There’s been a fresh development in his career for our academy-graduate goalkeeper, as Wigan Athletic have confirmed that Tom Watson has joined South Shields on loan until January 2026.
A great opportunity for Tom
Watson, who signed his first professional contract with us in summer 2022, is a product of our pre-academy. He joined as an Under-9 and made his way through the youth ranks to become a regular in the U18s.
His résumé already includes a loan to Mossley, work-experience time at Pilkington and a short stint at Oxford City.
Now, with first-team appearances at Wigan still limited, this move to South Shields gives him the chance to rack up senior football minutes, sharpen his skills and prepare to return ready for greater challenges.
Why this loan makes sense
- Our goalkeeper queue is stacked: with senior goalkeepers such as Sam Tickle and Toby Savin, Tom needs game-time rather than bench-sit.
- South Shields currently sit high in the National League North and offer a competitive environment for a young goalkeeper to develop.
- Watson’s attributes lend themselves well to getting exposure at this level and coming back stronger.
What we’ll be watching for
- Regular starts – The main goal is for him to be a starting keeper, playing week-in, week-out, rather than sitting on the bench 99% of the time.
- Handling pressure – The loan to a promotion-chasing side will bring intensity: being cast into high-expectation games will test his composure.
- Distribution & command – Less youth football, more senior match demands: whether he asserts himself, controls the box, deals with crosses and plays the ball out under pressure.
- Returning better – By January, we want to see whether he has matured, gained physical and mental resilience, and is closer to challenging for our first-team squad.
Best of luck to Tom, hopefully he smashes it!👏