Kentish Express Ashford & District
Head of PE inspired so many with love of sport
Alan Watson, long term mentor and inspiration to several generations of young sportsmen and women in East Kent, has died after a long illness.
A product of Carnegie College, premier training establishment for PE teachers before Loughborough, Alan was widely recognised for converting Ashford’s Norton Knatchbull Grammar School from modest sporting standards after the Second World War to one of high achievement as head of sport.
He was a contemporary at Carnegie of Ron Pickering, renowned athletics coach and BBC television sports commentator, and as such brought his own brand of tough-love teaching skills to play in tracksuit and trainers.
He became something of a champion of the less academically gifted students by speaking up on their behalf if maths and English results failed to match their prowess at sport.
The Ashfordian school magazine reflected the sadness of his loss three days after Christmas by recording: “He will be sorely missed by both colleagues and pupils. While ‘Get on boy’ may no longer ring round the school, there are many who have taken heed of those words.”
Alan became a major influence on the foundation of the Kent Senior Schools’ FA in 1961. For many years he took district teams to ESFA festivals at Scarborough and Skegness.
Born in Stevenage, Alan was one of five children well known for their prowess at cricket and hockey. His father, Lewis Watson, played Minor Counties cricket for Herts and Alan did much to emulate his dad’s cricket skills at Alleyn’s Grammar School. An avid Arsenal supporter, he was once offered a trial at Spurs, an invitation his headmaster forbade him from accepting.
National Service with the Royal Artillery in Germany as a PT instructor at the end of the war became a pointer to his future as a man who could lead by example. Bombardier Watson excelled at cricket, football, basketball, hockey and boxing. He triumphed in the regiment’s annual boxing tournament, fighting through to the final to gain a walkover victory.
He became a prolific runmaker for Stevenage on return from Berlin but after teacher training at St John’s College, York, flourished at Carnegie to emerge with qualifications and a developing relationship with his future wife Audrey, a student on the same Leeds campus.
They married in 1954 when Alan held a teaching post at Harlow College. A year later Alan was recruited by the then Ashford Grammar School as head of sport with responsibilities for teaching geography and English also, a role he executed successfully until retirement in 1986. Later, he helped run sport at Friar’s School, Great Chart, and on one notable occasion had to reprimand an over enthusiastic parent for criticising his umpiring in a hockey match against a Canterbury school. Later, Alan discovered his wrath had silenced Barry McGuigan, the former world featherweight champion.
On moving to Brook the Watsons poured themselves into rural life and had two children, David and Penelope. Alan played cricket for Brook, joined the parish council, launched a youth club, and was a church warden.
They moved to Wye, where Alan and Audrey became pillars of the local community for more than 50 years. They were founder members of Wye Tennis Club in the late Sixties, building the club from spartan beginnings to one with six courts and floodlights today. “Bad luck Audrey, just out” reflected some of Alan’s combative line calls when they clashed at singles.
Playing cricket for Wye, Alan smashed many batting records, helping them to success in the Haigh Cup, coaching kids and serving the club as trustee and chairman.
He served on Wye parish council for many years and provided voluntary transport to ferry the elderly to a social club at Luckley House, run by Canon Maurice Sharp, former vicar of Ashford.
In winter he became a cornerstone of Ashford Hockey Club’s success over many years when league hockey was i ntroduced nationwide. An uncompromising defender, he starred in Ashford’s successful runs in the Truman South League and notably their appearance in four play-offs and as outright winners of the South League. They reached the national finals in Birmingham and were runners-up in the Kent Cup Final.
Alan influenced the introduction to a number of former grammar school pupils, among them Ian Thomas, who succeeded Alan as captain, and Geoff Playford, now club president, who played in defence with his mentor. Son David also played alongside his dad.
Geoff Playford recalls: “When Alan’s playing days were over, he continued to support the club and was often seen at Ball Lane watching matches. He will be sadly missed.”
Alan spoke little of his achievements in a life devoted to sport but nothing gave him more pleasure in his final years than to watch his grandsons play sport. He followed James Watson playing cricket for Kent, Ashford and Bromley; Alex, cricket for Ashford, Wye and Kent 17s; and Tom Britland keep goal for Ashford Hockey Club.
He leaves a widow Audrey, son and daughter David and Penelope, and four grandchildren, James, Alex, Thomas and Abigail.
A private family service will be held at Charing Crematorium on Friday, January 26 , followed by a service of thanksgiving at Wye parish church at 2pm that day.