Bobby Watson (footballer)

Robert Watson (born 15 May 1946)[1] is a Scottish former football player and manager. He is currently involved with Airdrieonians, and was the club chairman in 2018.

Bobby Watson
Personal information
Full name Robert Watson
Date of birth (1946-05-15) 15 May 1946
Place of birth Airdrie, Scotland
Playing position(s) Defender
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1964–1969 Rangers 52 (4)
1969–1976 Motherwell 182 (3)
Total 234 (7)
National team
1971 Scotland 1 (0)
Teams managed
1978–1982 Airdrie
1983–1984 Motherwell
1988 Partick Thistle (caretaker)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Watson played as a defender for Rangers and Motherwell. Watson was transferred from Rangers to Motherwell in a deal that also involved Peter McCloy and Brian Heron.[2][3] Watson represented Scotland once, in a friendly match played against the Soviet Union in 1971.[4] Watson was one of the players who had to wait many years to receive an official cap to mark this achievement, as caps were only given to players who played in British Home Championship matches before the mid-1970s.[5]

Watson retired from playing in 1976 to run a steel business with his partner David Towers.[2] He then managed Airdrie and Motherwell, but only lasted six months in charge of the latter as they were relegated from the Scottish Premier Division.[2] Watson and Towers then helped to set up another business, Cairnhill Structures, in 1990.[6] He was also known as a lay preacher.

In April 2015 Watson was inducted into the Airdrieonians Hall Of Fame, an awards ceremony to honour former Airdrieonians managers and players. Between January 2018 and January 2019 he was club chairman, after the club was taken over by new owners.[7]

References
  1. "Bobby Watson". Neil Brown. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  3. Asthana, Anushka. The Times. London http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/article522763.ece. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. "19710614 Mon 14 Jun 1971 Russia 1 Scotland 0".
  5. "Airdrie and Coatbridge - Latest news updates, pictures, video, reaction - Daily Record".
  6. "Showing metal in tough times".
  7. "Airdrieonians: Airdrie Diamonds Limited takes over controlling shareholding". BBC Sport. BBC. 9 January 2018. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
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