Victor Martin Watson(10 November 1897 – 3 August 1988)[1]was an English professionalfootballerwho played most of his club football forWest Ham United.
 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Victor Martin Watson | ||
| Date of birth | 10 November 1897 | ||
| Place of birth | Girton, Cambridgeshire,England | ||
| Date of death | 3 August 1988(aged 90) | ||
| Place of death | Girton, Cambridgeshire,England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Centre forward | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| until 1920 | Wellingborough Town | ||
| 1920–1935 | West Ham United[2] | 462 | (298) |
| 1935–1936 | Southampton | 36 | (14) |
| Total | 498 | (312) | |
| International career | |||
| 1923–1930 | England | 5 | (4) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Playing career
editWatson, a centre forward, played 505 times for West Ham between 1920 and 1936. The club paid just £50 for Vic from Wellingborough, bringing him in to provide cover forSyd Puddefoot.[3]
Watson is the club'srecord goalscorerwith 326 goals: 298 in the League and 28 in the FA Cup. 203 of his league goals were from 295 top flight appearances.[2]He once scored six, in an 8–2 home win againstLeedson 9 February 1929, scored four goals on three occasions, and managed 13hat-trickswhile at West Ham.[4]
Watson gained two internationalcapswithEnglandin 1923 and a further three caps in 1930, scoring four goals in total, including two againstScotlandin the1930 British Home Championship.
He spent one season (1935–36) withSouthamptonbefore retiring and he was the club'stop scorerwith 14 goals in 36 league appearances.
Upon retiring, he became a market gardener inGirton, Cambridgeshire.He died in August 1988 at the age of 90.[1]
In June 2010 a plaque honouring Watson was unveiled in Girton.[5]
Honours
editWest Ham United
- Division TwoRunners Up:1922–23
- FA Cupfinalist:1923
England
References
edit- ^abcChalk, Gary; Holley, Duncan & Bull, David (2013).All the Saints: A Complete Players' Who's Who of Southampton FC.Southampton: Hagiology Publishing. p. 199.ISBN978-0-9926-8640-6.
- ^ab"Vic Watson: West Ham Statistics".
- ^Hogg, Tony (2005).Who's Who of West Ham United.Profile Sports Media. p. 211.ISBN1-903135-50-8.
- ^"As Wayne Rooney breaks Sir Bobby Charlton's Man Utd haul, who is your Premier League club's all-time leading goalscorer?".The Telegraph. 23 January 2017.Retrieved26 January2017.
- ^Grove, Jack (13 November 2009)."Residents' campaign for a tribute to local footie hero".www.cambridge-news.co.uk.Archived fromthe originalon 20 April 2013.Retrieved19 June2012.
External links
edit- Vic Watsonat England Football Online
- Vic Watson photos
- Profile on Cambridge City website
