Watson Bob Image 1 Leeds City 1905

Description

Middlesbrough born inside forward Bob Watson began his football career with South Bank in 1900 before joining Second Division Middlesbrough in September 1901, making his Football League debut against Chesterfield Town in March 1902, scoring in a 7-1 victory at Linthorpe Road. He made one further appearance as Middlesbrough won the Second Division Championship, and he scored 4 goals in 15 appearances for ‘Boro in the top flight before joining Woolwich Arsenal in June 1903. He found his opportunities at The Manor Ground limited and scored once in 10 appearances over the next two seasons, but his most notable feat for the Gunners came in a friendly against a Paris XI when he scored seven goals as Arsenal won 26-1 against what was effectively the French national side on 5th December 1904.

He joined newly elected Second Division club Leeds City in July 1905, making his debut in Leeds’ inaugural Football League fixture at Bradford City that September, and he enjoyed three seasons at Elland Road, scoring 24 goals in 90 appearances, before joining Southern League Exeter City in 1908, where he was the club’s first professional captain, scoring 25 goals in 137 appearances in all competitions for Exeter before joining Stalybridge Celtic in the 1912 close season. He joined Rochdale in 1913 before finishing his career with spells at South Liverpool and Chorley in 1914.