1994 Watson, Steve
Birth Date
4th April 1973
Birthplace
Liverpool
Occupation
Full-Back
Biographical Text
Steve Watson, a defender from Rangers, had a short trial with Exeter City in 1994. He later played for St Mirren.
In the days before club websites and social media it wasn't always easy to keep tabs on the arrival of new players or to discover much about their background. In February 1994 City followers would have certainly been reliant on the Express and Echo to inform them of an arrival from Scotland. In the words of Ed Hogg:
"Exeter City boss Terry Cooper could discover a bargain solution to his left back problem in Glasgow Rangers' Stephen Watson.
As revealed in later editions of yesterday's Express & Echo, Cooper's search for the men to rescue City from the Division 2 relegation zone continued with the arrival of Watson on a weeks' St James's Park trial. And speculation in Scotland suggests that Rangers supremo Walter Smith would let the talented 20- year-old Liverpudlian defender go cheap. Watson is behind Scotland international David Robertson, Exeter-born Chris Vinnicombe and former Falkirk favourite Fraser Wishart in the Ibrox pecking order for the left back slot. He has managed just three senior starts for the Scottish giants since he was plucked from Merseyside club Maudsley by one-time Rangers boss Graeme Souness in 1990.
And Smith has said he believes it would be beneficial for Watson to move in search of senior action. Cooper's hunt for a reliable left back has continued despite being unable to persuade Rangers to loan Chris Vinnicombe back to his home-town club.
Watson was expected to have an early chance to impress in the Neville Ovenden Combination League trip to Hereford".
Steve would have joined the Ibrox club at a time when manager Graeme Souness was keen not only to attract top players from England but also emerging talent. A keen Everton fan, who had reportedly been impressing Liverpool, Steve was seventeen when he moved north in 1990. Now, four years later and having played first-team football towards the end of the 1992/93 campign, his opportunities remained limited.
No report of the reserve game against Hereford appears to exist and, with his name missing from later reserve game programmes, it's possible that Steve's stay at St James' Park lasted no longer than the originally-intended seven days. With regards to City, results did not improve and, for some of the games, the management went 'in-house' by giving the left-back spot to Toby Redwood.
Meanwhile Steve played a substantial number of games for St Mirren - captaining the team on occasions - between 1994 and 1998 before two years with Yee Hope in Hong Kong and brief stints back in Scotland with Falkirk and Partick Thistle. He then moved into West of Scotland junior football with Kilwinning Rangers, Beith and Troon.
In the days before club websites and social media it wasn't always easy to keep tabs on the arrival of new players or to discover much about their background. In February 1994 City followers would have certainly been reliant on the Express and Echo to inform them of an arrival from Scotland. In the words of Ed Hogg:
"Exeter City boss Terry Cooper could discover a bargain solution to his left back problem in Glasgow Rangers' Stephen Watson.
As revealed in later editions of yesterday's Express & Echo, Cooper's search for the men to rescue City from the Division 2 relegation zone continued with the arrival of Watson on a weeks' St James's Park trial. And speculation in Scotland suggests that Rangers supremo Walter Smith would let the talented 20- year-old Liverpudlian defender go cheap. Watson is behind Scotland international David Robertson, Exeter-born Chris Vinnicombe and former Falkirk favourite Fraser Wishart in the Ibrox pecking order for the left back slot. He has managed just three senior starts for the Scottish giants since he was plucked from Merseyside club Maudsley by one-time Rangers boss Graeme Souness in 1990.
And Smith has said he believes it would be beneficial for Watson to move in search of senior action. Cooper's hunt for a reliable left back has continued despite being unable to persuade Rangers to loan Chris Vinnicombe back to his home-town club.
Watson was expected to have an early chance to impress in the Neville Ovenden Combination League trip to Hereford".
Steve would have joined the Ibrox club at a time when manager Graeme Souness was keen not only to attract top players from England but also emerging talent. A keen Everton fan, who had reportedly been impressing Liverpool, Steve was seventeen when he moved north in 1990. Now, four years later and having played first-team football towards the end of the 1992/93 campign, his opportunities remained limited.
No report of the reserve game against Hereford appears to exist and, with his name missing from later reserve game programmes, it's possible that Steve's stay at St James' Park lasted no longer than the originally-intended seven days. With regards to City, results did not improve and, for some of the games, the management went 'in-house' by giving the left-back spot to Toby Redwood.
Meanwhile Steve played a substantial number of games for St Mirren - captaining the team on occasions - between 1994 and 1998 before two years with Yee Hope in Hong Kong and brief stints back in Scotland with Falkirk and Partick Thistle. He then moved into West of Scotland junior football with Kilwinning Rangers, Beith and Troon.
Thirty years after his brief association with Exeter City, Steve's social media indicated he was back in the North West of England living in Widnes and watching Everton.
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