205 Jack Watson

Biography

Centre half John “Jack” Watson joined the Tigers in June 1927 a few weeks before his 21st birthday. Born in Aberdeen to a roads engineer father that hailed from London, Jack 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 but re-signed for the Tigers a month later.

Jack was made Reserve team captain for the 1930/31 season and made three first team starts in October 1930 – but a week later he was suspended by the club for leaving Hull on a matchday and visiting Aberdeen, thereby missing a Reserves match. He left City in May 1931.

Watson spent a year out of football working in Aberdeen, then joined Highland League side Keith in March 1932 and served the Maroons for three years. After giving up football Jack recommenced his engineering studies and moved to London, by 1939 he was living in Hayes to the west of the city and working as a testing engineer. In the 1940s he sailed to the Gold Coast in Australia to work as a mining engineer, during the 1950s he was living in Saudi Arabia. Later in life he settled in Littlehampton and died at Worthing Hospital in November 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 (1931-1935)

Hull City Record

Career: 48 apps, 0 goals