Joseph Watson (1 January 1952 – 30 September 2000) was an Australian soccer player who played as a winger in a 24-year career extending from 1968 to 1992.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Joseph Robert Watson | ||
| Date of birth | 1 January 1952 | ||
| Place of birth | Scotland | ||
| Date of death | 30 September 2000 (aged 48) | ||
| Position(s) | Winger | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1968–1970 | Nottingham Forest | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1970–1973 | Dundee United | 8 | (0) |
| 1973 | Forfar Athletic | 35 | (4) |
| 1973–1986 | Hakoah/Sydney City | 274[1] | (30) |
| 1988 | APIA Leichhardt | 12 | (1) |
| 1989 | Rockdale Ilinden | ||
| 1989–1990 | Eastern Suburbs | ||
| 1991 | Waverley | ||
| 1992 | Cyprus United | ||
| International career | |||
| 1979–1986 | Australia | 17 | (2) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1991 | Waverley | ||
| 1992 | Cyprus United | ||
| 1993–1994 | CYC Stanmore | ||
| 1995 | APIA Leichhardt | ||
| 1995 | Bankstown City | ||
| 1997 | Sydney Cosmos | ||
| 1998 | Eastern Suburbs | ||
| 1999 | Sydney Cosmos | ||
| 2000 | Fairfield Bulls | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Playing career
editA native of Fife, Joe Watson had been playing with Nottingham Forest since the age of 16, but began his professional career at 18 in 1970 with Dundee United, participating in a handful of games before joining Forfar Athletic in 1972. After one season with Forfar, Watson emigrated to Australia in 1973 where, like another Scottish player for United, Kenny Murphy, he spent many seasons playing international football for Australia national football team, primarily Sydney City.[2]
Sydney City
editIn Australia he played for Sydney Hakoah. At Sydney City he played four seasons in the New South Wales State League before the club as Sydney City joined the National Soccer League in 1977. Watson played 258 National Soccer League matches, playing with the club until 1986.[2]
International career
editWatson played 17 matches for Australia between 1979 and 1986. While he had retired from international football in 1985, he was honoured with being named captain in a friendly against Czechoslovakia in August 1986. He was replaced after five minutes by Angie Postecoglou.[3][4][5][6]
Coaching career
editIn 1991 while still playing Watson began coaching at Waverley. In a nine-year coaching career Watson coached at eight separate clubs.[2]
Illness and death
editWatson was diagnosed with liver cancer, after which a day of charity matches was scheduled in August 2000 to raise funds.[7] Watson died on 30 September 2000.[2][8]
Honours
editScotland
edit- Champion: 1971–72
Australia
edit- Waratah Cup Champion: 1976
- Champion: 1980
Individual
edit- NSL Player of the Year: 1983
- FFA Team of the Decade: 1981–1989[9]
- FFA Hall of Fame: 2000
References
edit- ^ "Joe Watson".
- ^ a b c d "Australian Player Database – W". ozfootball.net. Retrieved 22 October 2009.
- ^ Gatt, Ray (11 August 1986). "Watson's gold prize brightens gloom for Socceroos". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 53. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
- ^ Schwab, Laurie (11 August 1986). "Arok left lamenting as Socceroos collapse to Czechs". The Age. Melbourne. p. 33. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
- ^ The Australian National Men's Football Team: Caps And Captains. Football Federation Australia.
- ^ Schwab, Laurie (26 July 1986). "Watson ends career as cameo captain". The Age. Melbourne. p. 37. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
- ^ "Soccer celebrities come together for Joe Watson benefit". AAP Sports News (Australia). 1 August 2000. Archived from the original on 17 May 2011.
- ^ "Socceroo great dies". The Sunday Telegraph. 1 October 2000. p. 99.
- ^ "Teams of the Decade: Men's 1981–1989". Football Federation Australia. 19 December 2013. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
External links
edit- Joe Watson at National-Football-Teams.com
- Article mentioning Joe Watson's death