Willie Watson – Sunderland legend



I remember my dad buying a car from Northern Autoport (bottom of Toward Rd?) and the salesman was an ex SAFC player. I think it was Willie Watson. Anybody know?
 
I remember my dad buying a car from Northern Autoport (bottom of Toward Rd?) and the salesman was an ex SAFC player. I think it was Willie Watson. Anybody know?

I think it was Willie Fraser the goalkeeper, I dont think Willie Watson was in the car trade, I believe he may have had a sports shop.
 
Willie Watson had a sports shop on High Street West, I got my first footy strip from there for Christmas 1971! He personally sold it to my Dad and had a chat to us both, so real, so human, what have we got now?? Somehow I can't see you young 'un's taking your kid and being served in a shop by a legend, let alone getting a voluntry conversation out of one of the present mob!
 
It was just before you got to the Arcade coming up from Hendon unless the Arcade shop predates my memory. Why did they pull that arcade down? Was it as nice as my memory serves??
 
I remember me dad taking me to meet him in his shop and dad being very starry eyed; "do you KNOW who this is?!" Haha, Willie must've been very embarrassed. Not as red faced as me though because I was in there to buy my first ever jock strap for rugby.
 
Willie Watson had a sports shop on High Street West, I got my first footy strip from there for Christmas 1971! He personally sold it to my Dad and had a chat to us both, so real, so human, what have we got now?? Somehow I can't see you young 'un's taking your kid and being served in a shop by a legend, let alone getting a voluntry conversation out of one of the present mob!

Same here but I think it was in 69 , me first footy boots. A personal service from Mr Watson and some nice story's.. His shop was beside Lowes Art Gallery and I think Chippy Model shop moved over the other side of High Street just after Watsons had closed.

I remember that Mr Watson was a very quietly spoken man , not very tall but you could see then he was fairly stocky built.. Watson's Sports had a lot of my pocket money...happy days
 
Bought the pinstripe Le Coq shirt from Willie and he put the number 9 on it for me. "This lad is gonna score hatfuls and he is only 19" and unfortunately it was for Rangers not us!
 
Nice little article that. When you think of the stars in our side at the time, how on earth did he manage to maintain such a standard at two international sports? Incredible.
 
Same here but I think it was in 69 , me first footy boots. A personal service from Mr Watson and some nice story's.. His shop was beside Lowes Art Gallery and I think Chippy Model shop moved over the other side of High Street just after Watsons had closed.

I remember that Mr Watson was a very quietly spoken man , not very tall but you could see then he was fairly stocky built.. Watson's Sports had a lot of my pocket money...happy days
There must be a whole generation of us who were taken to Willie Watson's to buy our football gear. I remember my old man being very starry eyed also as we made our purchases.
 

Back
Top