Kevin Watson

For the rugby league player, see Kevin Watson (rugby league).
Kevin Watson
Personal information
Full name Kevin Edward Watson[1]
Date of birth (1974-01-03) 3 January 1974[1]
Place of birth Hackney, England
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Playing position Midfielder
Youth career
000?–1992 Tottenham Hotspur
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1992–1996 Tottenham Hotspur 5 (0)
1994 → Brentford (loan) 3 (0)
1994 → Bristol City (loan) 2 (0)
1995 → Barnet (loan) 13 (0)
1996–1999 Swindon Town 66 (1)
1999–2002 Rotherham United 109 (7)
2001 → Reading (loan) 6 (0)
2002–2004 Reading 60 (2)
2004–2008 Colchester United 135 (3)
2008 Luton Town 6 (0)
2015- Stevenage 0 (0)
Total 405 (13)
Teams managed
2015 Maldon & Tiptree

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19:42, 8 February 2010 (UTC).


Kevin Edward Watson (born 3 January 1974) is a former professional footballer, turned coach and sports broadcaster. Kevin is currently Assistant Manager at National League side Eastleigh FC.

Football career

Watson started his career as a trainee with his local side Tottenham Hotspur. Watson scored his only Spurs goal on his debut in a League Cup tie against Brentford.[2] As a youngster his first-team opportunities were limited and he went out on loan to several sides to build his experience, namely Brentford, Bristol City and Barnet.

In 1996 he was signed by Swindon Town manager Steve McMahon. Newly promoted to second tier of the English Football League – Watson helped them avoid relegation.

Watson moved on to Rotherham United in July 1999, astute Millers' manager Ronnie Moore signing him on a free transfer. In his first season Watson helped Rotherham to promotion from League Two, narrowly missing out on the title.

Another promotion (and another title near miss) followed in the next season and Rotherham were promoted again into the Football League Championship. A key part of their rapid acceleration, Watson helped guide the team to survival by the narrowest of goal-difference margins.

After over 100 games at Rotherham his knack for promotions was spotted by then Reading manager Alan Pardew who at first, took Watson on loan before signing him permanently in March 2002 for £150,000 – where he promptly repeated the trick, guiding the Royals to promotion from League One, in his now customary second place.

His first full season at Reading saw the Royals into a play-off place, where narrow defeat to Wolves cost them a place in the Premiership. Perhaps tellingly Watson was on the bench for those key play-off games.

When former team-mate Phil Parkinson was installed as manager at Colchester United one of his first acts was to bring Watson to Layer Road.

Marshalling the midfield Watson played a key role as in his (and Parkinson's) first full season the U's stormed to promotion from League One, finishing in second place.

Now with over 100 games for the U's under his belt he has been a key part of "The Best Col U ever" as the underdog U's finished their first season in the Football League Championship in 10th place.

He was released by Colchester at the end of the 2007–08 season, and then signed on a free transfer for Luton Town.[3] However, Watson failed to make an impact at Luton as a result of a knee injury that kept him out of action for much of his contract duration, and he was released at the end of 2008.

In 2015 whilst assistant manager of Stevenage, Watson alongside Stevenage manager Teddy Sheringham registered as players.

Coaching career

After his release from a playing contract at Luton, Watson was given the position of first-team coach by Luton manager Mick Harford on 14 January 2009.[4] After Harford's departure on 1 October 2009, Watson continued in his coaching capacity under new boss Richard Money until May 2010, when he left the club.[5]

Following the departure of Aidy Boothroyd from Colchester United to take the manager's job at Coventry City on 20 May 2010, Watson expressed an interest in taking up the vacant managerial position at his former club.[6]

In May 2015 he was appointed manager of Maldon & Tiptree[7] However, Watson left the club after only eleven days to take up the position of assistant manager to Teddy Sheringham at Stevenage. He left his position in February after Teddy Sheringham's departure.

In August 2016, Kevin was appointed First Team Assistant Manager at National League side Eastleigh.

Personal life

Watson has been involved in greyhound racing, pairing up with Tottenham Hotspur teammate Stuart Nethercott to buy Elegant Brandy, who won the 1995 Grand National.[8]

Honours

Club

Rotherham United[9][10]
Reading

References

  1. 1 2 3 Hugman, Barry J. (ed) (2008). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2008–09. Mainstream. ISBN 978-1-84596-324-8.
  2. ↑ "Durie tips the balance". Independent. 21 September 1992. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  3. ↑ "Three more sign for Hatters". Luton Town F.C. 8 August 2008. Archived from the original on 2012-02-10. Retrieved 8 August 2008.
  4. ↑ "Coaching staff appointments". Luton Town F.C. 14 January 2009. Archived from the original on 2012-03-01. Retrieved 16 January 2009.
  5. ↑ "Backroom staff changes revealed". Luton Town F.C. 11 May 2010. Archived from the original on 2010-05-13. Retrieved 11 May 2010.
  6. ↑ "Kevin Watson wants to be next Colchester United Manager". Colchester Evening Gazette. 25 May 2010. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
  7. ↑ Former Colchester United and Spurs man Kevin Watson is new Maldon & Tiptree boss Essex Chronicle, 19 May 2015
  8. ↑ Brentford F.C. Griffin Gazette versus Chester City 15/04/95. Quay Design of Poole. 1995. p. 3.
  9. ↑ "Tier Four (League Two) Honours". Coludaybyday.co.uk.
  10. ↑ "Tier Three (League One) Honours". Coludaybyday.co.uk.
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