Steve Watson (soccer player)

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Steve Watson
SteveWatsonSWFC.jpg
Steve Watson
Personnel
Surname Stephen Craig Watson
birthday April 1, 1974
place of birth North Shields ,  England
size 185 cm
position Defense , midfield (right, center)
Juniors
Years station
1989-1991 Newcastle United
Men's
Years station Games (goals) 1
1991-1998 Newcastle United 208 (12)
1998-2000 Aston Villa 41 0(0)
2000-2005 Everton FC 125 (14)
2005-2007 West Bromwich Albion 42 0(1)
2007 →  Sheffield Wednesday  (loan) 11 0(0)
2007-2009 Sheffield Wednesday 45 0(5)
National team
Years selection Games (goals)
1992-1995 England U-21 12 0(1)
1998 England B 1 0(0)
1 Only league games are given.

Stephen Craig "Steve" Watson (born April 1, 1974 in North Shields ) is a former English football player . As a versatile all-round player, "Watto" was mostly to be found in defensive and midfield positions and was always one of the crowd's favorites due to his team service. He left the most lasting impression, especially in his seven years as a professional at his home club Newcastle United and later at Everton , but without being able to win a "big title". In the English senior national team he did not get a chance and had to be content with twelve U-21 games and later one use for the B selection.

Professional career

Newcastle United (1991-1998)

While still in the youth division, Watson made his debut for the Newcastle United professional team at the age of just 16 . In his appearance in the second division match against Wolverhampton Wanderers (1: 2) on November 10, 1990 he was the youngest player to date in the "Magpies" and made 24 league appearances in the 1990/91 season under coach Jim Smith and later Osvaldo Ardiles as well early a fixture in Newcastle as in the following season 1991/92 with 28 missions under Kevin Keegan , when the crash in the third division was barely prevented. Just a year later, Keegan managed to lead Newcastle United into the Premier League , but Watson had only a marginal part in this, as he had only come into play twice.

In the top English division he reported back with 32 league appearances in the 1993/94 season and was partly responsible for the fact that his club finished on a surprisingly good third place. In the English U-21 team, he has now matured into a regular player in the right full-back position, but Keegan mostly used him in midfield, although he could not get beyond the role of substitute and substitute player in the increasingly top-class team from 1995 at the latest. It was not until April 1996 that he was regularly used as a right-back, after he had previously helped out in almost all positions and once even took the place of the substitute goalkeeper for a game. With his own followers he had already become a crowd favorite with his passionate and combat-oriented style of play; Among his personal highlights of the 1995/96 season were the two goals against Liverpool in the League Cup and the Premier League .

In the subsequent 1996/97 season, Watson mostly defended his position on the right against Warren Barton, who was signed for expensive money in June 1995 . There were also a few games in the midfield and defense center, with his good performance in central defense in particular in the 1-0 win against Arsenal being recognized. Another indication of its increasing importance at Newcastle United, which was trained by Kenny Dalglish from the beginning of 1997 , was the agreement in March 1997 to sign a new four-year contract.

In the midst of international "top-class" defenders from Newcastle United, the "home grown Watson" continued to assert itself athletically. He defended his regular place on the right side in the 1997/98 season and impressed in central defense in the Champions League home game against FC Barcelona . In addition, he was substituted on in the FA Cup final against Arsenal 15 minutes before the end when the score was 2-0 for Barton, but could no longer ensure the turnaround as an additional striker. With his achievements, he played himself in the focus of the English senior team and received his first nomination for the game against Cameroon for the first time - but an international match for the "Three Lions" was not to come. All the more surprising was Watson's sudden departure from Newcastle in October 1998 for Aston Villa . The explanation that followed was that coach Ruud Gullit already had enough full-backs in his squad and therefore wanted to reinvest the £ 4m transfer fee for Steve Watson in new players.

Aston Villa (1998-2000)

In Birmingham it did not take long before Watson had prevailed on the right side. Coach John Gregory also encouraged him to take part in attacking play more often with offensive attacks, which then began to work well, especially in conjunction with Steve Stone, who was signed in March 1999 . In contrast, the disappointing second season 1999/2000, in which he lost his position as an attacking right full-back ("wing-back") to the Welshman Mark Delaney and for the FA Cup final against Chelsea (0: 1) was not even nominated, as youngster Jlloyd Samuel took his place on the bench. So it was hardly surprising that “Watto” moved on to Everton in July 2000 .

Everton FC (2000-2005)

Watson's versatility, whether as a right full-back or in the center of the defense, was a not inconsiderable factor in the battle for relegation in a difficult 2000/01 season for Everton . He played 34 league games and scored a late winning goal in the FA Cup against Watford FC . Due to major injury problems in the 2001/02 season, he played a provisional center forward more often before an ankle injury put him out of action for three months a short time later. From then on, he found it difficult to find his way back into the team, which was due to the good shape of his competitors after the injury had healed. It was only in January 2003 that he returned permanently to the team and was unusually dangerous with four goals in four games - including a spectacular overhead kick against the Bolton Wanderers . In the second half of the season, they then increasingly conquered a regular place in the right midfield.

With two goals in the first three games of the 2003/04 season and a hat-trick against Leeds United, Watson built on good impressions from the previous season before surgery on both groins in October 2003 put him on hold for four months. After his return he obviously lacked “match fitness” and so his performances at that time were comparatively weak. The competition in his position gained advantages over him again; bad luck came in the form of another injury from the game against Manchester United on Boxing Day 2004, which resulted in a three-month break. Although he then showed his old strengths in variability - especially in the win in the second leg against "United" in the left-back position - but the 2004/05 season was ultimately Watson last year for the "Toffees".

West Bromwich Albion (2005-2007)

It went free to West Bromwich Albion in July 2005 . With the "Baggies" Watson was active as a right full-back, central defender, cleaner and in midfield and scored his first and only league goal for the new club in the derby against Aston Villa . Despite further injury problems that forced him to take four breaks, he made 30 league appearances, but at the end of which was bitter relegation to the second division . In the first months of the following 2006/07 season, Watson played only twelve games. In addition, he was transferred back to the reserve team and when Sheffield Wednesday was interested in a loan deal in February 2007, the two clubs agreed that Watson could end the round with the "Owls".

Sheffield Wednesday (2007-2009)

In Hillsborough Watson came as a full-back and in midfield to eleven league appearances in the remaining games of the season and before the start of the subsequent 2007/08 season Watson moved permanently (and free transfer) to Sheffield. With his experience and clarified style of play, he was now - if an injury did not prevent his occurrence - the captain and the extended arm of coach Brian Laws . In addition, there was a personal highlight when he managed to equalize 1: 1 late against ex-club WBA in November 2007. The 2008-09 season was Watson's last year as an active professional footballer. He scored the only goal of the encounter against local rivals Sheffield United in October 2008, but from then on the injuries increased significantly. Ultimately, a hip injury caused the end of his career, as the need for an operation was determined in February 2009 and the club decided to release Watson.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Barry J. Hugman (Ed.): The 1995-96 Official PFA Footballers Factfile . Lennard Queen Anne Press, 1995, ISBN 978-0-09-180854-9 , pp. 227 .
  2. ↑ Barry J. Hugman (Ed.): The 1996-97 Official PFA Footballers Factfile . Lennard Queen Anne Press, 1996, ISBN 978-1-85291-571-1 , pp. 256 .
  3. ↑ Barry J. Hugman (Ed.): The 1997-98 Official PFA Footballers Factfile . Lennard Queen Anne Press, 1997, ISBN 978-1-85291-581-0 , pp. 285 .
  4. ↑ Barry J. Hugman (Ed.): The 1998-99 Official PFA Footballers Factfile . Lennard Queen Anne Press, 1998, ISBN 978-1-85291-588-9 , pp. 321 .
  5. ↑ a b Barry J. Hugman (Ed.): The 1999-2000 Official PFA Footballers Factfile . Lennard Queen Anne Press, 1999, ISBN 978-1-85291-607-7 , pp. 313 .
  6. ↑ Barry J. Hugman (Ed.): The 2000-2001 Official PFA Footballers Factfile . Lennard Queen Anne Press, 2000, ISBN 978-1-85291-626-8 , pp. 333 .
  7. ↑ Barry J. Hugman (Ed.): The 2001-2002 Official PFA Footballers Factfile . Lennard Queen Anne Press, 2001, ISBN 978-0-946531-34-9 , pp. 320 .
  8. ↑ Barry J. Hugman (Ed.): The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2002/2003 . Lennard Queen Anne Press, 2002, ISBN 978-1-85291-648-0 , pp. 430 .
  9. ↑ Barry J. Hugman (Ed.): The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2003/2004 . Lennard Queen Anne Press, 2003, ISBN 978-1-85291-651-0 , pp. 444 f .
  10. ↑ Barry J. Hugman (Ed.): The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2004/2005 . Lennard Queen Anne Press, 2004, ISBN 978-1-85291-660-2 , pp. 427 .
  11. ↑ Barry J. Hugman (Ed.): The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2005/2006 . Lennard Queen Anne Press, 2005, ISBN 978-1-85291-662-6 , pp. 426 f .
  12. ↑ Barry J. Hugman (Ed.): The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2006-07 . Mainstream Publishing, 2006, ISBN 978-1-84596-111-4 , pp. 426 .
  13. ↑ a b Barry J. Hugman (Ed.): The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2007-08 . Mainstream Publishing, 2007, ISBN 978-1-84596-246-3 , pp. 426 .
  14. ↑ Barry J. Hugman (Ed.): The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2008-09 . Mainstream Publishing, 2008, ISBN 978-1-84596-324-8 , pp. 431 .
  15. ↑ Barry J. Hugman (Ed.): The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2009-10 . Mainstream Publishing, 2009, ISBN 978-1-84596-474-0 , pp. 430 .
personal data
SURNAME Watson, Steve
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Watson, Stephen Craig (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION English soccer player
DATE OF BIRTH April 1, 1974
PLACE OF BIRTH North Shields , England