David Watson (footballer, born 1973)

Playing career

Watson was born in Barnsley, and was first-choice goalkeeper in their one season in the top flight. He suffered a knee injury in a game against Norwich City in September 1998; he spent more than two years in an abortive attempt to regain fitness but played no more first-team football and retired in 2001 at the age of 28.

While a Barnsley player, Watson represented England at the 1993 FIFA World Youth Championship. They finished in third place and won the FIFA Fair Play award. He also won five caps for England at under-21 level.

Coaching career

He went on to work as goalkeeping coach with Northampton Town, Oldham Athletic, Northampton Town again, the England under-19 team, and Nottingham Forest, before replacing Nigel Spink as goalkeeping coach of Birmingham City in January 2008.

While in this position, Watson built a reputation as an excellent coach, praised for enhancing the careers of England goalkeepers Joe Hart, Ben Foster and Jack Butland, experience that encouraged new manager Roy Hodgson to invite him to work alongside Ray Clemence with the England team at Euro 2012. Watson remained as England's goalkeeping coach for four years, and was prepared to stay on after Hodgson and the rest of his staff left following the poor performance at Euro 2016, but Hodgson's successor Sam Allardyce replaced him with Martyn Margetson.

On 6 July 2012, Watson joined Norwich City as goalkeeping coach, continuing his relationship with Chris Hughton whom he previously worked under at Birmingham City. Two years later, he joined Southampton as senior goalkeeping coach as part of new manager Ronald Koeman's staff. He was named head of goalkeeping in 2016, and in 2019 was appointed as a first-team assistant coach under Ralph Hasenhüttl.

Honours

Barnsley

• First Division (level 2) runners-up: 1996–97

England Under-20

• FIFA World Youth Championship third place: 1993

References

References

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2. (2000). "Playfair Football Annual 2000–2001". Headline.
3. (24 April 2017). "Bygones: How Barnsley's winning mix produced carnival atmosphere at Oakwell". Yorkshire Post.
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5. (9 January 2002). "Watson joins Oldham". BBC Sport.
6. (20 November 2019). "England's Matches: the under 20s". Chris Goodwin & Glen Isherwood.
7. Courtney, Barrie. (23 August 2018). "England – U-21 International Results 1986–1995 – Details".
8. (9 July 2002). "Wadsworth appoints Wilkes". BBC Sport.
9. (8 November 2005). "Cobblers coach given England role". BBC Sport.
10. (12 June 2006). "Forest name new goalkeeping coach". BBC Sport.
11. (10 January 2008). "Watson is Blues' new keeper coach". BBC Sport.
12. Winter, Henry. (10 September 2010). "England's goalkeepers in safe hands with Birmingham coach Dave Watson". Daily Telegraph.
13. (10 May 2012). "Dave Watson to link up with England". ESPN.
14. Law, Matt. (9 August 2016). "Sam Allardyce poaches Welsh goalkeeping coach to replace Dave Watson in England backroom reshuffle". Daily Telegraph.
15. Tattum, Colin. (6 July 2012). "Dave Watson leaves Birmingham City to join Chris Hughton at Norwich". Birmingham Mail.
16. (1 July 2014). "Premier League: Sammy Lee and Dave Watson join Ronald Koeman's coaching staff at Southampton". Sky Sports.
17. (25 July 2016). "Dave Watson signs a new contract at Southampton and is given the role of Head of Goalkeeping". Daily Echo.
18. (1 July 2019). "Dave Watson promoted to Southampton first team assistant coach".