Dave Watson
Encyclopedia
David "Dave" Watson is an English
former professional footballer who made 12 appearances for the English national team
. He is now the youth team coach at Newcastle United
.
before joining Norwich City
for £50,000 on 29 November 1980. He made his league debut in the local derby against Ipswich Town
on Boxing Day
that year. He played 18 league games in the 1980-81
First Division campaign and scored three goals, but was unable to prevent the Canaries from sliding into the Second Division.
Over the next five years, Watson was rarely absent from the Norwich side and helped them win promotion from the Second Division in the 1981-82 season
.
He eventually made 256 appearances for Norwich, and as club captain lifted the Milk Cup
in 1985. They went down to the Second Division that year, but won promotion the following year as champions.
He made his first 6 appearances for England whilst at Carrow Road
, making his debut in a 2–0 victory against Brazil
at the Maracana Stadium in June 1984, before moving on to play for Everton
for £900,000 on 22 August 1986 after six years at Norwich. http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=44386
He remained at Goodison Park
for 15 years, his first game for them coming on 23 August 1986 when they won 2-0 at home to Nottingham Forest
on the opening day of the league season. He helped them win the league title in their first season, and also helped them reach the FA Cup
final in 1989, where they lost 3-2 to local rivals Liverpool
in extra time. http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=44387
Watson was an integral part of the Everton side throughout the 1990s, and following the departure of goalkeeper Neville Southall
in 1998 he became the club's oldest and longest serving player. However, the 1990s
were a generally unsuccessful decade for Everton after the glories of the 1980s
. They did finish sixth in 1990 after topping the table earlier in 1990-91
, but then endured four seasons of mid table finishes and one close shave again relegation (in 1994). Watson got his hands on some silverware for one final time in 1995 when he captained Everton to a surprise 1-0 win over Manchester United
in the FA Cup final - by now he was one of the last players remaining from Everton's last major trophy win (the league title) eight years earlier. He was man of the match for that game.
Watson captained Everton to sixth place in 1996, but the following season they were struggling again and manager Joe Royle resigned in March 1997, with Watson taking over as manager for the final few weeks of the season and overseeing Everton's Premier League survival as they finished 15th. Howard Kendall
then took over as manager for the third time, though his return to Goodison Park
lasted just one season before he was replaced by Walter Smith
.
Even at the age of 37, Watson was a regular in the Everton side as captain, playing 22 times in the 1998-99 season
though by 1999-2000
it was obvious that he was nearing the end of his playing career as he played just six times all season. He made one final appearance the following season
at the age of 39 before calling time on 15 years at Everton and becoming manager of Tranmere Rovers on 4 May 2001.
http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2001/0504/sheedyk.html
http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=44388
, but reverted to his playing duties in June 1997 when Howard Kendall
was appointed manager for the third and final time. Watson's first-team opportunities gradually faded, but he made one appearance for Everton during the 2000–01 season, before finally announcing his retirement as a player at the age of 39, and moving into management with Tranmere Rovers
. His key objective at Tranmere was to regain their Division One status which had just been lost, but he failed to achieve that goal and was sacked after just one season at the helm. He later became a scout for Birmingham City
before joining Wigan Athletic as their Youth Team coach on 23 April 2008.
In 2002, Watson was voted into the Norwich City F.C. Hall of Fame.
Watson was appointed as Under 18 Coach at Newcastle United
on 7th November 2011.
Everton:
! rowspan=2|Team
! rowspan=2|From
! rowspan=2|To
! colspan=5|Record
|-
! G !! W !! D !! L !! Win %
|-
| align=left|
Everton
| align=left|1 April 1997 || align=left|31 May 1997
|-
|-
| align=left| Tranmere Rovers
| align=left|4 May 2001 || align=left|1 August 2002
|-
! colspan=3|Career Total
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...
former professional footballer who made 12 appearances for the English national team
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...
. He is now the youth team coach at Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
.
Playing career
Watson played for the Liverpool reservesLiverpool F.C. Reserves
Liverpool F.C. Reserves are the reserve team of Liverpool.-Reserve team:Liverpool Reserves play in the FA Premier Reserve League. In their division, the reserves became Champions in 2000. They competed in the Lancashire Combination from 1896 to 1911, with the exception of the 1898–99 season, in...
before joining Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
for £50,000 on 29 November 1980. He made his league debut in the local derby against Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
on Boxing Day
Boxing Day
Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws. It is observed in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth nations. In Ireland, it is recognized as...
that year. He played 18 league games in the 1980-81
1980-81 in English football
The 1980–81 season was the 101st season of competitive football in England.-Overview:The Football League introduced a three points for a win system in place of the two points for a win system which had operated since the league's formation in 1889...
First Division campaign and scored three goals, but was unable to prevent the Canaries from sliding into the Second Division.
Over the next five years, Watson was rarely absent from the Norwich side and helped them win promotion from the Second Division in the 1981-82 season
1981-82 in English football
The 1981–82 season was the 102nd season of competitive football in England.It was also the first season that the Three points for a win system was introduced.- First Division :Three points for a win was introduced for the first time in England...
.
He eventually made 256 appearances for Norwich, and as club captain lifted the Milk Cup
Milk Cup
The Milk Cup is an international youth football tournament held annually in Northern Ireland. The cup matches are mainly played in the North Coast area of Northern Ireland, with matches taking place in the towns of Portrush, Portstewart, Castlerock, Limavady, Coleraine, Ballymoney, Ballymena and...
in 1985. They went down to the Second Division that year, but won promotion the following year as champions.
He made his first 6 appearances for England whilst at Carrow Road
Carrow Road
Carrow Road is a football stadium in Norwich, England, and is the home of Norwich City Football Club. The stadium is located toward the easterly end of the city, not far from Norwich railway station and the River Wensum....
, making his debut in a 2–0 victory against Brazil
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
at the Maracana Stadium in June 1984, before moving on to play for Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
for £900,000 on 22 August 1986 after six years at Norwich. http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=44386
He remained at Goodison Park
Goodison Park
Goodison Park is a football stadium located in Walton, Liverpool, England. The stadium has been home to Everton F.C. since its completion in 1892 and is one of the world's first purpose-built football grounds...
for 15 years, his first game for them coming on 23 August 1986 when they won 2-0 at home to Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
on the opening day of the league season. He helped them win the league title in their first season, and also helped them reach the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
final in 1989, where they lost 3-2 to local rivals Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
in extra time. http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=44387
Watson was an integral part of the Everton side throughout the 1990s, and following the departure of goalkeeper Neville Southall
Neville Southall
Neville Southall MBE is a former Wales international footballer, best known for his time with Everton. He has been described as one of the best goalkeepers of his generation and won the FWA Footballer of the Year award in 1985...
in 1998 he became the club's oldest and longest serving player. However, the 1990s
1990s
File:1990s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope floats in space after it was taken up in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields and the USA Lexie in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War; The signing of the Oslo Accords on...
were a generally unsuccessful decade for Everton after the glories of the 1980s
1980s
File:1980s decade montage.png|thumb|400px|From left, clockwise: The first Space Shuttle, Columbia, lifted off in 1981; American President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev eased tensions between the two superpowers, leading to the end of the Cold War; The Fall of the Berlin Wall in...
. They did finish sixth in 1990 after topping the table earlier in 1990-91
1989-90 in English football
-European competitions:English clubs were still banned from competing in European competitions following the Heysel Stadium disaster.- First Division :...
, but then endured four seasons of mid table finishes and one close shave again relegation (in 1994). Watson got his hands on some silverware for one final time in 1995 when he captained Everton to a surprise 1-0 win over Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
in the FA Cup final - by now he was one of the last players remaining from Everton's last major trophy win (the league title) eight years earlier. He was man of the match for that game.
Watson captained Everton to sixth place in 1996, but the following season they were struggling again and manager Joe Royle resigned in March 1997, with Watson taking over as manager for the final few weeks of the season and overseeing Everton's Premier League survival as they finished 15th. Howard Kendall
Howard Kendall
Howard Kendall is an English football manager and former player. He is most famous for his connection to Everton, a club that he both played for and managed. His uncle Harry Taylor played for Newcastle United and Fulham in the 1950s....
then took over as manager for the third time, though his return to Goodison Park
Goodison Park
Goodison Park is a football stadium located in Walton, Liverpool, England. The stadium has been home to Everton F.C. since its completion in 1892 and is one of the world's first purpose-built football grounds...
lasted just one season before he was replaced by Walter Smith
Walter Smith
Walter Smith, OBE is a Scottish football manager. His most recent job was at Scottish Premier League club Rangers.Smith had a relatively modest playing career, consisting of two spells with Dundee United which was split by a short time at Dumbarton.A pelvic injury meant he moved in to coaching at...
.
Even at the age of 37, Watson was a regular in the Everton side as captain, playing 22 times in the 1998-99 season
1998-99 in English football
-Premier League:Manchester United overcame close competition from Arsenal, Aston Villa and Chelsea to win their fifth Premiership title in seven seasons thanks to the comeback of Roy Keane after his long-term injury and a transfer raid totalling nearly £30 million which netted Aston Villa striker...
though by 1999-2000
1999-2000 in English football
-Premier League:Manchester United were crowned FA Premier League champions with an 18-point margin over runners-up Arsenal and with just 3 league defeats all season. This was despite their failure to retain the European Cup and withdrawal from the FA Cup in order to compete in the FIFA Club World...
it was obvious that he was nearing the end of his playing career as he played just six times all season. He made one final appearance the following season
2000-01 in English football
The 2000–01 season was the 121st season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Manchester United secured their 3rd Premiership title in succession and their 7th title in just nine seasons...
at the age of 39 before calling time on 15 years at Everton and becoming manager of Tranmere Rovers on 4 May 2001.
http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2001/0504/sheedyk.html
http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=44388
Management and Post-Career
Watson was appointed manager in March 1997 for the remainder of the 1996/97 season following the resignation of Joe RoyleJoe Royle
Joseph "Joe" Royle is an English football manager. In his club career, he played for Everton , Manchester City, Bristol City, Norwich City, and the England national team...
, but reverted to his playing duties in June 1997 when Howard Kendall
Howard Kendall
Howard Kendall is an English football manager and former player. He is most famous for his connection to Everton, a club that he both played for and managed. His uncle Harry Taylor played for Newcastle United and Fulham in the 1950s....
was appointed manager for the third and final time. Watson's first-team opportunities gradually faded, but he made one appearance for Everton during the 2000–01 season, before finally announcing his retirement as a player at the age of 39, and moving into management with Tranmere Rovers
Tranmere Rovers F.C.
Tranmere Rovers Football Club are an English team based in Birkenhead, Wirral. The club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system...
. His key objective at Tranmere was to regain their Division One status which had just been lost, but he failed to achieve that goal and was sacked after just one season at the helm. He later became a scout for Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
before joining Wigan Athletic as their Youth Team coach on 23 April 2008.
In 2002, Watson was voted into the Norwich City F.C. Hall of Fame.
Watson was appointed as Under 18 Coach at Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
on 7th November 2011.
Individual
- Norwich City Player of the Year: 1983
Club
Norwich City:- Milk CupFootball League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
Winner: 1985 - Second DivisionFootball League Second DivisionFrom 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
Champion: 1986
Everton:
- First DivisionFootball League First DivisionThe First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
Champion: 1987 - FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
Winner: 1995
Managerial statistics
{| class=wikitable style="text-align:center;"! rowspan=2|Team
! rowspan=2|From
! rowspan=2|To
! colspan=5|Record
|-
! G !! W !! D !! L !! Win %
|-
| align=left|
EvertonEverton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
| align=left|1 April 1997 || align=left|31 May 1997
|-
|-
| align=left|
Tranmere RoversTranmere Rovers F.C.
Tranmere Rovers Football Club are an English team based in Birkenhead, Wirral. The club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system...
| align=left|4 May 2001 || align=left|1 August 2002
|-
! colspan=3|Career Total