He later studied natural philosophy, mathematics and engineering at the University of Glasgow when he was 19, where his love of football blossomed.

Later that year he moved to Liverpool, where he worked on ships and sat exams to qualify as a marine engineer.

[9] After first playing for Maxwell in 1876, Watson signed for local side Parkgrove, where he was additionally their match secretary,[2] making him the first black administrator in football.

[11] He was also selected for a tour to Canada in the summer of 1880 which was cancelled after the death of William Dick, secretary of the Scottish Football Association.

[7] In April 1880, Watson also signed for Queen's Park – then Britain's largest football team – and became their secretary in November 1881.

[8] The colour of his skin was of no significance to his peers, and there is no specific historical record of racism on the part of the Scottish Football Association,[14] although in an 1885 profile, mention was made of him "On more than one occasion being subjected to vulgar insults by splenetic, ill-tempered players".

Paul McDonald, writing for the BBC, noted: "Payments to players had been made legal in England in 1885 and professional footballers were paid decent salaries for that time.

"[15] In 1886 and 1887, the English club Bootle advertised for players in Scotland, as the Scotch Professors innovation of the modern passing game took hold in England.

[6] Bootle offered wages and signing fees to a number of players,[6] and research by Tony Onslow outlined in The Forgotten Rivals.

It is not known exactly how much Watson was paid by the Merseyside club, but as their star signing he would have doubtless commanded more than the 26 shillings per week offered to Calderwood, who was similarly a Scotland international player.

[19] Onslow writes: Bootle Football Club now faced a local FA committee on charge of paying a certain number of their players.

Dr. Morley of Blackburn, President of the northern branch, chaired the meeting that took place at the Crompton Hotel in Liverpool.

Former Bootle players [Robert] Izatt and [John] Weir were called to give evidence before the commitee [sic?]

adjourned and referred the matter to London.Both Robert Izatt and John Weir were Scottish players (formerly from Third Lanark) also signed by Bootle.

[22] The club was found guilty by the FA but the punishment was lenient – they had that same season closed Anfield for a month when Everton similarly paid players – and Bootle escaped with a mere caution.

£112 to be raised in a fortnight by one club is no small sum, and it augurs well for the popularity of the game in Bootle, and the result of this season's play.

[...] If, for the sake of argument, we place the length of the football season at eight months, and consider that the "gates" will average 1,000 persons each week, we shall thus conclude that at least £800 - £1000 will be taken in one year.

[30] Watson moved to London in the summer of 1882, which effectively ended his international career as the SFA only picked players based in Scotland at this time.

The next black person selected to play for Scotland after Andrew Watson was Nigel Quashie in 2004, 123 years later.

A. H. Catton, editor of the Athletic News) named Andrew Watson as left-back in his all-time Scotland team.