Biography

Centre half John “Jack” Watson joined the Tigers in June 1927 a few weeks before his 21st birthday. Jack was born in Aberdeen to a roads engineer that hailed from London, and was playing for local junior side Aberdeen Richmond while serving an apprenticeship as a draughtsman. He had played for the Aberdeenshire County team prior to a successful trial match for Hull City against St Mirren. He was signed to provide back up to more experienced centre half Stan Dixon and when his chance came in November 1927 he thrived, making 12 consecutive starts and pushing Dixon into the right half position. In February 1928 Dixon returned to the central role and Watson returned to City’s reserves.
The signing of Arthur Childs in the 1928 pushed Watson further down the pecking order and for the next three seasons he was a backup player to the first team. He had a run of nine starts in the Spring months of 1929 then was again used for a two month spell at the end of the 1929/30 season as City hurtled towards relegation after making it to the FA Cup Semi Final – Childs was used at centre half throughout the Cup run. By April 1930 Watson had requested to go on the transfer list and after making only three starts in th 1930/31 season he left City in May 1931.
Watson then served Highland League side Keith for three seasons until the footballing trail went cold in November 1934. He recommenced his engineering studies and by the 1940s he was sailing to the Gold Coast in Australia to work as a mining engineer. In the 1950s he was living in Saudi Arabia, later in life he settled in Worthing in Sussex where he died in 1973.
Details
Nationality: Scotland
Date/Place of Birth: 24 June 1906, Aberdeen
Hull City First Game: 12 November 1927, Clapton Orient H (Division Two), 21 years, 141 days old
Hull City Final Game: 18 October 1930, Barrow A (Division Three North), 24 years, 116 days old
Clubs
Aberdeen Richmond, Hull City (1927-1931), Keith (1931-1934)
Hull City Record
Career: 48 apps, 0 goals
Jack WatsonSeason | LGE App | LGE Gls | FAC App | FAC Gls | FLC App | FLC Gls | EUR App | EUR Gls | OTH App | OTH Gls |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1927/28 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
1928/29 | 9 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
1929/30 | 22 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
1930/31 | 3 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |