Yorkshire Evening Post – Tuesday 23 December 1947
Willie Watson
When Willie Watson decided to make a career of sport, way back in 1912—it was touch and whether he took to football or cricket —he was equally successful in both games in his home town Bolton-on-Dearne.
He chose football, for which Huddersfield Town are eternally grateful. For whether was at left-half, his best position, at fullback or at centre- half where he occasionally deputised for Tom Wilson. Willie Watson never let his side down.
He was a member of the famous Huddersfieid team which won the League championship three successive years from 1925 ’26, and during this period he played in 123 of the 126 League games.
In his 17 years with Huddersfield – his only club —he also won Cup medal, when they beat Preston N.E. in 1922. with runners-up medal 1928.
Peculiarly was against the famous North End that Willie played his first League game in 1912 only six weeks after he had turned “pro.” Against another Lancashire club. Burnley, he had his best remembered game —In the first round the F.A. Cup. The year that, won it.
“We were losing 2-1 with the referee looking his watch for time, but I equalised with the last kick of the game That goal certainly gave me biggest thrill,” he said.
After he finished playing, Willie serve the Leeds Road Club just faithfully as “A” team trainer-coach for 10 years.
Then, with family of two boys and a girl to look after, he went into the hotel business and has never regretted it. He is now 56 years old, and comfortably settled in an hotel in residential district of Huddersfield.
He tells with Justifiable pride, of the (porting achievement of his two sons, the Huddersfield Town left half [same position as his father) and Willie, the Yorkshire County cricketer and Sunderland footballer who is on the verge national honours at both games.
He still attends Leeds Road every Saturday for first and second team games, and is emphatic in his opinion that the game isn’t what it used to be.
But if there one man HuddersfieU who is well satisfied with what life has had offer him he is Willie Watson.