Millwall’s transfer window signing Duncan Watmore takes great pride in way he has fought back from major adversity

BY RICHARD CAWLEY
richard@slpmedia.co.uk

To say that Duncan Watmore has packed plenty into his football career is a bit of an understatement.

Released by Manchester United. Gained a degree in economics and business at Manchester University. Played a starring role for England U21s as they won the Toulon Tournament for the first time in 22 years.

Starred for Sunderland before two ACL knee injuries left him on the verge of joining Indian Super League side East Bengal before he allayed playing fears by rebuilding impressively at Middlesbrough.

Yep, Watmore can certainly talk about the peaks and troughs that a footballer experiences. But his have been more extreme than most.

Watmore, now 28, suffered his first ACL at the age of 22, in the Black Cats’ 2-1 win at Leicester City in the Premier League. He then damaged the same knee during his comeback. His story is one of resilience.

“It was incredibly tough,” Watmore, who signed for Millwall on Tuesday, told the South London Press. “I did consider retirement at one stage. There were doubts whether I would ever be able to play again, or anywhere near the level that I wanted to.

“To have made a bit of a revival at Middlesbrough, and have the career I’ve had since, is something I’m really proud of. It’s obviously taken a lot of hard work from me but it’s also taken a lot of hard work from other people and support from my family and friends – along with the club doctors, sports science and physios who I’ve met along the way.

“I do feel like I’ve had a lot of support on my journey. It hasn’t been easy, but it’s been worth it. I’ve had lots of highs as well, which have been brilliant. That’s one thing you can’t say about my career, that it hasn’t been eventful.

“It’s been up and down – but I wouldn’t change a thing about it.

“Before the injuries I was flying and then after three years of injuries you sometimes don’t know if you’ll ever get close back to the level you were at. So I do take pride to still be playing at the level I am. I’m really enjoying my football now, which is the main thing.

“Starting at a new club is always a challenge. It takes a bit of time to settle, I’ve learned that with experience. I’m going to be patient with myself and trust the process which has got me here, keep doing what I’m doing and hopefully over time it will show good rewards.”

Watmore has worked his way back before. Released by the Red Devils when he was 12, he went on to play non-league for Altrincham before signing for Sunderland in May 2013.

He finished his studies alongside his football career.

“I definitely didn’t think I’d be a footballer, that’s for sure,” said Watmore, whose dad Ian is a former FA chairman. “I think a couple of people have called me the accidental footballer before because I was at university and living another life, being a normal student.

“I’m really grateful I got that life experience before I got into football. If I’d been in an academy, or come through sooner, then I wouldn’t have got that opportunity. You have to give up a lot to become a professional footballer.

“I was really interested in economics and the business world.

“Last year I finished my masters in international leadership, business and management – which follows on from the degree I did.

“It’s something that’s always been a passion of mine. I thought that’s the route I might pursue, it could well have been down here in London. Thankfully football has worked out really well for me.

“As soon as that happened, the focus changed.”

Watmore’s family have Millwall connections.

His grandad Arthur , a GP, lived in Keetons Road, right where Bermondsey Tube station is now, in 1956 before he moved to Bromley.

“He passed away, I think, in 2000,” said Watmore. “He was born and bred in the area.

“I was born in Cheshire, my dad had moved up for work. But all of his side of the family still live around there. The closest ground to my dad was Millwall. I think it was the 1971-72 season that he went to almost every home game and he’s got the programmes from that era, he was showing them to me.

“Now that I’m playing for them it is crazy for my dad. If my dad’s dad was still alive then I’m sure he’d have found it quite special.

“My dad is an Arsenal fan. He became the doctor for Arsenal for a bit, so that’s where that link comes from, but he’s always followed Millwall as well.

“He thinks it’s brilliant I’m here. He follows my career and has been a big part of it. He’s really looking forward to when he can get down to The Den.”

Former Palace manager Warnock signed Watmore at Middlesbrough but initially he trained with them without any promise of a contract.

“I’d left Sunderland after three injury-hit years and it was Covid as well – quite a bad time to be without a club,” said Watmore. “I also didn’t have that proven record [of playing]. I knew I was getting closer to my old self again but I couldn’t prove my fitness, because I didn’t have a club.

“Robbie Fowler’s team in India were interested. I was very close to joining them – really close, like a day away from signing.

“I’d been training with Boro and Warnock couldn’t promise me a contract. He was honest, he said he wanted to sign me but he didn’t know if he’d be able to do it.

“I decided to stay at Boro and hope they could find a way to sign me. I kind of put all my eggs in that basket. A couple of weeks later Warnock managed to get it done.

“I loved my time there, it’s a brilliant club. That was a very good decision of mine but also lucky that Warnock and Boro wanted to take a chance on me, I’m forever grateful of that.”

Watmore signed in late November 2020 and finished with nine goals from 30 appearances, making him Boro’s top scorer that season.

He has no grudges over his departure.

“Michael Carrick is a brilliant man and I learned a lot working under him in the time he’s been there,” said Watmore.

“I was still coming on and I was close to starting, it’s just we had a really good team and we were winning games. That’s just the way football is sometimes, I completely understand it.”

Does he see it as joining a play-off rival?

“Yeah, definitely,” said Watmore. “That’s 100 per cent our vision. That’s fully the aim.”