOUR CONTRIBUTION

If you can add to this profile, perhaps with special memories, a favourite story or the results of your original research, please contribute here.

APPEARANCE DETAILS [reselect competitions]

The details below reflect appearances in all first-team competitions.

We are very grateful to many who have helped write GoS-DB's player pen-pictures, and to Dave Rowntree and the PAFC Media Team for their help with photos. Thanks also to staff at the National Football Museum, the Scottish Football Museum and ScotlandsPeople for their valuable assistance.

The following publications have been particularly valuable in the research of pen-pictures: Plymouth Argyle, A Complete Record 1903-1989 (Brian Knight, ISBN 0-907969-40-2); Plymouth Argyle, 101 Golden Greats (Andy Riddle, ISBN 1-874287-47-3); Football League Players' Records 1888-1939 (Michael Joyce, ISBN 1-899468-67-6); Football League Players' Records 1946-1988 (Barry Hugman, ISBN 1-85443-020-3) and Plymouth Argyle Football Club Handbooks.

Greens on Screen is run as a service to fellow supporters, in all good faith, without commercial or private gain. We have no wish to abuse copyright regulations and apologise unreservedly if this occurs. If you own any of the material on this site, and object to its inclusion, please get in touch using the 'Contact Us' button at the top of the page.