For sheer skill, speed and imagination as a forward, it may be difficult to find a better player produced in Trinidad and Tobago than Neville 'Watty' Douglas. This star player left many defences completely disorganised and in peril because of his talent in breaking down the defensive wall of the best of sides. In local soccer he was a fine all round forward, but played mostly at inside-right, and as an international he held his own over 12 years of excellent performances.

Later on he was to witness his two sons, Monty and Tony, also at the highest level of the game, but neither had the durability or, as some experts say, the class of their father. But that's another story. Douglas was born in Port of Spain and became a top player with his schools, Belmont R.C. and Belmont E.C. His potential was an open book and he amazed those who watched his natural speed and his ability to control the ball and dribble at such a speed. He went to work at Eastern Foundary from where he played in a private league and then he became a top player in the Trinidad Amateur Football Association's second-class league with Public Works Department (PWD).

But like a few of his colleagues from Port of Spain, Douglas went to the south when the oilfields were developing in the late 1930's and took up a job with United British Oilfields Trinidad (UBOT) in September 1938. It was the turning point of his football career for there he joined some of the country's best players, including John 'Bull' Sutherland who was there four years previously. While Sutherland had already established himself as the star at inside-left, Douglas became the maestro at inner-right, and thus, the dynamic UBOT squad was on its way.

His amazing runs downfield with the ball completely under his control, his measured passes and his accurate shooting, brought him rich rewards and splendid comments from the experts. With many outstanding players showing off their skills in local football at the time, it took a while for Douglas to get into the national team. But he was a fixture in the South side, which he helped to win the Red Cross Cup against North in 1939, 1940 and 1945. It was in 1946 that Douglas got in the Trinidad team to oppose British Guiana (now Guyana) and he made such a fine impression he was, along with Allan Joseph, offered a contract with the top Venezuelan club, El Caminos, to play as a professional in that country.

He played for two years with El Caminos and improved considerably, but, ironically, by the time he returned to Trinidad to resume domestic football, he was already over 30 and new stars like Carlton "Squeakie" Hinds, Willan Baird and Reggie "Piggy" Joseph were ready to give the national side top value for their money. Even so Douglas played for Trinidad in 1948, a year when football in this country was in transition period with the talents of the new school of Malvern, Colts, Forest and Juniors making their presence felt in no small measure. Douglas played on and finished his days in minor football. He had lost little of his skills in the late 1950's and early 1960's which caused, on many occasions, the younger football fans to ask open-eyed: "who's that fellow playing havoc with those defencemen?"
(T&T Sports Hall of Fame bio)