Marley Watkins, born on the 17th of October, 1990, in England, is a forward known for his deftness on the striker position for Kilmarnock. He is 5ft 10in tall (1.78m) and weighs 10st 3lb (65kg). He is often seen donning the jersey number 23. Watkins' football journey has been quite notable, taking him through various leagues across England and Scotland.
His professional career began in July 2008 when he joined Cheltenham Town, playing in England's League Two. In his debut season (2008-2009), Watkins made 12 first team appearances across league matches. The next season, he continued to prove his mettle, making 13 first team appearances and netting a goal.
Watkins moved to Bath City in the National League South on loan in September 2010 where he made notable impacts in the 2010 - 2011 and 2011 - 2012 seasons, making numerous appearances and scoring several goals. The transfer from Cheltenham Town to Bath City was made permanent in January 2011, with the fee undisclosed.
In July 2012, Watkins moved from Bath City to join Hereford United, playing in England's Southern Football League. He was able to make a tangible impact with 34 first team appearances and scoring five goals in league matches during the 2012 - 2013 season.
Scotland's football scene got a taste of Watkin's skill when he transferred to Inverness CT in the League One in July 2013. Inverness spectators bore witness to his talent during the 2013 - 2014 and 2014 - 2015 seasons where Watkins made a number of formidable appearances and scored several stunning goals.
July 2015 saw Watkins returning to English soil, joining Barnsley in the League One. His time at Barnsley was especially fruitful in the 2016 - 2017 season where he made 42 first team appearances and scored a career-high ten goals in league matches.
Watkins moved to Norwich City in the Championship in 2017, then transferred to Bristol City in the Championship in 2018 for a fee of approximately ยฃ1m. Watkinsโ time at the club was marked by numerous first team appearances and goals across various seasons.
In August 2020, Watkins returned to Scottish football, moving on loan to Aberdeen in the Premiership, where he spent a handful of seasons marked by several first team appearances and a notable number of goals. He returned from loan in January 2021 to Bristol City, before eventually heading to Aberdeen in July 2021. Watkin's Scottish sojourn continued as he joined Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership in July 2023.
Watkins' time in Kilmarnock has seen him solidify his occupation as a valued component of the team with commendable number of goals and appearances across seasons including the League Cup 2025 - 2026 where Watkins has been seen on the pitch with one starting position and three appearances as a substitute. Currently playing in the 2025 - 2026 season for Kilmarnock, Watkins demonstrates his enduring skill on the football field.
