A troublesome knee injury meant the former Doncaster Rovers man was always playing catch-up when Farsley kicked off their first season in the Blue Square Premier in August following promotion via the play-offs last May.

Feeble Farsley Celtic are second best: Click here to read the match report from the Celts 4-0 defeat at Northwich Victoria.

But he eventually battled his way into the team, figuring as a substitute in the 0-0 draw at Altrincham last month which triggered a Celts revival.

Watson played a major part as Celtic went on a run of just two defeats in seven games – but was then harshly sent off in the goalless draw at Weymouth 12 days ago.

The 29-year-old was shown a straight red card after blocking off Weymouth striker Stuart Beavon in the 64th minute. Even home-biased observers admitted the incident warranted nothing more than a caution but the winger was handed a three-match ban.

Watson said: "I was sent off for obstruction. At worst it should have been a yellow card but I got a red.

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"I just stepped in front of the player to block him off but the officials said it was a swinging elbow.

"But it was not like that – it was nothing. I have never been sent off in my career before, the most I've ever had is two or three bookings a season, but I've ended up getting a three-game ban and it couldn't have come at a worse time.

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"I was injured at the start of the season, I missed all of pre-season and I couldn't get into the side because I wasn't fit.

"This is the first time I have managed to get in and play four or five games in a row, I was playing well and now I am back to square one again.

"We have got four wingers at the club now and if you don't take your chance you are going to be out of the side. I will just have to get my head down, work hard and hopefully I can get back in and stay in."

Watson sat out last weekend's 1-1 draw at Salisbury City and yesterday's trip to Northwich Victoria.

He completes his ban tomorrow, when the Celts host Burton Albion, but will be back in contention for next Saturday's return clash against Weymouth which could go a long way to deciding Farsley's destiny.

Celtic went into this weekend just one point clear of Weymouth and Altrincham, who occupied the fourth and final relegation slot.

Watson believes Farsley can complete the revival they have started over the last couple of months and stay up this season following John Deacey's shrewd dealings in the transfer market.

Midfielders Craig Bentham and Dominic Krief have come in on-loan from Bradford City and on a permanent deal from Guiseley respectively, and Watson says they have formed the foundations for a solid finish to the season.

He said: "The boss has put Craig and Dom in midfield and I think that's where the run has come from. We have two engines in there now, they get in people's faces and it sets us off all over the park. We just need to keep it going now.

"I said at the start of the season if we won the games against the teams around us, like Altrincham and Stafford, we would be okay, and then pick up points here and there from the teams who are up there. That's what we are doing.

"I said we wouldn't go down and we have shown over the last five or six games we can compete against the top sides as well."

Watson knows all about life at the business end of the Conference, having played in the Doncaster Rovers side which won promotion to the Football League in 2002-03.

The player, who Rovers picked up for a bargain £25,000 from then Northern Counties East League outfit Garforth Town, thinks the bar has now been raised in non-league football's top tier.

But he believes if Farsley do stay up, and go full-time, there is no reason why they can't be competing at the right end of the table next time round.

"I have played for four years in the Conference and I do think it is a lot harder now," he says.

"There is not really much in it, from the top sides to those at the bottom. When I played at Doncaster and at Chester the top five or six would run away with it and you wouldn't be able to touch them. Now everybody seems to be more or less the same, no team stands out.

"If we stay up I think we will be going full-time and that will be a big thing. I've always been full-time at clubs before and it does show in the end.

"At the moment we only have Tuesday nights to practice things like set-pieces and that is hard. We train on Thursday mornings but not everyone is able to because they are working.

"If we go full-time, bring a few more players in and a bit more quality, I don't see why we can't compete and hold our own against the sides that are up there."