Raised in the north of England, Manson briefly played on the European Tour in the 1980s before moving to Austria in 1984 to take up a coaching job and has lived there since. Won his first European Tour title in more than 20 years in 2015 as he claimed the Swiss Seniors Open title. He then added to his trophy cabinet with victory at the 2016 Acorn Jersey Open. Represented Austria at the 1997 World Cup of Golf.