Marley Watkins, born on the 17th of October 1990, is an accomplished English striker currently donning the number 23 jersey for Kilmarnock. Standing at a solid 5ft 10in (1.78m) and weighing in at 10st 3lb (65kg), Watkins is a force to be reckoned with on the field.
His career began in July 2008 at Cheltenham Town in England, where he made 12 first team appearances in his debut season and 13 appearances, with a single goal under his belt in the following season. Later in September 2010, Watkins was loaned to Bath City in the National League South where he played for two seasons, amassing 59 appearances and eight goals to his credit.
Subsequent to his time at Bath, he made the transfer to Hereford United in the Southern Football League. Watkins spent just over a season at Hereford, making 34 appearances and scoring five goals.
In July 2013, he crossed the border into Scotland to join Inverness CT where he made 59 appearances and scored eight goals over two seasons. This stint was followed by a move to Barnsley in England's League One in July 2015 where he racked up a total of 76 appearances and 15 goals over two seasons.
From Barnsley, Watkins moved to Norwich City before a £1m transfer saw him shift alliances to Bristol City. During his three seasons at Bristol, Watkins found the back of the net three times in a total of 27 appearances.
His time at Bristol ended with a loan move to Aberdeen in Scotland where he chalked up 56 appearances and six goals during his tenure from 2020 to 2023. A brief return to Bristol City was followed by a transfer to Cardiff City in the Championship. The latter part of his career has seen him return to Scottish soil, where he now plays for Kilmarnock.
At present, during the 2024 - 2025 season, Watkins has made nine first team appearances and scored three goals. Throughout his career, Watkins has featured prominently in League Cup 2024 - 2025 for Kilmarnock with one start, the Scottish Cup 2023 - 2024 for Kilmarnock, scoring two goals in three matches, Europa League Qualifiers 2024 - 2025 for Kilmarnock with one start, and Conference League Qualifiers 2024 - 2025 for Kilmarnock, scoring one goal in two games.
