| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Thomas Watson[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (2006-04-08)8 April 2006 (age 19) | ||
| Place of birth | Horden, England | ||
| Height | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | ||
| Position | Winger | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Brighton & Hove Albion | ||
| Number | 14 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2015–2023 | Sunderland | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2023–2025 | Sunderland | 22 | (2) |
| 2025– | Brighton & Hove Albion | 2 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2023 | England U17 | 5 | (1) |
| 2023 | England U18 | 2 | (0) |
| 2025 | England U19 | 4 | (2) |
| 2025– | England U21 | 2 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 17:07, 1 November 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 08:15, 14 October 2025 (UTC) | |||
Thomas Watson (born 8 April 2006) is an English professionalfootballer who plays as awinger forPremier League clubBrighton & Hove Albion.[2]
Born inHorden, Watson first joined the Sunderland academy at the Under-9 level.[3]
On 18 April 2023, Watson made his professional debut for Sunderland, appearing as a substitute in theEFL Championship againstHuddersfield Town.[4][5] Despite a back injury hampering his ability to feature at the start of the 2023–24 season, Watson signed a new three-year contract with Sunderland in September 2023.[3][6]
On 7 December 2024, Watson scored the first league goals of his professional career in a 2–1 EFL Championship win for Sunderland againstStoke City.[7]
On 1 April 2025, Watson was announced as a signing forPremier League clubBrighton & Hove Albion for a £10m fee, officially joining the club at the start of the forthcoming transfer window.[8] A month later, on 24 May, he came off the bench and scored a stoppage-time winner to complete a 2–1 comeback win overSheffield United in theChampionship play-off final, securing Sunderland's return to the Premier League for the first time since 2017.[9]
On 1 June 2025, Watson joinedBrighton & Hove Albion, signing a contract until June 2029.[10] He scored on his debut, coming off the bench to add Brighton's sixth of the evening in their 6–0 away win overOxford United in theEFL Cup.[11]
Watson made hisEngland U17 debut in January 2023. That same month he scored his first England U17 goal in a 6–0 win overGermany U17.[12][13]
Watson made hisEngland U18 debut during a 1–1 draw withBelgium inMarbella on 11 October 2023.[14]
Watson was included in theEngland U19 squad for the2025 UEFA European Under-19 Championship.[15] He made a goalscoring debut for that age group during a 3–1 warm-up win overIceland atSt George's Park National Football Centre on 6 June 2025.[16] Watson also scored a goal in their opening game of the tournament againstNorway.[17]
In September 2025, Watson made his debut forEngland U21 as a substitute in their opening qualifying match againstKazakhstan.[18]
Watson is noted for his pace and directness.[19]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | EFL Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Sunderland | 2022–23 | Championship | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |
| 2023–24 | Championship | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2024–25 | Championship | 20 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[a] | 1 | 22 | 3 | |
| Total | 22 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 24 | 3 | ||
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 2025–26 | Premier League | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | 5 | 1 | |
| Career total | 24 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 29 | 4 | ||
Sunderland