Watford Cult Heroes

Discussion in 'The Hornets' Nest - Watford Chat' started by Steve Leo Beleck, Nov 14, 2020.

  1. Steve Leo Beleck

    Steve Leo Beleck Squad Player

    Interesting discussion on the most recent From the Rookery End podcast about what makes a cult hero, after they interviewed Marco Cassetti. Think everyone can agree that he's a Watford cult hero. But who else qualifies?

    I'd go for the following from the 90s onwards (when I started following Watford), not necessarily the best players but the ones I really loved playing for us:

    Mooney
    Ramage
    Gifton
    Doyley
    Galli
    Heidar
    Tommy Smith
    Forestieri
    Battocchio
    Behrami
    Britos

    Any others?
     
  2. ForzaWatford

    ForzaWatford Squad Player

    Holebas would have to be added to that list. I think Ken Sema is becoming one too.
     
  3. Steve Leo Beleck

    Steve Leo Beleck Squad Player

    Holebas a terrible oversight on my part. And yes, agree about Sema. Not there yet but heading that way.
     
    ForzaWatford likes this.
  4. Jumbolina

    Jumbolina First Team

    Some random ones for me that I loved playing for us. Colin Foster. Kevin Miller. Peter Kennedy. Richard Johnson. Gavin Mahon.
     
    Optimistichornet likes this.
  5. Supertommymooney

    Supertommymooney Squad Player

    Jamie Hand.

    Maybe not.

    Al Bangura?
     
  6. BigRossLittleRoss

    BigRossLittleRoss First Team

    Abdi should be first name in list

    Angella over Britos anyday

    Macnamee for a fleeting moment, purely for lighting up an awfully dull period

    Ross Jenkins
     
    I Blame Pozzo likes this.
  7. Hogg-DEENEY!!!

    Hogg-DEENEY!!! Squad Player

    What's the difference between cult hero and straight up legend?
     
  8. hornmeister

    hornmeister Tired

    Smart
    Wright
    Chamberlain
    Robbo
    Demeret

    Vialli was a complete cult.
     
    iamofwfc likes this.
  9. Supertommymooney

    Supertommymooney Squad Player

    I listened to the podcast and still not sure.

    Basically it seems if they've been good over a few years they're a legend not a cult hero.

    I'd add if fans of other clubs have heard of them they're probably not cultish enough.
     
  10. Relegation Certs

    Relegation Certs Squad Player

    Dai Thomas, for Luton away. 'Keepers!'

    And for bravely defending the motherland in Belgium in 2000.

    And I'd say Mooney, ramage, heidar, tomny Smith were more than cult heroes. They were our best players at the time.
     
    Lloyd, wfcmoog and iamofwfc like this.
  11. Hornpete

    Hornpete Squad Player

    There's a massive difference between hero, legend and cult hero.

    A cult hero would be someone who is a fans favourite. But not because they're the best forward we've had in 20 years. Or who scored the vital winner in a semi final. Its the players that have an affinity with us and are fondly remembered for some other reason than football ability. In fact they might have been a bit crap. Cassetti is probably a cult hero because he is remembered for his style, part in the heres hogg-deeney goal and beard, not because he fouled Zaha in the playoff final or regularly got out paced.

    Keith Dublin, Devon White, Colin Foster, Steve Palmer, Scott Fitzgerald, Ighalo and Forestieiri. More so than Mooney, Helguson, Deeney and Robbo, who are more cult legends or plain legends.
     
  12. WatfordTalk

    WatfordTalk First Team

    To be a legend you need to always score. And drive a Lambo.
     
    ITK platypus likes this.
  13. WillisWasTheWorst

    WillisWasTheWorst Its making less grammar mistake's thats important

    I can’t believe that nobody has mentioned Xavier Gravelaine. Surely the ultimate cult hero. A crazy maverick who was only with us for a matter of weeks, played 7 games, was sent off but also scored two goals in a rare win against Southampton.
     
    Lloyd, Chewitt, UEA_Hornet and 4 others like this.
  14. AndrewH63

    AndrewH63 Reservist

    Cult hero’s must include Kevin Miller. Did a goal kick ever not result in a throw-in for the opposition? Or is he a legend as a former player of the season. I would say a cult hero tends to be one more popular with regular away fans before all fans. Cassette, well it was the cynical professionalism that wound up the home fans that got your immediate attention, as much as his talent. Alternatively they are a player regularly picked by the manager but defied b6 the away support. Who evolves from hate figure to figure of fun
     
  15. I Blame Pozzo

    I Blame Pozzo First Team

    Albert McClenaghan..
    He was always in the team photo but I rarely saw him play,if ever.
    Football needs more Alberts.
     
  16. Since63

    Since63 Squad Player

    Remember him falling over whilst taking a throw-in?
    Sammy Chung, Tom Walley, Keith Eddy, Stewart Scullion, Billy Jennings, Pat Morrisey, Alan Garner, Terry Garbett, Dixie Hale (for the original ‘he’s here, he’s there’ chant), Mickey Walker, Duncan ‘chopper’ Welbourne.....just to add some earlier input for all you young’ uns.
     
  17. I Blame Pozzo

    I Blame Pozzo First Team

    Tom Walley used to live up the road from my family home in Bricket Wood.
    I learnt the 'Walker,Welbourne,Williaams,Eddy,Lees,Walley...' long before anything scholastic!
    It probably stopped me learning anything for a few years. I was even teaching it to young players I coached until quite recently.
    I may reprieve this task!
    No I don't recall the thrown in incident but have read about it. Poor chap, not exactly what you want to be remembered for as an athlete!
     
  18. ForzaWatford

    ForzaWatford Squad Player

    I'd say Holebas is a good example. Clearly not a Watford Legend, but achieved cult hero status through his grumpy demeanour and his yellow card habit, all whilst being one of our most consistent performers at the time. I think also, opposition fans wouldn't have a clue why we all loved him.
     
  19. Relegation Certs

    Relegation Certs Squad Player

    Half this forum (or more even) hated him. If this place is a reflection of the fans then not sure he qualifies.
     
  20. Supertommymooney

    Supertommymooney Squad Player

    Was mentioned in the podcast!

    Certainly memorable.
     
  21. wfcmoog

    wfcmoog Tinpot

    Devon White. Utterly useless by the time we signed him. A joke of a player, but GT somehow got a tune out of him as we fought, in vain, to survive the drop, contributing to some memorable scorelines as he and Connolly suddenly started banging them in for fun.
     
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  22. UEA_Hornet

    UEA_Hornet First Team Captain

    Yeah, that's where that one falls down.
     
  23. Hulk Hoban

    Hulk Hoban First Year Pro

    John-Joe O'Toole for a brief period
     
  24. WillisWasTheWorst

    WillisWasTheWorst Its making less grammar mistake's thats important

    It seemed highly appropriate to me that the first Watford team I knew had so many ‘W’s in it.
     
  25. WillisWasTheWorst

    WillisWasTheWorst Its making less grammar mistake's thats important

    ...and Scott Fitzgerald?
     
  26. Moosegasm

    Moosegasm Reservist

    Doyley seems to have a cult status above any player I've known since starting to follow Watford in the late 70s. I'd put Roger Joslyn in second place. For me real cult status is when the mythology of a player becomes much more meaningful to the fans than his actual performances.
     
  27. alex_watford

    alex_watford Academy Graduate

    Wooooooter!!

    Also Macnamee was exciting for the final 5 mins of a game!
     
    MarlonsCellMate likes this.
  28. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

    After a quick read of this thread, basically every player who ever played for us is a cult hero ? Might be quicker to just list those that aren't ?
     
  29. Davy Crockett

    Davy Crockett Reservist

    Peter Nicholas ?

    However regarding Britos : always 6.5\10 and always won the fight .
    What's not to like ?.
     
  30. Steve Leo Beleck

    Steve Leo Beleck Squad Player

    Lloyd Dyer
     
  31. Relegation Certs

    Relegation Certs Squad Player

    My hatred of him never waned. Absolute shyte. The worst player ever.
     
  32. mindthegap

    mindthegap Academy Graduate

    Holden would be my true definition along with his replacement Hodges.
     
  33. wfcmoog

    wfcmoog Tinpot

    He was unplayable. Or unwatchable. I forget which.
     
  34. wfcmoog

    wfcmoog Tinpot

    How about Goal Machine Chris Iwelumo

     
    DaveWFC likes this.
  35. Jumbolina

    Jumbolina First Team

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