Who is Josser Watling? Legendary former Bristol Rovers player dies aged 98

Bristol Rovers have paid respect to Josser Watling, a great former player and the only remaining link to the legendary Rovers team of the 1950s, who died on June 3, 2023, at the age of 98.

Watling, who was born on May 11, 1925, was a one-club man, with Bristol Rovers being his lone senior team.

Before joining The Pirates, he had previously played for Plain House Youth Club, the Royal Navy, and Saint Andrew’s Boys Club in Avonmouth, as well as a failed trial at Plymouth Argyle at the end of WWII. He joined Bristol Rovers as an amateur in October 1945 before receiving his first professional contract.
in January 1947.

After having made 323 League appearances and scoring 19 goals, Watling retired from playing in 1963 but remained with the club for a further two years as a coach and scout before finally leaving in 1965 after spending twenty years with them.

Following his retirement from football, he worked as a storekeeper at Glenside Hospital in Bristol. He was also the cousin of boxer Terry Ratcliffe, who won the gold medal in the welterweight division at the 1950 British Empire Games.

As of 2019, Watling was Bristol Rovers’ oldest living player.

On 30 April 2021, it was announced that Watling would become the final of the ten initial inductees into the Bristol Rovers Hall of Fame.

Source: abtc.ng