FOOTBALL: The black Scotland captain from British Guiana, whose team trounced England – BBC News

By Reevel Alderson – BBC Scotland – Published18 June 2021

 Andrew Watson played for Queen’s Park in Glasgow, one of the best sides of the era

As players “take the knee” before Friday’s European championship game at Wembley in a stance against racism, few will realise Scotland was the first international side to field a black player.

More than 140 years ago Andrew Watson captained the Scots to a 6-1 victory against England, a record away win.

Born in Guyana in 1856, Watson came to Britain with his father who was a wealthy sugar planter.    

Football: Guyana-born Andrew Watson – the first black international

Andrew Watson – Scotland’s captain – 1881

Football pioneer: Andrew Watson – the first black international

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Andrew Watson was the first black player to play international football
• He captained Scotland on his debut, a 6-1 win over archrivals England
• It remains the heaviest home defeat suffered by England
• Watson was born in British Guiana and the son of a Glasgow merchant