Vic Watson
Encyclopedia
Victor Martin Watson was an English
footballer
who played most of his club football for West Ham United
.
Watson, 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 for Syd Puddefoot
.
Vic Watson is the club's record goalscorer
with 326 goals, a feat unlikely to be bettered in the modern era. He once scored six, in an 8-2 home win against Leeds on 9 February 1929, scored four goals on three occasions, and managed 13 hat-tricks while at West Ham.
Watson gained two international caps
with England
in 1923 and a further three caps in 1930, scoring four goals in total, including two against Scotland
in the 1930 British Home Championship
.
He spent one season (1935–36) with Southampton
before retiring and he was the club's top scorer
with 14 goals in 36 league appearances.
Upon retiring, he became a market gardener in Girton. He died in August 1988 at the age of 90.
In June 2010 a plaque honoring Watson was unveiled in Girton
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
who played most of his club football for West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
.
Watson, 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 for Syd Puddefoot
Syd Puddefoot
Sydney Charles Puddefoot was a footballer who played as a forward for West Ham United...
.
Vic Watson is the club's record goalscorer
West Ham United F.C. goal records
This page lists records and statistics associated with West Ham United.-Scoring records:* Biggest victory: 10–0 v Bury - Football League Cup 25 October 1983* Biggest league win: 8–0 v Rotherham United 8 March 1958, and v Sunderland 19 October 1968...
with 326 goals, a feat unlikely to be bettered in the modern era. He once scored six, in an 8-2 home win against Leeds on 9 February 1929, scored four goals on three occasions, and managed 13 hat-tricks while at West Ham.
Watson gained two international caps
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
with England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
in 1923 and a further three caps in 1930, scoring four goals in total, including two against Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
in the 1930 British Home Championship
1930 British Home Championship
The 1930 British Home Championship was an edition of the annual international football tournament played between the British Home Nations. 1930 was the year in which the tournament finally gained a serious rival as the premier international football competition, with the inception of the 1930 FIFA...
.
He spent one season (1935–36) with Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
before retiring and he was the club's top scorer
Southampton F.C. seasons
This is a list of seasons played by Southampton Football Club in English and European football, from 1892 to the most recent completed season. The first six seasons are Southampton St. Mary's....
with 14 goals in 36 league appearances.
Upon retiring, he became a market gardener in Girton. He died in August 1988 at the age of 90.
In June 2010 a plaque honoring Watson was unveiled in Girton
Girton, Cambridgeshire
Girton is a village of about 1,600 households, and 4,500 people in Cambridgeshire, England. It lies about two miles to the northwest of Cambridge, and is the home of Cambridge University's Girton College, a pioneer in women's education, which was moved there from a previous site in Hertfordshire in...
.
External links
- Victor Watson profile at englandfc.com
- Vic Watson photos
- West Ham statistics