On the 12th of March 1881 Andrew Watson made his debut as the world’s first black international footballer when he captained Scotland in the match against England. Scotland won 6 – 1 . A few days later, Scotland beat Wales 5 -1 , again with Watson as the captain.

Mark Walters in the Footsteps of Andrew Watson, the First Black Footballer & Orkney Links

The list of footballing ‘firsts’ makes Andrew Watson one of the most significant figures, not only in the Scottish game, but in world football. A status that was acknowledged by the Scottish Football Association when they inducted him into the Scottish Football Hall of Fame in 2012.

National Records of Scotland