Newcastle-born Tom Watson started his managerial career as Secretary at Newcastle's East End and West End clubs. The Newcastle Journal said "he headed a deputation which resulted in the Newcastle Freemen and the Newcastle Corporation granting permission for football to be played on the site now known as St. James’s Park, in the occupation of the Newcastle United Football Club." As later with Sunderland and Liverpool Watson went north of the border to find quality amateur players when a "£5 note and the offer of a good job in a Tyneside factory" sufficed to attract them south. When Watson was appointed as Secretary of Sunderland in 1889 he made an immediate impact. Not elected to the Football League until the year after he arrived, Sunderland won the First Division championship three times in four seasons under Watson’s guidance in 1892, 1893 and 1895 as well as reaching the FA Cup semi-final three times. More trophies would probably have followed but in the summer of 1896 Liverpool made the most successful manager in the country an offer he couldn’t refuse. His annual salary was £300, doubling what he had earned at Sunderland. John McKenna retired to the boardroom and Watson moved across the country from Wearside to Merseyside on a three-year contract.
Only 37 years old at the time of this move, Watson was still a relatively young man, certainly for a secretary. It was Watson’s job to arrange fixtures, keep records, and submit match details to local papers. At the time, there was no such thing as a football manager, but Watson went beyond the remit of club secretary, and got involved in team selection, tactics and player recruitment – becoming a manager in all but name. This was a radical change to Liverpool's set up as the Cricket and Football Field reported. "The team have never had a “boss” off the field, and there have been too many on, so that a central figure, and one that commands respect, should work wonders in this direction." Watson implemented a strict diet and new coaching regime at Anfield that had served him so well at Sunderland. The players' day started with half an hour stroll at 7.30am, breakfast at 8.30am ideally consisted of weak tea, chops, eggs, dry toast or stale bread. Butter, sugar, potatoes and milk were not held in high regard. Training was at 9.45am and again at 3.30pm. A glass of beer or claret was recommended at dinner and tobacco was to be “sparingly used". The day finished with a one hour stroll at 7.30pm.
Liverpool’s game against The Wednesday on 1 September 1896 was not only the first the team played under new management but also, as the Cricket and Football Field noted, the premiere of the club's new colours: "Liverpool’s new dress of red shirts and white knickers is striking, and a contrast to Everton’s blue shirts and white knickers." Following the 2-1 win, Liverpool failed to score in two matches in a row and a Liverpool director was strongly of the opinion that "the close passing game is almost played out, as it is so much overdone, and more goals will accrue, he thinks, if the swinging moves from wing to wing were indulged in." Whether Liverpool did overpass the ball or not the goals soon arrived and Watson delivered fifth place that was a big improvement on the previous top-flight campaign that ended in relegation. Watson was not only an accomplished manager but he liked a song as well as his players discovered on a day-out at Roscommon Music Hall in November 1896. "Tom Watson is a man of many parts, but his presence on the stage as a singer was never expected by those that know him.," the press noted.
Watson went to Scotland to look for young talent as he had done many times before with great success. Progress was almost as quick as it had been at his previous club. Two FA Cup semi-finals were reached before the turn of the century but not many supporters realise that 90 years before the crucial final League match with Arsenal in 1989 Liverpool were also involved in a “winner takes all” end to the season. Liverpool travelled to Birmingham to face Aston Villa on the last day of the season. A marginally superior goal-difference meant that a draw against their Midland rivals would be enough to secure the club’s first major title. But by the interval the Reds that had conceded only 28 goals in their previous 33 League matches that season had inexplicably let in another five and the match was over as a contest, as was Liverpool’s title dream.
Liverpool slipped to tenth the following season but recovered to mount a serious challenge for the championship in the first full season of the new century. Watson had already proved at Sunderland that he had a good eye for talented players and he continued to prove that for Liverpool. Numerous players that had a huge influence on the club’s early years … and in particular their double-title success in the first decade of the Twentieth century … were signed during Watson’s reign. Amongst them and in no particular order were Scotsman Alex Raisbeck, legendary goalkeepers Sam Hardy and Elisha Scott and prolific scorers Jack Parkinson and Sam Raybould. The 1901 championship was won by two points from, ironically enough, Watson’s former employees Sunderland and seemed to herald a new and exciting era. But rather surprisingly results took a turn for the worse and the club was relegated only three years after winning the League Championship, only to bounce back at the first time of asking and follow that with their second League title just 12 months later, the first club to achieve the ‘double’ feat of winning the Second and First Division championships in successive seasons.
In 1906 Watson suffered the disappointment for the sixth time of being the manager of a losing FA Cup semi-finalist, this time to Everton who went on to lift the trophy by beating Newcastle. League results for the next few years were rather erratic and only in 1910 when finishing runners-up to Aston Villa did Liverpool become seriously close to taking another championship. In 1914 Watson at last managed to overcome his semi-final jinx as Liverpool progressed to the cup final at Aston Villa’s expense but the big day at London’s Crystal Palace ground was to end in disappointment with a single-goal defeat to Burnley.
As World War I broke out, Tom Watson was preparing for his nineteenth season in charge at Anfield. It was to be his last. He had visited his native Newcastle for his fifty-sixth birthday on 9 April. Three weeks later he was back at work when he was seized with a severe chill. A few days later it had developed into a fatal attack of pneumonia. Tom Watson died on 6 May 1915. Watson had been a popular and successful manager and that was reflected in the turn-out for his funeral, where many of the players he signed acted as pall-bearers on his final journey. Alex Raisbeck, Ned Doig, Arthur Goddard, Charlie Wilson, Maurice Parry, George Fleming and Robbie Robinson as well as the club trainer William Connell carried his coffin. Watson is buried at Anfield Cemetery.
Few men take two different clubs to the biggest domestic prize, even in the sport’s early days. Even fewer win that championship as many as five times during their managerial lives. Tom Watson did and he was also the man responsible for Liverpool making the big breakthrough by taking them to their first two League titles in 1901 and 1906.
Competition | Total | Won | Draw | Lost | Goals for | Goals against |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Grand totals | 742 | 329 | 141 | 272 | 1226 | 1056 |
League | 678 | 297 | 128 | 253 | 1123 | 980 |
FA Cup | 63 | 31 | 13 | 19 | 98 | 75 |
League Cup | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Europe | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Other | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
Liverpool FC wear red for the first time. The most successful manager in the country takes over and brings his magic touch to the 'Reds' bringing them tantalizingly close to a league and cup double.
Tom Watson deserves his place among the greatest managers in Liverpool's history and he was clearly one of the most beloved figures that have ever graced the football club.
Liverpool won the league in the 1900-01 season. We give you unique insight into the local papers' reports and celebration of this glorious feat!
In 1904 Liverpool had been relegated to 2nd division only three years after winning the title for the first time. Liverpool were on their way to an amazing success!
In July 1896 Liverpool pulled off a masterstroke by convincing the best manager in the country, Tom Watson, to leave Sunderland and join the Anfield brigade. Published in conjunction with kjelhanssen.com.
From the Liverpool Echo on Tuesday May 11, 1915.
From the Evening Express on 16 March 1899.
The Newcastle Journal on 7 May 1915.
Cricket and Football Field on 16 June 1906.
Cricket and Football Field on 28 July 1906.
Published on 2 December 1909.
Scottish keeper, Kenny Campbell, told his life story in the Weekly News. Chapter one was published on 7 May 1921.
Scottish keeper, Kenny Campbell, told his life story in the Weekly News. Chapter five was published on 11 June 1921.
Player | Club | Fee | Date |
---|---|---|---|
Alex Latta | Everton | £35 | September 1896 |
Andrew McCowie | Cambuslang Hibs | Free | 26 October 1896 |
Bobby Marshall | Leith Athletic | Unknown | 1 May 1897 |
Daniel Cunliffe | Oldham County | Unknown | 1 May 1897 |
William Walker | Leith Athletic | Free | 2 May 1897 |
Patrick Finnerhan | Manchester City | £150 | 5 May 1897 |
Joe Lumsden | Burton Wanderers | Unknown | 11 June 1897 |
Bobby Colvin | Oldham County | Unknown | 5 November 1897 |
Bill Goldie | Clyde | Unknown | 25 November 1897 |
General Stevenson | Padiham | Unknown | 7 December 1897 |
Charlie Wilson | Stockport County | Unknown | 15 December 1897 |
Abraham Hartley | Everton | £175 | 18 December 1897 |
Jack Cox | Blackpool | £150 | 24 December 1897 |
Hugh Morgan | St. Mirren | £200 | 26 March 1898 |
Barney Battles | Dundee | £20 | 28 March 1898 |
Tommy Robertson | Hearts | £175 * | 30 March 1898 |
Johnny Walker | Hearts | £175 * | 30 March 1898 |
Rab Howell | Sheffield United | £200 | 6 April 1898 |
George Allan | Celtic | £50 | 20 April 1898 |
Alex Raisbeck | Hibernian | £350 | 30 April 1898 |
Bill Perkins | Luton Town | £200 | 25 March 1899 |
Abraham Foxall | Gainsborough Trinity | £100 | 27 April 1899 |
Peter Kyle | Clyde | £100 | 1 May 1899 |
David Wilson | East Bontas | Unknown | 7 May 1899 |
John Hunter | Abercorn | Unknown | 12 May 1899 |
John Parkinson | Blackpool | Unknown | September 1899 |
Thomas John Hunter | Beith | Unknown | 10 October 1899 |
Charlie Satterthwaite | Moss Bay | Free | 8 December 1899 |
Sam Raybould | New Brighton Tower | £250 | 4 January 1900 |
Tom Robertson | Stoke City | £400 | 25 April 1900 |
Andy McGuigan | Hibernian | Unknown | May 1900 |
John Glover | Blackburn Rovers | £350 * | 9 May 1900 |
Maurice Parry | Brighton United | Free | 13 August 1900 |
Bill White | QPR | Unknown | 1901 |
George Bowen | Wolves | £215 * | May 1901 |
George Fleming | Wolves | £215 * | 2 May 1901 |
Don McCallum | Queen's Park | Unknown | 20 June 1901 |
Thomas Green | New Brighton | Free | 4 September 1901 |
George Latham | Free Transfer | Free | 1902 |
Arthur Goddard | Glossop | £460 | 24 February 1902 |
Richard Morris | Druids | Unknown | 24 March 1902 |
Peter Platt | Blackburn Rovers | Unknown | 1 May 1902 |
Edgar Chadwick | Free Transfer | Free | 8 May 1902 |
George Livingstone | Celtic | £600 | 28 May 1902 |
John Carlin | Barnsley | Unknown | 3 December 1902 |
John Chadburn | WBA | Unknown | 11 May 1903 |
Fred Buck | WBA | Unknown | 11 May 1903 |
Herbert Craik | Morton | Player Exchange * | 15 May 1903 |
John McLean | Vale of Leven | Unknown | 21 May 1903 |
Joseph Hoare | Southampton | £75 | May 1903 |
Alf West | Barnsley | £500 | 4 November 1903 |
Charles Cotton | West Ham United | Unknown | 4 December 1903 |
Joe Hewitt | Sunderland | £150 | 9 February 1904 |
Bobby Robinson | Sunderland | £500 | 11 February 1904 |
James Garside | Accrington Stanley | Unknown | 10 March 1904 |
Tom Chorlton | Accrington Stanley | Unknown | 15 May 1904 |
Ned Doig | Sunderland | £220 | 5 July 1904 |
David Murray | Everton | Free | 29 August 1904 |
James Gorman | Darlington St Augustine's | Unknown | 28 April 1905 |
Sam Hardy | Chesterfield | £340 | 19 May 1905 |
James Bradley | Stoke City | Unknown | 15 September 1905 |
Bob Blanthorne | Birkenhead | Unknown | 2 November 1905 |
Percy Saul | Plymouth Argyle | Unknown | 30 April 1906 |
John Lipsham | Chester City | Unknown | 9 May 1906 |
Bill McPherson | St. Mirren | Unknown | 1 August 1906 |
John McKenna | Old Xaverians | Unknown | December 1906 |
Harold Fitzpatrick | Luton Town | Unknown | 1907 |
Sam Bowyer | Earlestown | £95 | 2 March 1907 |
Tom Rogers | Rossendale | Unknown | April 1907 |
Charles Hewitt | Free Transfer | Free | August 1907 |
Michael Griffin | Darlington St Augustine's | £0 | September 1907 |
Ernest Peake | Aberystwyth Town | Unknown | 1908 |
Jimmy Harrop | Rotherham United | £250 | 10 January 1908 |
Ronald Orr | Newcastle United | £350 | 1 April 1908 |
Don Sloan | Everton | £300 | 2 May 1908 |
Bertram Goode | Chester City | Unknown | 9 May 1908 |
Bill Hunter | Airdrieonians | Unknown | December 1908 |
Augustus Beeby | Osmaston | Unknown | 14 December 1908 |
Robert Crawford | Arthurlie | £0 | 20 January 1909 |
James Speakman | Prescot Fireworks | Unknown | February 1909 |
Jimmy Stewart | Motherwell | Unknown | April 1909 |
John McConnell | Airdrieonians | £80 | 14 April 1909 |
John McDonald | Rangers | Unknown | 8 May 1909 |
Messina Allman | Stoke City | Unknown | September 1909 |
James Scott | Ardeer Thistle | Unknown | 1910 |
Donald McKinlay | Newton Villa | Unknown | 25 January 1910 |
Sam Gilligan | Bristol City | Unknown | 30 April 1910 |
Alf West | Reading | Unknown | 4 May 1910 |
Ephraim Longworth | Leyton | Unknown | 10 May 1910 |
Herbert Leavey | Plymouth Argyle | Unknown | June 1910 |
Joseph Brough | Port Vale | Unknown | August 1910 |
William Stuart | Bolton Wanderers | Free | 1 September 1910 |
Ralph Holden | St Helens Recreationals | Unknown | 1 December 1910 |
John Bovill | Chesterfield | Unknown | April 1911 |
Harry Lowe | Gainsborough Trinity | Unknown | 3 May 1911 |
Ken Campbell | Cambuslang Rangers | £10 | 9 May 1911 |
Bob Pursell | Queen's Park | £360 | 29 August 1911 |
Tom Miller | Hamilton Academical | £400 | 15 February 1912 |
Tom Gracie | Everton | £150 * | 22 February 1912 |
Bill Lacey | Everton | £150 * | 27 February 1912 |
Walter Wadsworth | Ormskirk | Unknown | April 1912 |
Bob Ferguson | Third Lanark | Unknown | 13 May 1912 |
Arthur Metcalf | Newcastle United | £150 | 24 May 1912 |
John Tosswill | QPR | Unknown | June 1912 |
Arthur Berry | Free Transfer | Unknown | 18 June 1912 |
Frank Grayer | Southampton | £100 | 16 July 1912 |
Elisha Scott | Free Transfer | Free | 1 September 1912 |
Sam Speakman | Colne | Unknown | 4 September 1912 |
Jimmy Dawson | Leith Athletic | Unknown | 17 December 1912 |
Tom Fairfoul | Third Lanark | Unknown | 8 May 1913 |
Fred Staniforth | Grimsby Town | Unknown | 28 May 1913 |
Bob McDougall | Dunfermilne | Unknown | 1 November 1913 |
Jackie Sheldon | Manchester United | £300 | 26 November 1913 |
Jimmy Nicholl | Middlesbrough | Unknown | 22 January 1914 |
Phil Bratley | Barnsley | Unknown | May 1914 |
Charlie Hafekost | Gillingham | Unknown | May 1914 |
Wilf Bartrop | Barnsley | Unknown | 13 May 1914 |
Fred Pagnam | Blackpool | £75 | 21 May 1914 |
Player | Club | Fee | Date |
---|---|---|---|
Bill Keech | Barnsley | Unknown | 1897 |
Jimmy Ross | Burnley | £65 * | 23 March 1897 |
Malcolm McVean | Burnley | £65 * | 23 March 1897 |
Robert Neill | Rangers | Unknown | April 1897 |
Willie Michael | Hearts | Unknown | 30 April 1897 |
George Allan | Celtic | £50 | 1 May 1897 |
David Hannah | Dundee | Free | 11 May 1897 |
John McLean | Grimsby Town | Unknown | June 1897 |
Ben Bull | Reading | Unknown | July 1897 |
Bobby Colvin | Glossop North End | Unknown | 1898 |
John Holmes | Burton Swifts | Unknown | 1898 |
Patrick Finnerhan | Bristol City | Unknown | May 1898 |
Joe Lumsden | Glossop North End | Unknown | 4 May 1898 |
Harry Bradshaw | Tottenham | Unknown | 6 May 1898 |
Willie Donnelly | Clyde | Unknown | 22 June 1898 |
Daniel Cunliffe | New Brighton Tower | £30 | August 1898 |
John McCartney | New Brighton Tower | £50 | August 1898 |
William Walker | Leith Athletic | Free | 25 August 1898 |
Joe McQue | Falkirk | Unknown | September 1898 |
Barney Battles | Celtic | Unknown | 3 October 1898 |
Frank Becton | Sheffield United | £200 | 7 October 1898 |
Bobby Marshall | Portsmouth | Unknown | 1899 |
Tom Wilkie | Portsmouth | Unknown | 1899 |
Matt McQueen | Hearts | Unknown | 1899 |
Andrew McCowie | Arsenal | Unknown | 1 May 1899 |
Abraham Hartley | Arsenal | Unknown * | 16 July 1899 |
Tom Cleghorn | Portsmouth | Unknown | August 1899 |
Archie Goldie | New Brighton Tower | Unknown | May 1900 |
John Parkinson | Blackpool | Unknown | May 1900 |
Abraham Foxall | QPR | Unknown | May 1900 |
Peter Kyle | Leicester City | Unknown | 9 May 1900 |
Hugh Morgan | Blackburn Rovers | Unknown | June 1900 |
General Stevenson | Barnsley | Unknown | 30 June 1900 |
David Wilson | Airdrieonians | Unknown | 20 July 1900 |
Rab Howell | Preston North End | Unknown | June 1901 |
Charlie Satterthwaite | New Brompton | Unknown | 1902 |
Tom Robertson | Southampton | Unknown | May 1902 |
Johnny Walker | Rangers | Unknown | May 1902 |
Tommy Robertson | Hearts | £150 * | 14 May 1902 |
John Hunter | Hearts | £150 * | 14 May 1902 |
Bill White | Dundee | Unknown | 9 July 1902 |
George Bowen | Wolves | Unknown | 17 September 1902 |
Andy McGuigan | Middlesbrough | £200 | 2 December 1902 |
Bill Perkins | Northampton Town | Unknown | 1903 |
Thomas Green | Swindon Town | Unknown | 1903 |
George Livingstone | Manchester City | Unknown | 6 May 1903 |
Don McCallum | Morton | Player Exchange * | 22 May 1903 |
John Davies | Blackpool | Unknown | July 1903 |
Peter Platt | Luton Town | Unknown | 1904 |
Herbert Craik | Hearts | Unknown | 1904 |
Charles Cotton | West Ham United | Unknown | 1904 |
Bill Goldie | Fulham | Unknown | January 1904 |
John Glover | Birmingham City | £250 | 12 January 1904 |
John McLean | Motherwell | Unknown | 6 March 1904 |
John Chadburn | Plymouth Argyle | Unknown | 14 March 1904 |
Fred Buck | Plymouth Argyle | Unknown | 16 March 1904 |
Sydney Smith | Southport | Unknown | April 1904 |
Joseph Hoare | Southampton | Unknown | 1 May 1904 |
Edgar Chadwick | Blackpool | Unknown | 20 May 1904 |
Richard Morris | Leeds City | Unknown | 9 May 1905 |
David Murray | Leeds City | £130 | 7 December 1905 |
James Garside | Accrington Stanley | Unknown | 3 May 1906 |
John Lipsham | Chester City | Unknown | 1907 |
Sam Raybould | Sunderland | Unknown | 10 May 1907 |
John Carlin | Preston North End | Unknown | 18 May 1907 |
Bob Blanthorne | Grimsby Town | £0 | 26 October 1907 |
Charles Hewitt | WBA | Unknown | 24 April 1908 |
Ned Doig | St Helens Recreationals | Free | May 1908 |
Harold Fitzpatrick | Chesterfield | Unknown | 6 May 1908 |
James Gorman | Leicester City | Unknown | 6 May 1908 |
Bill McPherson | Rangers | Unknown | 22 May 1908 |
Harry Griffiths | Chesterfield | Unknown | 5 June 1908 |
Messina Allman | Wrexham | Unknown | 6 July 1908 |
James Hughes | Crystal Palace | Unknown | 1909 |
Michael Griffin | Crystal Palace | Unknown | May 1909 |
Bill Hunter | Sunderland | Unknown | May 1909 |
Jack Cox | Blackpool | Unknown | May 1909 |
Maurice Parry | Partick Thistle | Unknown | 17 May 1909 |
Alf West | Reading | Unknown | 3 June 1909 |
Alex Raisbeck | Partick Thistle | £500 | 11 June 1909 |
Don Sloan | Distillery | Unknown | July 1909 |
Percy Saul | Coventry City | Unknown | 10 July 1909 |
Arthur Berry | Fulham | Unknown | September 1909 |
Bertram Goode | Wrexham | Unknown | 22 June 1910 |
Joe Hewitt | Bolton Wanderers | Unknown | 11 July 1910 |
Augustus Beeby | Manchester City | Unknown | 12 May 1911 |
James Bradley | Reading | Unknown | 13 June 1911 |
Alf West | Notts County | Unknown | 13 July 1911 |
Herbert Leavey | Barnsley | Unknown | 30 August 1911 |
Joseph Brough | Stoke City | Unknown | January 1912 |
Ronald Orr | Raith Rovers | Unknown | January 1912 |
Sam Bowyer | Bristol City | Unknown | 15 February 1912 |
Harold Uren | Everton | £0 * | 27 February 1912 |
John McDonald | Newcastle United | £900 | 11 May 1912 |
John McConnell | Aberdeen | £50 | 28 May 1912 |
Jimmy Harrop | Aston Villa | £600 | 12 June 1912 |
Sam Hardy | Aston Villa | £1,500 | 13 June 1912 |
Tom Chorlton | Manchester United | £150 | 31 August 1912 |
Bobby Robinson | Tranmere Rovers | Unknown | May 1913 |
Hugh Lester | Oldham Athletic | Unknown | 21 May 1913 |
Sam Gilligan | Gillingham | Free | 16 July 1913 |
James Speakman | South Liverpool | Unknown | 1 August 1913 |
John Tosswill | Southend | Unknown | 20 August 1913 |
John Bovill | Linfield | Unknown | 1914 |
Jimmy Stewart | Hamilton Academical | Unknown | 29 January 1914 |
Ernest Peake | Third Lanark | Free | 1 May 1914 |
Arthur Goddard | Cardiff City | £0 | May 1914 |
Tom Gracie | Hearts | £400 | 13 May 1914 |
Ralph Holden | Tranmere Rovers | Unknown | June 1914 |
Jack Parkinson | Bury | Free | 21 August 1914 |