Watson Jimmy Image 1 Notts County 1938

Description

Govan, Glasgow born inside forward Jimmy Watson began his football career with St Anthony’s of Glasgow in 1931 before joining Tunbridge Wells Rangers in 1932, from where he signed for Bristol Rovers in the close season of 1933, making his Football League debut against Southend United in September the same year. His single season at Eastville saw him score twice in 15 appearances, before joining Northampton Town in the summer of 1934, where he scored 3 goals in 8 games during 1934-35.

He joined Gillingham in August 1935 and in his first season he scored a hat-trick in a 4-2 win over Aldershot in April 1936, before hat-tricks against Bristol City, Notts County and Swindon Town contributed to a total of 21 goals in 1936-37 that saw him as Gillingham’s top goalscorer. While he repeated the feat with 13 goals in 1937-38, a total which included a hat-trick in an FA Cup 3-4 defeat to Swindon Town, it wasn’t enough to keep Gillingham from finishing bottom, and they failed in their bid for re-election.

Watson moved to Notts County in July 1938, scoring 4 times in 17 appearances before a return to Bristol Rovers in the 1939 close season. He had scored once in two fixtures of the new 1939-40 season when it was abandoned upon the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939. After the conflict, Watson joined Brighton & Hove Albion, playing in 6 FA Cup ties in the 1945-46 season which saw them eliminated by eventual winners Derby County in February 1946. Watson retired before League football re-commenced that autumn.