Memories of Watford

Can any body remember playing Watford around 1968ish when I believe they were pushing for promotion.It was a night game and as I recall after going two goals down Barnsley pushed our centre half (the one and only Eric Winstanley) in to attack.Winnie went on to score a hat trick that night to secure a famous comeback.Happy memories.

 

Certainly do, mate

It was the Spring on 1969, if I remember right & was one of the first games I was allowed to go to on a school night. We did the double over them, in what was their promotion season (winning 2-1 at Vicarage Road). Eric Winstanley was unplayable that night, a brilliant performance from a true Barnsley legend.

 

Re: Certainly do, mate

remember playing watford at home in the late 80's , was a night match and ive never know a storm like it. stewards had to clear the 50 odd watford fans from the old spion kop into the west stand seats, was blowing a right gale, then it started raining steel rods down! lovely night... and i think we got beat!!

 

I think both Luther Blissett & John Barnes

Scored their first league goals against Barnsley for Watford, although not in the same game obviously!
In the 1977/78 season, Peter Fox kept goal in his only match for us (on loan from Sheffield Wednesday) and turned in a MOTM performance during a 0-0 draw. The previous September, we beat them 1-0, with a first half goal from Ron Wigg who had previously played for Watford. Graham Taylor was in his first season as manager and they won the Fourth Division title.
The biggest bore of the BBS strikes again!!

 

I remember playing them on a Friday night under Bassett at Christmas 2000. We lost one nowt and it was absolutely bloody freezing.

 

Re: Certainly do, mate

2-2 I think... Mal Shotton scored I think

 

Van der larn was injured that night and I don't think he played again

 

Re: I think both Luther Blissett & John Barnes

I guess the John Barnes goal came in their 3-1 victory over us in October '81. I went to that game, but I didn't realise John Barnes had scored. I always thought that was his first league start having previously only made substitute appearances, but I could be totally wrong on that.

 

Yup, I was there too

I thought he scored their second goal?

 

Re: Yup, I was there too

He most likely did. It was over 30 years ago and I was only 9 at the time. I don't remember a lot about the game other than it was one of John Barnes' first appearances.

 

You were 9 at the time?

I feel old. I'll see you at the match tomorrow.
<img src ="http://robonwriting.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/FatherTime.jpg">

 

Re: I think both Luther Blissett & John Barnes

Fck the Cup, we're staying up! Odejayi twice a couple of days after Wembley, he should've had 5.

Was waiting for that tune on Tuesday, think we were still licking our wounds.

 

Re: I think both Luther Blissett & John Barnes

I went to both games, home and away. I made the mistake of getting the tube, rather than railway, to Watford and missed Watford's goal, which arrived after eleven seconds! We played Eric Winstanley at centre-forward that night with Eric Brookes slotting in at centre half. Our goals came in the second half, with Jimmy Robson flicking a free-kick past Walker in the Watford goal. Then big Eric scored a real striker's goal from inside the six yard box. I was on my own that night, but raised a good cheer for our goals - lucky to get out alive. The game at Oakwell was a little classic. Watford only needed one point (I think) to be crowned champions and they had their team photo taken before the match started. We then threw everything but the kitchen sink at them for the first fifteen minutes. I recall John Bettany hitting a scorcher on target and Jimmy Robson turning away with his arm raised, thinking he had scored, only for Lees to get back and clear off the line. Great start! Then Furphy's Watford (good coach and manager) had two set pieces and scored from both - both really well-worked training-ground moves. I think the scorers were centre half Lees after a corner and Barry Endean. We got a corner almost on half time and Eric Winstanley scored with a near-post header. We brought on Eric Brookes to centre half from the start of the second half and pushed Winnie up front as a striker. He was put through by a superb pass (I think it was from George Hamstead) and curled a super shor round Walker. He then rose highest above the Watford heads to head in George Hamstead's cross from the left and we were 3-2 up. I can also recall a brilliant diving header from Johnny Evans in the last minutes. The counter-attacking cross came in from our right with little Johnny running ddiagonally left to right to get there. It dipped short of him, so he flung himself headlong along the turf, made a great contact and Walker could only watch as the ball curled just the wrong side of the right-hand post. That was a classic game alright. Ahhhh! The woodbines again!!!!

 

Re: I think both Luther Blissett & John Barnes

I went to Watford when Peter Fox played for us.I don't think the game would be played nowadays,the pitch was frozen solid.

 

Yep. Possibly the worst football match I've ever been to. The only time I've ever left early when the deficit was only one goal, so obvious was it that ww were never, ever going to score.