Andrew Watson was born in 1857 in British Guiana, the son of a Scottish sugar planter Peter Miller and a local girl Rose Watson. He enrolled at Glasgow University in 1875 to study Philosophy, Mathematics and Civil Engineering and Mechanics.

Watson first played for Maxwell F.C. and in 1876 he signed for local side Parkgrove F.C. where he was additionally their match secretary, making Watson football’s first black administrator. After marrying in Glasgow, he soon signed for Queen’s Park F.C. and later became their secretary. He led the team to several Scottish Cup wins, thus becoming the first black player to win a major competition.

In 1882, he was the first black player to play in the FA Cup when he turned out for London Swifts F.C.. In 1884 he was the first foreign player to be invited to join the most exclusive of football teams, a team that only allowed only 50 members of high elite to join – Corinthians F.C. – created to challenge the supremacy of Queen’s Park and the Scottish national side.

Andrew Watson was capped three times for Scotland between 1881 and 1882 and was Captain for a 6-1 win over England at Kennington Oval in London. Up until the time of Pele, Andrew Watson was perhaps the most important black player in the world, capable of playing on either side of defence or in midfield.