Ian Watson (rugby league)

Ian Watson
Personal information
Born (1976-10-27) 27 October 1976
Manchester, England
Playing information
Position Scrum-half

Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1995–97 Salford City Reds
1996(loan) → Workington Town 1 15 0 34
1998–00 Swinton Lions
2001 Widnes Vikings
2002 Salford City Reds 23 2 0 1 9
2003 Rochdale Hornets 32 7 27 6 88
2004 Oldham 20 6 5 7 41
2006 Swinton Lions 12 3 5 0 22
2006 Widnes Vikings 16 0 1 0 2
2007 Halifax 30 3 9 1 31
2008–09 Leigh Centurions 52 13 62 5 180
2010–14 Swinton Lions 109 11 6 0 56
Total 133 22 62 15 227
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1995–11 Wales 30 7 1 0 30
Coaching information

Club
Years Team Gms W D L W%
2015– Salford Red Devils 101 46 0 55 46
Source: [1][2][3][4]

Ian Watson (born 27 October 1976) is a Welsh rugby league coach and former player who is the head coach of the Salford Red Devils.

As a player, he was a scrum-half or hooker who played for the Swinton Lions, Salford City Reds, Workington Town, Widnes Vikings, Rochdale Hornets, Oldham, Halifax, Leigh Centurions and the Wales national rugby league team, holding the appearance record for the latter with 30 caps.[2][3][4]

Club career

Watson started his professional career with Salford coming though from local amateur team Eccles ARLFC. In July 1996, he joined Workington Town on loan,[5] where he played in the Super League for the first time. He returned to Salford for the 1997 season, making 27 appearances for the club.[6] Following the signings of Martin Crompton, and Josh White, despite being a firm club favourite Watson was deemed surplus to requirements, and was sold to Swinton Lions for a fee of £15,000.[7] He spent three years with Swinton before signing a one-year contract with Widnes Vikings for the 2001 season.[8] He returned to the Super League a year later, re-joining Salford on a one-year deal.[9] Watson played out the remainder of his career in the Championships.

In January 2014, Watson was appointed as player-coach for Swinton.[10] He left Swinton in July 2014 to join Salford as an assistant coach.[11] In late 2015, Watson was promoted to interim head coach after Iestyn Harris left the club.[12] He was given the job on a permanent basis for 2016, working alongside Director of Rugby Tim Sheens.

International career

Ian Watson holds the record for having won the most caps for Wales. Having made his début against the USA in Philadelphia in 1995, he made 30 appearances for his country, scoring 7 tries and kicking one goal.[13] He played at the 2000 Rugby League World Cup.[14][15] His final appearance for Wales came during the 2011 Four Nations tournament against New Zealand, and he announced his international retirement shortly after.[16]

References

  1. ↑ walesrugbyleague.co.uk
  2. 1 2 "Profile at loverugbyleague.com". loverugbyleague.com. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  3. 1 2 "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  4. 1 2 "Coach Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  5. ↑ "Gay's good news for Castleford". The Independent. 20 July 1996. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  6. ↑ Hadfield, Dave (14 January 1998). "Rugby League: Clubs refuse to alter fixtures". The Independent. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  7. ↑ Fitzpatrick, Paul (9 February 1998). "Rugby League: Barrow lifts the Lions First Division: Swinton 41, Keighley 16". The Guardian. p. 10. Retrieved 16 February 2014. (Subscription required (help)).
  8. ↑ "Busy Widnes; Rugby League". Coventry Evening Telegraph. 30 August 2000. Retrieved 16 February 2014. (Subscription required (help)).
  9. ↑ "Watson returns". South Wales Echo. 12 December 2001. Retrieved 16 February 2014. (Subscription required (help)).
  10. ↑ "Swinton chairman resigns as club awaits investment". Love Rugby League. 18 January 2014. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  11. ↑ Ian Watson signed by Salford
  12. ↑ Ian Watson's in at the deep end at Salford Red Devils but learning from legends
  13. ↑ "Thomas début on Wednesday" The Press Association (3 October 2010)
  14. ↑ Williams, Graham; Lush, Peter; Farrar, David (2009). The British Rugby League Records Book. London League. pp. 108–114. ISBN 978-1-903659-49-6.
  15. ↑ "Statistics at walesrugbyleague.com". walesrugbyleague.com. 18 June 2010. Archived from the original on 8 June 2010. Retrieved 18 June 2010.
  16. ↑ "Briers to retire from Wales duty". BBC News.
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