John Fox Watson

John Fox Watson (31 December 1917 – 15 April 1976)[3] was a Scottish football player, believed to be the only Scottish player in Real Madrid's history.[4] He was one of the first players from the British Isles to sign for a high-profile side abroad, leading the way for players like John Charles, Jimmy Greaves and Denis Law in the following decades.

John Watson
Personal information
Full name John Fox Watson
Date of birth (1917-12-31)31 December 1917
Place of birth Hamilton, Scotland
Date of death (1976-04-15)15 April 1976 (58 years)
Place of death Southend-on-Sea y]
Position(s) Centre half
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Douglas Water Thistle
1939–1946 Bury
1946–1948 Fulham[1] 71 (2)
1948–1949 Real Madrid 1 (0)
1949–1951 Crystal Palace[2] 61 (1)
1951–1952 Canterbury City
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Biography

Watson was born in Hamilton during Hogmanay,[3] at the end of 1917. Watson started his career at Douglas Water Thistle Juniors before signing with English side Bury for whom he made his Football League debut in February 1939, ahead of World War II. After the war, he played with Fulham until 1948.

John Fox Watson on Real Madrid's wall of internationals

In 1948, Watson joined Englishman Mike Keeping, a fellow former Fulham player, at Spanish giants Real Madrid as a player. In his one season in Madrid, Watson played just one match, a 3–1 defeat away to Celta Vigo.[5] He signed for the club during a period of unprecedented change; president Santiago Bernabéu Yeste had just been appointed, and Watson had come in just six months after the opening of the New Chamartin, later renamed the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu.[4] He is believed to be the only Scottish player to play for Real Madrid.

Watson returned to England in 1949 to join Crystal Palace, making 63 appearances in two seasons before joining non-league Canterbury City.[4] He died on 15 April 1976, aged 58.

References
  1. FULHAM : 1946/47 - 2008/09, Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database
  2. CRYSTAL PALACE : 1946/47 - 2008/09, Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database
  3. "ScottishLeague.net SFAQs". ScottishLeague.net. Retrieved 2008-09-30.
  4. Rowbotham, John (2007-07-05). "From Douglas Water Thistle to the Bernabeu". Archived from the original on 2011-08-09. Retrieved 2008-09-30.
  5. Watson, BDFutbol
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