Full name John Fox Watson –1946 Bury Name John Watson | Date of death 1976 (aged 59) Role Football player Years Team Died 1976 | |
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Date of birth (1917-12-31)31 December 1917 | ||
Place of birth Hamilton, Scotland | ||
John Fox Watson (31 December 1917 – 1976) was a Scottish football player, believed to be the only Scottish player in Real Madrid's history. He was one of the first players from the British Isles to sign for a high-profile side abroad, leading the way for players like John Charles, Jimmy Greaves and Denis Law in the following decades.
Biography
Watson was born in Hamilton during Hogmanay, at the end of 1917. Watson started his career at Waterthistle and Douglas Juniors before signing with English side Bury for whom he made his Football League debut in February, 1939, ahead of World War II. After the war, he played with Fulham until 1948.
In 1948, Watson joined Englishman Mike Keeping, a fellow former Fulham player, at Spanish giants Real Madrid as a player/coach. In his one season in Madrid, Watson played just one match, a 3–1 defeat away to Celta Vigo. He signed for the club during a period of unprecedented change; president Santiago Bernabéu Yeste had just been appointed, and Watson had come in just six months after the opening of the New Chamartin, later renamed the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu. He is believed to be the only Scottish player and the first British player to play for Real Madrid.
Watson returned to England in 1949 to join Crystal Palace, making 63 appearances in two seasons before joining non-league Canterbury City. He died in 1976.