Vic Watson

Who was Vic Watson?

Victor Martin Watson was an English footballer who played most of his club football for West Ham United.

Watson, a centre forward, played 505 times for West Ham between 1920 and 1936. The club paid just £50 for Vic from Wellingborough, bringing him in to provide cover for Syd Puddefoot.

Vic Watson is the club's record goalscorer with 326 goals, a feat unlikely to be bettered in the modern era. He once scored six, in an 8-2 home win against Leeds on 9 February 1929, scored four goals on three occasions, and managed 13 hat-tricks while at West Ham.

Watson gained two international caps with England in 1923 and a further three caps in 1930, scoring four goals in total, including two against Scotland in the 1930 British Home Championship.

He spent one season with Southampton before retiring and he was the club's top scorer with 14 goals in 36 league appearances.

Upon retiring, he became a market gardener in Girton. He died in August 1988 at the age of 90.

In June 2010 a plaque honouring Watson was unveiled in Girton.