He started as a trainee with Sunderland, but did not play any League games with them, and he moved to Peterborough United, first playing a league game for them in 1976–77. He went on to make 195 League appearances for The Posh.[2]
He moved to Sheffield United in 1981 for a fee of £100,000,[3] and made 99 League appearances for the club[2]
He moved to Bristol City in the mid-1980s, although he had loan spells at Bristol City and Cambridge United during the 1984–85 season before his permanent move to The Robins.[2]
Waugh was to make 167 League appearances for the Ashton Gate club (including appearing in the 1986 Football League Trophy Final[4]) before a brief spell at Coventry City in the late 1980s.[2] He then moved to Watford and made a total of 7 league appearances for them.[2] On 23 March 1993 he was recalled to the Watford team for the first time in 14 months against Newcastle United, and put in an excellent performance in Watford's 1–0 victory.[5] His final Football League appearance came against Charlton Athletic on 6 April 1993.[1] After his playing career finished he remained at Watford as youth team coach.[6]