| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Walter Martin Watkins | ||
| Date of birth | 1880 | ||
| Place of birth | Caersws, Wales | ||
| Date of death | 14 May 1942 | ||
| Place of death | Stoke-on-Trent, England | ||
| Playing position | Centre-forward | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1894–1896 | Caersws | ||
| 1896–1900 | Oswestry Town | ||
| 1900–1903 | Stoke | 108 | (44) |
| 1903–1904 | Aston Villa | 6 | (1) |
| 1904–1905 | Sunderland | 14 | (9) |
| 1905–1906 | Crystal Palace | ||
| 1906–1907 | Northampton Town | 38 | (10) |
| 1907–1908 | Stoke | 17 | (4) |
| 1908–1909 | Crewe Alexandra | ||
| 1909–1910 | Stafford Rangers | ||
| 1910–1911 | Tunstall Park | ||
| Total | 145 | (58) | |
| National team | |||
| 1902–1908 | Wales | 10 | (4) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). |
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Walter Martin (Mart) Watkins (c. 1880 – 14 May 1942) was a Welsh footballer who played in the Football League for Stoke, Aston Villa and Sunderland. He was born in Caersws, Wales.
Mart Watkins had three distinct spells at the Victoria Ground during a sixteen year career in football. Watkins was signed by Stoke from his home town club Oswestry Town in August 1900 for their First Division side. within two years Watkins had received a call up the Welsh nation side to play against England in 1902, this being the first of his ten caps for Wales. His fine goalscoring record at Stoke attracted several big clubs to be interested in his services and Aston Villa paid a 'hefty' price for him. This was the first of a succession of moves that ended with his arrival at Sunderland.
Watkins made his debut for Sunderland on 22 October 1904 in a 3–0 defeat against Sheffield Wednesday at Roker Park where he scored two goals.[1] Over his career at the club, he made 15 league appearances scoring nine goals.[2]
Watkins then joined Crystal Palace then Northampton Town then in 1907 he rejoined Stoke who at the time were on the brink of bankruptcy . At the end of the 1907-08 season Stoke left the Football League meaning there was an exodus of players and Watkins joined Crewe Alexandra. Later followed by moves to Stafford Rangers and Tunstall Park. Watkins did return to Stoke but failed to win a contract and decided to retire from football.[3]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Stoke | 1900–01 | 28 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 31 | 10 |
| 1901–02 | 32 | 15 | 4 | 1 | 36 | 16 | |
| 1902–03 | 29 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 33 | 13 | |
| 1903–04 | 19 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 8 | |
| Total | 108 | 44 | 11 | 3 | 119 | 47 | |
| Aston Villa | 1903–04 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 |
| Sunderland | 1904–05 | 14 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 9 |
| Crystal Palace | 1905–06 | ||||||
| Northampton Town | 1906–07 | 38 | 10 | 38 | 10 | ||
| Stoke | 1907–08 | 17 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 20 | 5 |
| Career Total | 183 | 98 | 15 | 4 | 198 | 102 | |