Andrew Watson was a Scottish footballer who made history as the world’s first Black international football player and captain. Playing for Scotland between 1881 and 1882, he was a pioneer in the sport, achieving success at a time when football was still in its formative years.
Andrew Watson was born on May 24, 1856, in Demerara, British Guiana, present day Guyana. He was the son of Peter Miller Watson, a wealthy Scottish sugar planter, and Hannah Rose, a British Guianese woman.
As a child, he moved to Britain with his father and sister, where his father’s wealth and social standing allowed him access to elite schools from an early age. When his father died in 1869, Watson later inherited a sizeable fortune, which secured his financial independence and ensured those advantages continued into adulthood.
He attended Heath Grammar School in Halifax and later King’s College School in Wimbledon, receiving an education typically reserved for the upper class. A gifted athlete, Watson went on to study natural philosophy, mathematics, and engineering at the University of Glasgow. However, his growing passion for football soon took precedence over his academic pursuits.
Watson’s football career began in 1876 with Maxwell FC, before moving to Parkgrove FC, where he also became match secretary, the first Black administrator in football. He played alongside another Black player, Robert Walker, at Parkgrove before joining Queen’s Park, the dominant team in Scottish football at the time.
At Queen’s Park, Watson achieved significant success, helping the club win two Scottish Cups in 1881 and 1882. He also played for the Glasgow representative team in matches against English opposition. In 1882, he became the first Black player to appear in the English Cup while playing for Swifts, an amateur team based in England. He later joined the Corinthians, an elite club known for its commitment to amateur football, and played for several other English clubs, including Pilgrims, Brentwood, and London Caledonians.
Watson was part of a group of Scottish players known as the “Scotch Professors,” who introduced a more tactical and passing-based style of play to English football. His influence on the game was such that some historians consider him one of the most important Black footballers in history.
Watson’s international career was brief but historic. He earned his first cap for Scotland on March 12, 1881, against England in London, captaining the team to a resounding 6–1 victory, the heaviest home defeat England has ever suffered. Just days later, he led Scotland to another dominant win, beating Wales 5–1.
His third and final international appearance came in 1882, when Scotland once again defeated England, this time by a score of 5–1. Despite his success, Watson’s international career ended after he moved to London later that year, as the Scottish Football Association only selected players based in Scotland.
It would take over a century before another Black player represented Scotland, with Nigel Quashie stepping onto the international stage in 2004, 123 years after Watson paved the way.
In 1886, Watson signed with Bootle FC in England, a club that actively offered financial incentives to attract Scottish players. While football in Scotland remained strictly amateur, Bootle paid players to secure top talent from across the border.
Evidence suggests that Watson was among those who received professional wages, which would make him the first Black professional footballer, predating Arthur Wharton’s professional debut with Rotherham Town in 1889.
Watson eventually retired from football and settled in London, where he worked as a marine engineer. He died of pneumonia on March 8, 1921, in Kew, and was buried in Richmond Cemetery.
Though largely forgotten for much of the 20th century, Andrew Watson’s legacy has been rediscovered in recent years, with murals celebrating his achievements appearing in Glasgow, including in Shawlands and at Hampden Bowling Club. In 2012, he was inducted into the Scottish Football Hall of Fame.
As one of the first Black footballers to play at the highest level, Watson not only excelled on the field but also broke racial barriers, leaving a lasting mark on the game and securing his place as a pioneer in football history.
Sources:
https://www.englandstats.com/matches.php?mid=13
https://edm.parliament.uk/early-day-motion/63337/scottish-footballer-andrew-watson
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/mural-tribute-glasgow-black-footballer-22672674.amp
