Born in 1857 in British Guiana, Andrew Watson came to Glasgow University to acquire a bachelor of arts degree. By the time Watson came to University, aged 19, in November 1875, he had already played football for Scotland's leading team, Queens Park.

Andrew Watson was capped three times for Scotland between 1881 and 1882, and is now believed to have been the first black football (soccer) player to represent his country. He began playing in 1874 and subsequently played for Queens Park. Until this discovery, it had always been maintained that the first black footballer was Arthur Wharton, who played for the English team of Preston North End. But Watson pre-dates him by 11 years. Up until the time of Pele, Andrew Watson was perhaps the most important black player in the world, capable of playing on either side of defence or in midfield. He also went on to become the world's first black footballing administrator.