Andy Watson, rated as one of the best Non League footballers of his generation, is back in the game after being appointed as the new manager of Whitkirk Wanderers in the summer
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Former Doncaster Rovers favourite Andy Watson is back in the game and is hoping to lead a revival of Whitkirk Wanderers as their new manager.
Watson was brought in to rebuild Whitkirk, who were relegated from the West Yorkshire League Premier Division last season.
Watson has seen his side win one, draw two and lose two of their opening five games and he said: “We’ve got a young side.
“We have had a good pre-season and I’m just hoping a few will stick with us.
“We have a good young side and we’re not really going for promotion this year.
“We’re just trying to cement our place in the league.
“It is going to be a learning process for some of the lads because they’re only used to playing in the Red Triangle.
“Hopefully we can get this year out of the way then we can get the club back up.
“I’ve never being involved in the West Yorkshire League, but Whitkirk is a big club.
“The committee aren’t happy about being in Division One and that’s why I have been asked to take over.
“Last year was a joke because they couldn’t turn a side out for some games.
“Now we have 16 or 17 players signed.”
Watson was rated as one of the best Non League footballers of his generation.
The winger played a few games for Garforth back in 1999 and his performances were so good, Doncaster Rovers paid £25,000 for his services.
He had four fantastic years at Rovers which ended with the side winning promotion back to the Football League.
A move to Premier League Sunderland failed to come off and Watson had to drop back into the Non League game with Forest Green and then Farsley Celtic.
At Farsley, he played a major role in the Village’s unforgettable rise to the Football Conference.
His career effectively ended in August 2008 when an accident at work left with him a serious foot injury.
His briefly run-out for the reformed Farsley AFC, but that was it.
He said: “I miss it, but, when I all that trouble with my foot, I let myself go and didn’t keep myself fit.
“It was hard and I miss the Craic with the lads”
Watson recently came of retirement to play in the Garforth’s Legend’s Day game eight days and even scored from the halfway line.
Playing in the game came as a surprise to him.
“I got a bit of a shock,” he said.
“It was only the Wednesday before and I had just finished at Aberford and I was putting the kit away for the lads.
“The phone rang and I answered it and a voice said: ‘is that Andy, it’s Dave Parker’.
“For a minute I was thinking ‘Dave Parker, Dave Parker’.”