Vic Watson	West Ham United FC 5 appearances, 4 goals (one on debut) P 5 W 1 D 4 L 0 F 12: A 7 60% successful 1923-30 captain: none minutes played: 450
Timeline
	Corporal Victor Martin Watson
Birth	10 November 1897 in Girton, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire [registered in Chesterton, March 1898].
Baptism	19 December 1897 in Girton
	According to the 1901 census, Victor M. is the seventh of eight children to Philip and Alice, living on the Oakington Road in the Chesterton area of Cambridge. His father works as an agricultural labourer.
	According to the 1911 census, farm labourer Victor is the fourth of six children living at home with their parents. His father is a factory hand at the Jam Factory. The census, in fact, reveals that Alice had twelve children, and one has died. They live at Histon, in Girton. According to his army record attestation, on 2 November 1914, Watson is a farmer living on Girton High Street. He was a member of the 1st Cambs. Regiment. By the time he left on 23 June 1919, he was living at Whitehouse in Histon, Girton and a member of the 7th Northants. Regiment.
	According to the 1921 census, Victor Martin is now a professional footballer (for West Ham United FC) and still lives at home with his parents and younger sister at The White House in Histon.
Marriage	to Kathleen Septima Smith, on Tuesday afternoon, 19 June 1923 in Oakington  [registered in Cambridge, June 1923].
"FAMOUS FOOTBALLER MARRIED— "The wedding of Mr. Victor Martin Watson, the West Ham and England centre-forward took place at Oakington, near Cambridge, on Tuesday afternoon. The bridegroom is a native of Girton, and the son of Mr. and Mrs. Philip Watson, and the bride was Miss Kathleen Smith, daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. J. Smith, of Oakington. Mr. Watson, it will be remembered, was formerly employed at Messrs. Brotherhood's works, and played for the Works team." - The Peterborough & Hunts. Standard, Friday, 22 June 1923.
Children	Vic and Kathleen Watson had five children together. Phyllis K. (b.17 September 1925), Betty J. (b.1927), Beryl J. (b.1931), John (b.24-d.28 January 1933) and Gerald R. (b.1938).
"PLAYED IN CUP-TIE AFTER SON'S DEATH "It was revealed yesterday that Victor Watson, the international centre-forward of West Ham, played in a Cup-tie on Saturday a few hours after the death of his son, who was born on the previous Tuesday. West Ham beat West Bromwich Albion by two goals to nil, Watson scoring the first goal." -Western Daily Press, Bristol and Bristol Mirror, Tuesday, 31 January 1933.
	According to the 1939 register, Victor M., a nurseryman and gas maker, is married to Kathleen S., and they are living at 'Boundary' on the High Street in Chesterton, along with daughter Phyllis K.
Death	3 August 1988 in Girton, aged 90 years 267 days [registered in Cambridge, September 1988].
Source	Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] &
Playing Career
Club(s)	Began his junior football career with Girton FC before joining Cambridge Town FC. Also played with Peterborough & Fletton United FC and Brotherhood Engineering Works FC, his works team in Peterborough. He was seen playing for Wellingborough Town FC when West Ham United FC signed him in March 1920, paying a twenty pound transfer fee. He remained a Hammer, despite being placed on the open-to-transfer list in November 1927 after being dropped from the team, scoring 298 goals in 462 league appearances, until Southampton FC signed him on 11 June 1935, after he was granted a free transfer on 24 April for fifteen years service. Retiring a year later, having played 36 league matches, scoring fourteen goals.
Club honours	FA Cup runners-up 1922-23; Football League Division Two runners-up 1922-23;
Individual honours	None
Distinctions	Scored six goals for Cambridge City, Cambridge Town, West Ham United FC reserves, and then for West Ham United FC against Leeds United AFC, February 1929. Scored four in a match on three other occasions and scored another thirteen hat-tricks. Uncle of John Cranfield (Fulham FC)
Height/Weight	5' 6" [1914]. 5' 9½", 11st. 2lbs [1923].
Source	Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990].
England Career
Player number	One of two who became the 438th players (439) to appear for England.
Position(s)	Centre-forward
First match	No. 131, 5 March 1923, Wales 2 England 2, a British Championship match at Ninian Park, Sloper Road, Cardiff, aged 25 years 115 days.
Last match	No. 172, 14 May 1930, Austria 0 England 0, an end-of-season tour match at Hohe Warte Stadion, Heiligenstadt, Döbling, Wien, aged 32 years 185 days.
Major tournaments	British Championship 1922-23, 1929-30;
Team honours	British Championship winners 1929-30
Individual honours	None
Distinctions	The only centre-forward to play for England before and after the change in the offisdie law in 1925. Only the third Cambridgeshire-born player to represent England. Following his first appearances in spring 1923, Watson received a clock from the inhabitants of Girton, his home village.
Beyond England
After leaving football, worked as a market gardener in Cambridge and a small-holder. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.262.

Vic Watson - Match History
Club: West Ham United F.C. - 5 full appearances F.A. International Select Committee - 5 full capsx
Age 25
1	131	5 March 1923 - Wales 2 England 2, Ninian Park, Cardiff	BC	AD	Start 48	cf
-	132	19 March 1923 - England 6 Belgium 1, Arsenal Stadium, Highbury	Fr	HW	withdrawn
2	133	14 April 1923 - Scotland 2 England 2, Hampden Park, Glasgow	BC	AD	Start 42	cf

gap of 6 years 356 days...

Age 32
3	170	5 April 1930 - England 5 Scotland 2, Empire Stadium, Wembley	BC	HW	Start 12, 28	cf
4	171	10 May 1930 - Germany 3 England 3, Deutsches Stadion, Berlin	tour	AD	Start	cf
5	172	14 May 1930 - Austria 0 England 0, Hohe Warte Stadion, Wien		AD	Start	cf

Notes

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