John Watts (Australian rules footballer)
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Birth | January 21, 1937, |
| Recruited from | Bayswater Junior Football Club |
| Height and weight | 191cm 94kg (playing weight) |
| Playing career¹ | |
| Debut | , vs. , at |
| Team(s) | East Perth Football Club (1954-1962)
166 games, 9 goals Geelong Football Club (1963-1965) 52 games, 4 goals Hobart Football Club (1966-1968) |
| Coaching career¹ | |
| Team(s) | Hobart Football Club |
| ¹ Statistics to end of 1968 season | |
| Career highlights | |
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John Albert Watts (born January 21, 1937 in Perth, Western Australia) is a retired Australian rules football player and former radio broadcaster. Educated at Maylands State School (along with other football legend Graham Farmer) and began work as an apprentice Carpenter. Started playing football at a young age with Bayswater Junior Football Club. Draft picked to play for East Perth Football Club in 1954. Played 166 games as East Perth's fullback from 1954-1962.
In 1963 Watts was selected to play for the VFL for Geelong Football Club along with lifelong friend Graham Farmer. Watts played 52 Games for Geelong, the most memorable being Geelong's 1963 Premiership Team.
In 1966, Watts moved to Tasmania to Captain/Coach the Hobart Football Club. In his first year as Captain/Coach Watts led his team to Premiership Victory in one of Tasmania's greatest football moments. John Watts retired from his professional football career in 1968.
John Watts has three daughters and two sons: Joanna Watts, Donna Watts (deceased) and Vanessa Watts. Luke John Watts and Jonathon (Jack) Watts.
He is married to Lorraine Watts and has two previous marriages.
[edit] Football career
John Watts was a fantastic football player and sportsman. He is the only Australian Rules Football player to have played in three premiership sides, for three different teams, in three different states. He is also one of the few to Captain/Coach a team at the same time as winning a premiership for a professional side.
Although Watts was one of the game's greats, it is his off field antics he is known best for. He was the epitome of a "Club Man". He was always found at all the Club's social events entertaining everyone with his stand up routine or "belting" out a tune on the piano. Both these qualities would prove beneficial in his later career.
It was during these events that he wrote several Club Anthems. He wrote the East Perth, Swan Districts and Geelong Football Club theme songs.
[edit] Broadcasting career
After leaving football, John Watts went on to have one of the most successful careers in Radio/Television. He worked for various Perth television and radio stations and over 30 years became a unique personality. He quickly became a popular comedian and even wrote jokes for other famous comedians such as Bob Hope.
Watts hosted his own Football Panel Show on TVW 7. With his vast knowledge of the sport and his entertaining humour he became an instant hit with audiences.
In the mid-70's, John K Watts (as he was now known, the K standing for "Know All") teamed up with local Perth disc jockey, Barry Martin. Together they formed a unique partnership which took them all the way to being employed at one stage by the late Kerry Packer. It was during this period that they gained fame when they became the first and only radio breakfast program in Australia to hold more than 50% of the population in their ratings.
Although politically incorrect and often controversial for its time, Watts always maintained that it "was all in good fun". His jokes often pointed fun at other sporting codes, politicians, other footballers (see Mal Brown) and himself.
Watts later went on to own several of Perth's radio stations and hotels. He became a very successful businessman in Western Australia. At one stage during this time, he came up with the idea of integrating a West Australian team into the then Victorian Football League. Watts got together several prominent businessmen including Lindsay Fox to put forward the idea. This idea formulated into what is now the West Coast Eagles.
Although perceived by many to be a 'big noter' (self-promoter), Watts is an incredibly humble person in his private life and therefore a lot of his achievements have been kept a secret.
John K. Watts is now semi-retired, doing the odd show and TV/Radio appearance. There has been speculation that he may return to television but this has neither been confirmed nor denied.
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