Having represented the club as a solicitor since 1976, Watkins joined the board in 1984 and became a highly trusted and influential figure behind the scenes at Old Trafford for the next 28 years.
Known as a reliable source of calm and wise advice, even in the most trying of circumstances, Watkins was involved in almost every significant deal done by the club on and off the field during that time. That made him a key actor in some of the most pivotal moments of a tumultuous and ultimately glorious period in United’s history, starting with the appointment of Alex Ferguson as manager in 1986.