Fran Watters was an Ireland international footballer. Watters played for several clubs in the

League of Ireland The League of Ireland is a national association football Sports league, league consisting of professional clubs in the Republic of Ireland and Derry, Derry City in Northern Ireland. It is governed by the Football Association of Ireland. It was ...

and in 1925–26 scored 15 goals for Shelbourne, helping them win their first ever League of Ireland title.

Playing career

Olympia

In 1917–18, together with Jack McCarthy, Watters was a member of the Olympia team that won both the

Leinster Junior Cup The Leinster Schools Junior Challenge Cup is an under-age rugby union competition for schools affiliated to the Leinster Rugby, Leinster Branch of the Irish Rugby Football Union, IRFU. Background The Leinster Schools Junior Cup competition is ...

and Leinster Senior Cup and reached the final of the

IFA Junior Cup The Irish Football Association (IFA) is the governing body for association football in Northern Ireland. It organised the Ireland national football team (1882–1950), Ireland national football team from 1880 to 1950, which after 1954, became t ...

. In the Leinster Senior Cup final against Shelbourne, Watters scored the only goal in a 1–0 win.

League of Ireland

In the 1925–26 season while playing for Shelbourne, Watters formed a successful partnership with John Simpson. Between them Watters and Simpson scored 32 goals, helping Shelbourne win their first

title. Watters 15 goals also saw him called up to the

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

squad. The following season, he played for Brideville and helped them reach the

1926–27 FAI Cup The FAI Cup 1926-27 was the sixth edition of Ireland's premier cup competition, The Football Association of Ireland Challenge Cup or FAI Cup. The tournament began on 8 January 1927 and concluded on 9 April with the final replay held at Shelbourne ...

final which they lost 1–0 after a replay to Drumcondra. In 1928–29 Watters joined

Shamrock Rovers Shamrock Rovers Football Club is an Irish professional Association football, football club based in Tallaght, South Dublin. The club's senior team competes in the League of Ireland Premier Division and it is List of football clubs by competit ...

. On 28 October 1928 he scored a hat–trick for Rovers in an 11–0 win against

Bray Unknowns Bray Unknowns Football Club was an List of association football clubs in the Republic of Ireland, Irish association football club based in Bray, County Wicklow, Bray, County Wicklow. During the 1920s and 1930s the Unknowns were the dominant foot ...

John Joe Flood John Joe Flood (2 August 1899 – 3 July 1982), also referred to as Jonjo Flood or John Flood, was an Irish footballer who played as a forward for Shelbourne, Shamrock Rovers, Leeds United and Crystal Palace. As an international, he also pl ...

also scored a hat–trick while

Bob Fullam Robert Fullam (1895–1971) was an Irish footballer and one of the best-known players in the League of Ireland in the 1920 A versatile attacking player, he was skilful but also had a tough-man image. Born in Ringsend, the son of John and Mary F ...

scored twice. This result remains Rovers all-time record win.

Ireland international

On 21 March 1926, while playing for Shelbourne, Watters made his one and only appearance for

in an away friendly against

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

. Watters was originally included in the squad as a reserve. However, when Ned Brooks had to withdraw due to the death of his son, Watters found himself in the starting eleven.

Honours

Olympia

* Leinster Senior Cup **''Winners'': 1917–18 *

**''Winners'': 1917–18 *

**''Runners Up'': 1917–18

Shelbourne

**''Winners'': 1925–26

Brideville

FAI Cup The Football Association of Ireland Senior Challenge Cup (FAI Cup), known as the Sports Direct FAI Cup for sponsorship reasons, is a knock-out association football competition contested annually by teams from the Republic of Ireland (as well as D ...

**''Runners Up'': 1926–27

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Watters, Fran Year of birth missing Place of birth missing Year of death missing Republic of Ireland men's association footballers Republic of Ireland men's international footballers Shelbourne F.C. players Drumcondra F.C. players Shamrock Rovers F.C. players League of Ireland players Men's association football forwards