Rory Watson

Rory Watson (born 5 February 1996) is an English professional footballer who plays as goalkeeper for York City.

Rory Watson
Watson playing for North Ferriby United in 2017
Personal information
Full name Rory Watson[1]
Date of birth (1996-02-05) 5 February 1996[2]
Place of birth York, England
Height 6 ft 3 in (1.90 m)[3]
Position(s) Goalkeeper[4]
Team information
Current team
 York City
Number 35
Youth career
200?–2009 Leeds United
2009–2014 Hull City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2017 Hull City 0 (0)
2015 → Gainsborough Trinity (loan) 14 (0)
2015 → Scunthorpe United (loan) 0 (0)
2016–2017 → North Ferriby United (loan) 31 (0)
2017–2022 Scunthorpe United 85 (0)
2017 → North Ferriby United (loan) 9 (0)
2022–2023 Wrexham 0 (0)
2023 Doncaster Rovers 0 (0)
2023– York City 0 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 6 January 2023

Watson played youth football with Leeds United and Hull City, signing a professional contract with the latter in June 2014. He had loan spells with Gainsborough Trinity, Scunthorpe United and North Ferriby United before signing for Scunthorpe permanently in January 2017.

Early life

Watson was born in York, North Yorkshire[5] and was raised in the nearby village of Bishopthorpe.[6] He attended Tadcaster Grammar School.[6]

Career

Early career
Watson playing for North Ferriby United in 2017

Watson was signed by Leeds United on schoolboy terms at the age of 10 after impressing scouts while playing for junior team Bishopthorpe White Rose.[6] He was released in 2009 as he was deemed to not be tall enough, before joining Hull City[6] at under-13 level.[7] He agreed a two-year scholarship with Hull in February 2012.[6]

Watson signed a professional contract with Hull in June 2014.[8] His first involvement with the first team came on 25 October 2014 as an unused substitute in a 0–0 draw away to Liverpool in the Premier League.[9] Watson joined Conference North club Gainsborough Trinity on a 6 February 2015 on a one-month loan.[10] He made his debut when starting a 2–1 away defeat to Leamington in the league on 14 February 2015.[11] The loan was extended until the end of the 2014–15 season, after Watson had been named man of the match in two of his four appearances.[12] Watson finished the loan with 14 appearances[11] as Gainsborough ranked in 17th place in the table.[13]

He joined League One club Scunthorpe United on 10 August 2015 on a 28-day emergency loan, as cover for the suspended Luke Daniels.[14] He did not play and was an unused substitute in three matches.[15] On 1 July 2016, he joined newly promoted National League club North Ferriby United on loan for the 2016–17 season.[16] He made his debut on 6 August 2016 in a 0–0 draw at home to Braintree Town,[11] which was North Ferriby's first match at National Level.[17]

Scunthorpe United

He was recalled from his loan ahead of permanent transfer to Scunthorpe United on a free transfer.[18] He signed for the club on 31 January 2017 on a three-and-a-half-year contract and was immediately loaned back to North Ferriby for the rest of the season.[19] Watson was recalled by Scunthorpe on 30 March 2017,[20] having been an ever-present in the North Ferriby team in 2016–17[21] with 42 appearances.[11] He was an unused substitute for Scunthorpe's eight remaining fixtures in 2016–17, a season that culminated in a 3–2 aggregate defeat to Millwall in the League One play-offs.[22]

Watson started 2017–18 as backup to first-choice goalkeeper Matt Gilks, with his first-team appearances limited to the EFL Trophy.[23] His debut for Scunthorpe had come in this competition, when starting in a 3–1 home win over Sunderland U21 on 29 August 2017.[24] He helped Scunthorpe to the second round, when they were beaten 2–1 at home by Leicester City U21 on 5 December 2017.[25] After Gilks picked up a calf injury,[26] Watson made his league debut for Scunthorpe by starting a 1–1 draw away to Portsmouth on 13 January 2018.[27] He remained in goal for three more matches before Gilks returned for a match against Fleetwood Town on 3 February 2018.[23] Watson was next called upon as a 61st-minute substitute in the first leg of Scunthorpe's play-off semi-final against Rotherham United on 12 May 2018 after Gilks picked up an injury and conceded once as Scunthorpe drew 2–2.[27][28] Watson started in the second leg four days later, which Scunthorpe lost 2–0 and were therefore eliminated 4–2 on aggregate.[29]

Watson was released by Scunthorpe at the end of the 2021–22 season.[30] He made 101 appearances in all competitions for the club.

Wrexham

On 4 August 2022, Watson signed for Wrexham as short-term cover following a pre-season injury to goalkeeper Christian Dibble.[31] After being named as a substitute for the first four games of the season, he signed a contract until January 2023,[32] and then extended his contract to the end of the 2022-23 season.[33]

Doncaster Rovers

On 8 August 2023, Watson signed for Doncaster Rovers on an initial 1-month contract as cover for the injured Louis Jones.[34]

York City

Watson joined York City on a season-long contract on 24 August 2023.[35]

Career statistics
As of match played 05 August 2022
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup EFL Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Hull City 2014–15[36] Premier League 000000—00
2015–16[37] Championship 0000000000
Total 0000000000
Gainsborough Trinity (loan) 2014–15[11] Conference North 140———140
Scunthorpe United (loan) 2015–16[37] League One 00—00—00
North Ferriby United (loan) 2016–17[11] National League 40010—1[lower-alpha 1]0420
Scunthorpe United 2016–17[38] League One 00——0000
2017–18[27] League One 4000006[lower-alpha 2]0100
2018–19[39] League One 5000100060
2019–20[40] League Two 23000102[lower-alpha 3]0260
2020–21[41] League Two 12000102[lower-alpha 4]0150
2021–22[42] League Two 41 0 1 0 1 0 2 0 45 0
Total 380003090500
Career total 92010301001060
  1. Appearance in FA Trophy
  2. Four appearances in EFL Trophy, two in League One play-offs
  3. Appearances in EFL Trophy
  4. Appearances in EFL Trophy

References
  1. "Club list of registered players: As at 20th May 2017" (PDF). English Football League. p. 62. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  2. "Rory Watson: Overview". Premier League. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  3. "Rory Watson". Scunthorpe United F.C. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  4. "Rory Watson". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  5. "Rory Watson: Profile". worldfootball.net. HEIM:SPIEL. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  6. "Teenage goalkeeper Rory Watson to sign Hull City contract". The Press. York. 17 February 2012. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  7. "Under 21s: Player profiles". Hull City A.F.C. Archived from the original on 7 April 2016.
  8. "Youngsters urged to maintain work ethic after signing pro contracts". Hull City A.F.C. 5 June 2014. Archived from the original on 10 May 2017.
  9. "Hull: Results/matches: 2014/15". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  10. "Young goalkeeper Watson joins Gainsborough". Hull City A.F.C. 6 February 2015. Archived from the original on 24 March 2016.
  11. "R. Watson: Summary". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  12. "Watson extends Gainsborough loan spell". Hull City A.F.C. 9 March 2015. Archived from the original on 24 March 2016.
  13. "Conference North: 2014/15: Latest table". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  14. "Rory Watson: Scunthorpe United sign Hull City goalkeeper". BBC Sport. 10 August 2015. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  15. "Scunthorpe: Results/matches: 2015/16". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  16. "Rory Watson: Hull City goalkeeper joins North Ferriby United on loan". BBC Sport. 1 July 2016. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  17. "NFU 1 Braintree Town 1 (NL)". North Ferriby United A.F.C. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  18. "Rory Watson signs for Scunthorpe United". Hull City A.F.C. 31 January 2017. Archived from the original on 31 January 2017.
  19. "Goalkeeper Watson joins the Iron". Scunthorpe United F.C. 31 January 2017. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  20. "Trio return to Glanford Park". Scunthorpe United F.C. 30 March 2017. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  21. Withers, Phil (30 March 2017). "Rory Watson recalled by Scunthorpe". North Ferriby United A.F.C. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  22. "Scunthorpe: Results/matches: 2016/17". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  23. "Scunthorpe: Results/matches: 2017/18". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  24. "Report: Iron 3–1 Sunderland Under-21s". Scunthorpe United F.C. 29 August 2017. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  25. "Report: Iron 1–2 Leicester City Under-21s". Scunthorpe United F.C. 5 December 2017. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  26. Crute, Paul (3 February 2018). "Rory Watson is living the dream after getting first team chance at Scunthorpe United". Scunthorpe Telegraph. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  27. "Games played by Rory Watson in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  28. Portess, Jenna-Lea (12 May 2018). "Report: Iron 2–2 Rotherham United". Scunthorpe United F.C. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  29. Mitchell, Brendon (16 May 2018). "Rotherham United 2–0 Scunthorpe United". BBC Sport. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  30. "Club statement". Scunthorpe United FC. 9 May 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  31. "Rory Watson to provide short-term cover". Wrexham AFC. 4 August 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  32. "Rory Watson: Goalkeeper extends Wrexham stay until January". BBC Sport. 25 August 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  33. Henrys, Colin (19 January 2023). "SIGNED | Goalkeepers extend Wrexham stay". Wrexham AFC. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  34. "Rory Watson signs one-month contract". Doncaster Rovers. 8 August 2023. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  35. Ramsey, Gabriel (24 August 2023). "Goalkeeper Rory Watson joins hometown club York City". York Press. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  36. "Games played by Rory Watson in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  37. "Games played by Rory Watson in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  38. "Games played by Rory Watson in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  39. "Games played by Rory Watson in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  40. "Games played by Rory Watson in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  41. "Games played by Rory Watson in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  42. "Rory Watson | Football Stats | Scunthorpe United | Season 2021/2022 | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
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