Julian Watts (born 17 March 1971) is an English football manager and former professional footballer.

Julian Watts
Personal information
Date of birth (1971-03-17) 17 March 1971 (age 53)
Place of birth Sheffield, England
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
Rotherham United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1990–1992 Rotherham United 20 (1)
1992–1996 Sheffield Wednesday 18 (1)
1992Shrewsbury Town (loan) 9 (0)
1996–1998 Leicester City 38 (1)
1997Crewe Alexandra (loan) 5 (0)
1998Huddersfield Town (loan) 8 (0)
1998–1999 Bristol City 17 (1)
1998–1999Lincoln City (loan) 2 (0)
1999Blackpool (loan) 9 (0)
1999Luton Town (loan) 6 (0)
1999–2001 Luton Town 67 (8)
2001–2004 Northern Spirit 66 (2)
2016 Rainworth Miners Welfare 1 (0)
Total 266 (14)
Managerial career
2011–2013 Hallam
2013–201? Shirebrook Town
2015–2017 Rainworth Miners Welfare
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He played as a defender most notably in the Premier League for both Sheffield Wednesday and Leicester City. He also played in the Football League for Rotherham United, Shrewsbury Town, Crewe Alexandra, Huddersfield Town, Bristol City, Lincoln City and Blackpool. However his final two clubs saw him pick up more club appearances for any other team he played for with a five year spell at Luton Town followed by a spell in Australia for Northern Spirit, He has since moved into management and has managed Hallam, Shirebrook Town and later Rainworth Miners Welfare.

Playing career edit

Watts started out with Rotherham United as an apprentice, but after only two years in the first team he moved on to Sheffield Wednesday. He left Sheffield Wednesday in March 1996, after only 18 league appearances, to play for Leicester City. At Leicester he played as they won the 1996 First Division play-off final. He also contributed to their run in the 1996–97 Football League Cup, being on the pitch as they beat Wimbledon in the semi-final,[1] but was left out of the final squad itself. Whilst at Leicester he scored once; his goal coming in a 3–1 defeat to Chelsea.[2] Watts wore the colours of five more teams before he arrived at Luton Town on loan in 1999. Luton clearly suited Watts, as he became a first team regular, and made 67 league appearances in two seasons. At the end of 2000–01, he decided to join Australian club Northern Spirit, where he played until 2004, when the club folded. Now retired from the game, he returned to England to set up a business in Worksop.[3] In September 2010 he was appointed assistant manager of Maltby Main[4] and in January 2011 manager of Hallam.[5]

Managerial career edit

On 3 May 2016 Watts, now manager of Nottinghamshire side Rainworth Miners Welfare, was obliged to play once again for a fixture on the final day of the season against Pickering Town; his club were struggling to get a team together due to injuries, work commitments and a youth team cup final. Watts played 54 minutes before replacing himself with substitute Cameron Mitchell. Rainworth lost 4–2.[6]

References edit

  1. ^ Moore, Glenn (12 March 1997). "Grayson takes Leicester to Wembley". The Independent. London. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  2. ^ "Gullit's Wise move pays off". The Independent. 13 October 1996. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  3. ^ Wash, Roger (2008). Hatters Heroes. Roger Wash. ISBN 978-0-9560832-0-3.
  4. ^ "New number two for Main". NonLeagueDaily.com. 14 September 2010. Archived from the original on 30 September 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2010.
  5. ^ "Geelan out – Watts in at Hallam". NonLeagueDaily.com. 22 January 2011. Archived from the original on 2 October 2012. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
  6. ^ "Match Overview: Pickering Town 4 - 2 Rainworth Miners Welfare : 1st Team".

External links edit