Phil Watson (footballer)

Football player infobox2
playername = Phil Watson


fullname = Philip Ross Watson
nickname =
dateofbirth = February 23 1907
cityofbirth = Dykehead
countryofbirth = Scotland
dateofdeath = 1990
cityofdeath =
countryofdeath =
height =
currentclub =
position = Defender
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = -1932
1932-1937
1937-1938
1938-19??
clubs = Hamilton Academical
Blackpool
Barnsley
Queen of the South
caps(goals) =
171 (11)
004 0(0)

manageryears =
managerclubs =
nationalyears = 1933
nationalteam = Scotland
nationalcaps(goals) = 001 0(0)

Philip Ross Watson (born February 23 1907 in Dykehead) was a Scottish professional footballer. He made one appearance for the Scotland national team. He played as a defender.

Hamilton Academical

Watson began his career in his native Scotland in the early 1930s with Hamilton Academical.

Blackpool

In 1932, he moved south to join Blackpool. He made his debut for the Lancashire club on February 13, 1932, in a 2–0 victory over Everton at Bloomfield Road. He came into a defence which had leaked seven goals at Manchester City a week earlier.

He made a further fourteen league appearances in the 1931–32 season, scoring one goal – in a 2–2 draw at home to Liverpool on March 5.

The following season, 1932–33, he was an ever-present in the club's 45 league and cup games. He scored seven league goals, including a hat-trick against Aston Villa at Bloomfield Road on March 18, 1933. He was deputising for the injured Jimmy Hampson. Despite his contributions, Blackpool finished bottom of Division One and were relegated.

Another ever-present season followed in 1933–34. He scored one league goal and one FA Cup goal. He also gained his sole cap for Scotland in 1933, in a 2–2 draw with Austria on November 29.

His run of 129 consecutive games for Blackpool ended midway through the 1934–35 campaign, in which he made 34 appearances and scored two goals. After the signing of centre-half Louis Cardwell, Watson moved to the right-back position. He appeared in the forward line again for two games, alongside Bobby Finan firstly, then Peter Doherty.

Watson continued at right-back for the 1935–36 season, making 35 league appearances. He missed the entire 1936–37 season through injury, but returned to the team in 1937–38, his final one as a Blackpool player, back in the centre-half position.

Watson's 178th and final appearance for Blackpool occurred on November 13, 1937, in a 3–0 home defeat at the hands of Birmingham City.

Barnsley

Barsnley became his third club, but he only made four league appearances for "the Tykes" before returning to Scotland to finish his career with Queen of the South.

Queen of the South

Signed in 1938, Watson played in the final game of Queens' 1937-38 season, 3-2 victory against Rangers at Ibrox Park, Queens' first league victory against Rangers (Queens had knocked Rangers out of the Scottish Cup the season before). It was from Watson's pass to Jackie Oakes that led to Queens' first goal in the league game.

International career

Watson's sole cap for Scotland came against Austria in 1933.

Watson died in 1990 at the age of 83.

References

* [http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/player_details.cfm?playerid=113381 Watson's profile at the Scottish FA's website]
*cite book | first=Roy | last=Calley| coauthors= | title=Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887-1992 | publisher=Breedon Books Sport | location= | year=1992 | editor= | id=ISBN 1-873626-07-X