Gavin Alexander Massey (born 4 October 1992) is an English former professional footballer who played as a forward or winger. Massey was a versatile attacker who could play as a forward or as a winger.
Massey was one of the first players to progress through the Watford-affiliated Harefield Academy, where he broke into the first team in 2010. During his time with Watford, Massey was loaned to Wealdstone, Yeovil Town and twice to Colchester United. In 2012, Massey joined Colchester permanently, where he made over 150 league appearances. He joined Leyton Orient in the summer of 2016 before signing for Wigan Athletic a year later. He spent five seasons with Wigan, helping them to the League One title in the 2017–18 and 2021–22 seasons and featuring in over 50 Championship matches. He was released from Wigan in June 2022 and joined Port Vale the following month. He spent two seasons with Vale before joining non-League club AFC Fylde for one season and then Bury in September 2025. He retired after winning the Northern Premier League Division One West title with Bury in 2025–26.
Career Watford Born in Watford, Massey grew up within of Watford Football Club's Vicarage Road stadium. He became one of the first players to progress through the club-affiliated Harefield Academy, which he joined in 2007, having been with the club since the age of nine. He helped the Watford reserve team to the East Division title during the first year of his scholarship in 2010. Following his good form for the youth team and reserve sides, Watford manager Malky Mackay named Massey in his squad for the final game of the 2009–10 season. He made his debut in the Championship match at Coventry City on 2 May 2010, replacing Danny Graham 85 minutes into the game.
After attracting attention from Premier League clubs, including Liverpool, Massey signed a two-year professional contract with Watford in May 2010. Despite the interest, Massey claimed that he "never thought about moving" to Liverpool, as he wished to learn his trade at Watford. He featured in the club's first-team throughout pre-season, claiming a goal in a 3–1 win against Wealdstone on 28 July. During the season, Massey featured for both the under-18 and reserve sides. He scored a hat-trick against Milton Keynes Dons for the under-18 side in November 2010, and on the back of his performances, Mackay once again drafted Massey into his first-team squad, this time for the visit of Sven-Göran Eriksson's Leicester City on 4 December. Massey made his first appearance of the season in the game, replacing Marvin Sordell after 87 minutes of the 3–2 victory. He was brought on as a late substitute during Watford's 4–1 home win over Cardiff City on 28 December, and again in a 3–0 win against Portsmouth on 1 January 2011. Massey then made his first FA Cup outing on 8 January, substituting Sordell after 83 minutes of their 4–1 win over Hartlepool United.
After helping Watford's under-18s to the FA Youth Cup quarter-finals, Massey joined Isthmian League Premier Division side Wealdstone on 7 March 2011 on loan until the end of the season as they chased a play-off place. Massey continued to train with Watford while at Wealdstone, He made his debut for the club the same day, featuring in the 0–0 draw with Tonbridge Angels. Massey scored his first goal for the club on 2 April during a 3–1 defeat to Concord Rangers. Massey was recalled by Watford on 22 April after making six appearances and scoring one goal for Wealdstone.
For the 2011–12 pre-season, Massey once again featured in the opening game, a 2–2 draw with Boreham Wood on 9 July 2011. Shortly afterwards, Massey signed a new contract extension with Watford to keep him at the club until 2013. He made his first appearance of the season under new manager Sean Dyche on 13 August, replacing Craig Forsyth after 87 minutes of Watford's 1–0 home defeat to Derby County. He replaced Chris Iwelumo after 56 minutes of Watford's 4–0 home defeat to West Ham United on 16 August, Massey then made his first appearance in the League Cup on 23 August when he was a half-time substitute for Mark Yeates in the 1–1 draw with Bristol Rovers, a match which Watford eventually lost 4–2 after a penalty shoot-out.
Massey joined League One club Yeovil Town on loan for one month on 12 September 2011. He made his debut as a 67th-minute substitute for Kieran Agard in the Glovers' 1–0 win over Wycombe Wanderers on 13 September. After making three substitute appearances for the club, Yeovil manager Terry Skiverton was keen on extending Massey's loan stay, saying that he had "trained really well" and he would "be getting his chance sooner rather than later". He made his first professional start on 4 October when Yeovil travelled to Bournemouth in the Football League Trophy. He played the full 90 minutes of the 3–2 defeat. Massey's loan was then extended until 6 November, before starting his first league match against Colchester United. He scored his first professional goal in the game on 8 October, putting the ball through the legs of Colchester goalkeeper Ben Williams after just 40 seconds of play. The U's pegged Yeovil back to 2–1, but Massey scored a second to tie the match at 2–2 after 63 minutes.
His loan was extended for a third month on 3 November, keeping him at Huish Park until 11 December. Massey scored his third and final goal for Yeovil two days later, equalising after 29 minutes of a 2–2 draw with Chesterfield. His deal was again extended until 14 January 2012 on 7 December, with Massey beginning to hold down a regular starting position in Terry Skiverton's side. Having made 16 appearances in all competitions, Massey's loan was again extended until mid-February on 4 January 2012.
On 9 January, Yeovil manager Terry Skiverton was demoted to assistant manager, with the club replacing him with Gary Johnson. Subsequently, Massey would make his final appearance for Yeovil on 10 January in their 4–0 reverse at Sheffield United, replacing Steve MacLean after half-time. Despite signing a loan extension the previous week, Johnson decided to allow Massey to return to Watford on 12 January. He left having scored three goals in his 17 games for the club.
Colchester United Massey joined Colchester United on a one-month loan on 19 January 2012, the club against which he scored his first professional goals. He became John Ward's first signing of the January transfer window, after taking assurance from Sean Dyche on Massey's quality. Massey made his debut for Colchester as a 54th-minute substitute for Andy Bond on 21 January in a 2–1 defeat to bottom club Chesterfield at the Colchester Community Stadium. He made his third and final appearance on 14 February, playing the full 90 minutes of a 2–1 win over Brentford. Ahead of what was meant to be the last game of his loan spell against his former side Yeovil, Massey was recalled by Watford after Marvin Sordell moved to Bolton Wanderers and with Troy Deeney struggling for fitness. Massey made just three appearances for the U's, due mostly to poor weather and a run of postponements.
Colchester United re-signed Massey on a one-month loan deal on 16 March 2012. He made his second debut the following day as a substitute for Steven Gillespie, when a late Magnus Okuonghae own goal deprived Colchester of all three points in their 1–1 draw with Huddersfield Town. After making five appearances, Massey return to Watford when his loan expired on 16 April, bringing his total appearances to Colchester to eight for the season. Watford manager Sean Dyche said Massey was recalled because of Massey's reduced involvement in his second Colchester spell, having made just two starts and three substitute appearances. On 21 August 2012, Massey joined Colchester United on a permanent basis, signing a three-year deal on a free transfer. Massey said that "there isn't really the same opportunities for the younger players" at Watford following his exit, citing a recent takeover by the Pozzo family.
Massey made his full debut for Colchester on 25 August in a 1–1 draw with Sheffield United, coming on as a substitute for Freddie Sears in the 88th minute, and made his first start of the season in their 2–1 home defeat by Doncaster Rovers on 15 September. After replacing John Ward as manager, Joe Dunne selected Massey to start in his first game as U's boss against Hartlepool United on 29 September. Massey scored his first goal for the club, firing past Hartlepool goalkeeper Scott Flinders to even the scores at 1–1 after 39 minutes. Colchester went on to win 3–1, sealing their first win of the season. He received the first red card of his career on 24 November for a foul on Adam Chicksen as Colchester were beat 5–1 by MK Dons.
Massey's second and third goals for Colchester were scored in their 3–2 win over Portsmouth at Fratton Park on 2 February 2013, putting away a Freddie Sears cross for the opener and scoring their third goal after just 20 minutes. After scoring his fourth goal for the club on 12 March in a 2–2 draw at Coventry City, in the midst of his longest run in the U's starting line-up, Massey said that he was "loving playing football week in, week out and it's all I've ever wanted to do". He scored his fifth goal of the campaign when he headed in the opener from a Bradley Garmston cross in an important 2–1 win over Leyton Orient on 6 April, boosting Colchester's hopes of survival from relegation into League Two. He helped his side to League One safety in the final game of the 2012–13 season, heading in Billy Clifford's effort after it had rebounded off the crossbar to aid Colchester to a 2–0 win over Carlisle United. He said that it was an "unbelievable feeling" to help the club retain their place in League One. Massey ended the season having made 41 appearances and scoring six goals.
The 2013–14 season saw Massey begin his first full pre-season with Colchester. He opened his scoring account in the second game of the season, providing the only goal in a win against Port Vale at the Colchester Community Stadium on 10 August, turning in Jabo Ibehre's rebounded effort from a Chris Neal save. He then suffered a hamstring injury during Colchester's 4–1 defeat by Dagenham & Redbridge in the Football League Trophy on 3 September, leaving him out of action for much of September and early October. After making just a handful of appearances, Massey was ruled out for all of December 2013 and January 2014 with a recurrence of his hamstring injury after limping off from the U's 1–1 draw at Preston North End on 23 November. On 11 February, Massey made his first appearance since 23 November following his hamstring injury, coming on as a substitute in a 2–0 away defeat to Port Vale. He scored his first goal since 10 August in a 2–1 home victory over Coventry City on 8 March. He followed this up with his third goal of the season when he was set up by Marcus Bean in scoring a goal during a 2–2 match with Bristol City on 22 March. Massey's campaign ended with three goals in 31 appearances in a season disrupted by injury.