Story of world's first black international footballer who captained Scotland 145 years ago to be told

Now the ”forgotten” story of Andrew Watson, the world’s first international black footballer who captained Scotland to glory, is to be told in a new play.

The Corinthian by Joe McCann is to premiere next month as part of A Play, A Pie and A Pint’s Spring season, shortly before the World Cup kicks off.

Born into Caribbean privilege in Guyana - then British Guiana - as the mixed race son of wealthy Scottish sugar plantation owner Peter Miller Watson, who was believed to be related to prime minister William Gladstone and local woman Hannah Rose, Mr Watson arrived in Scotland in 1869, when he was 13.

Initially settling in England with his father and sister Annetta, he moved to Glasgow to study philosophy, mathematics and engineering six years later.

Mr Watson broke down cultural barriers he faced by becoming the world’s first international black footballer, captaining the Scottish national football team to a record 6-1 victory against England in 1881. He was eventually capped three times for Scotland, but his story has been largely forgotten.

As well as international matches, he played for clubs including Glasgow-based Queen's Park – then Britain's largest football team and later relocated back to England, where there was a drive to recruit Scottish players known as the “Scotch Professors”, who introduced a game more focused on passing.

Writer Joe McCann said Mr Watson’s life was unique in that he was both an underdog and came from obscene wealth, never fully belonging in Scotland, despite his historic sporting accomplishments.

He said: “As a black man growing up in Glasgow, I wish I knew about Andrew Watson. He was capped three times for Scotland and then vanished from the record books. He was forgotten from history despite being the world’s first international black footballer, and the next black Scottish footballer after him was Nigel Quashie - 125 years later.

“My small ambition for this play is the audience to leave knowing and remembering Andrew Watson’s name. My bigger ambition is that they leave thinking about what it means to belong everywhere and nowhere at once.”

Mr Watson was the last black footballer to play for Scotland until Nigel Quashie made his international debut in 2004.

Brian Logan, artistic director at A Play, A Pie and A Pint, said: We’re thrilled to be staging the premiere of Joe McCann’s fantastic new play in the run-up to something equally fantastic – Scotland’s first appearance in the World Cup since I went to St Etienne to see us thumped by Morocco in 1998.

“So much of Scotland’s globe-straddling contribution to the beautiful game can be traced to this story Joe has uncovered, a hidden and extraordinary history about belonging, prejudice and national identity. One can only hope that Scotland do half as well in the World Cup as Joe’s done bringing this remarkable tale to the page – and now the stage.”

Royal Conservatoire of Scotland student Dayton Mungai will star as Andrew Watson in his debut for A Play, A Pie and A Pint, directed by Martin McCormick, writer and director of Òran Mór’s popular Christmas pantomimes. Set and costume design is by Heather Grace Currie.

The play will be performed in both Glasgow and Edinburgh, from 1 to 4 June at Glasgow’s Òran Mór and at the Assembly Roxy in Edinburgh from 10 -14 June.