Andrew Watson

1856 — 1921

The world’s first black international footballer captained Scotland to a 6-1 victory over England at the Oval in 1881. This result remains England’s heaviest defeat on home soil.

Watson is also the world’s first black football administrator and the first black player to win a national football trophy. Born in British Guiana, Andrew was brought to the UK by his Scottish father where he became a prominent sportsman. After a spell as the star player and match secretary of Glasgow’s Parkgrove FC, he would go on to play for two of the greatest clubs of the nineteenth century; Queen’s Park and Corinthians. A strong and composed full back, Watson won three Scottish Cups and four Glasgow Charity Cups with Queen’s Park and played in the Corinthians side which thrashed FA Cup holders Blackburn Rovers 8-1 in 1883. Watson played twice more for Scotland (a 5-1 win against Wales in 1881 and a 5-1 win against England in 1882) before heading to London. Playing for London Swifts in 1882, he also has the accolade of being the first black footballer to play in the FA Cup.