Watford Cult Heroes

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

  1. Jumbolina

    Jumbolina First Team

    But as mentioned already Fessi must be ultimate. 4th choice striker but everyone got a buzz when he came on!
     
    Otter and Hogg-DEENEY!!! like this.
  2. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

    He was a unit.
     
  3. The Voice of Reason

    The Voice of Reason First Team Captain

    Tony Coton the best GK we ever had and the best English keeper never to play for England!!!
     
  4. Johnny Todd Sings

    Johnny Todd Sings First Year Pro

    Andy Rankin, if we are considering goalkeepers. He is the only player we ever had who got injured bringing the coal in for the open fire in his WFC owned house.
     
  5. SlimJim

    SlimJim Academy Graduate

    Steve Butler, Steve Palmer, Paul Furlong, Jason Drysdale and Darren Bazeley for me!
     
    iamofwfc likes this.
  6. carboy98

    carboy98 Reservist

    I think Forestieri and Holebas are the biggest cult heroes of recent years. And it does feel like King Ken is on his way. In fact, I'd quite like a t-shirt with King Ken's face on.
     
    Hogg-DEENEY!!! likes this.
  7. Heidar

    Heidar Squad Player

    Neal Ardley,
    Neal Ardley,
    Put your hands all over my body.

    Also.... Jon Harley and Paul Devlin.
     
  8. Optimistichornet

    Optimistichornet Penguin Assassin

    its an interesting thread but i think there is a real disparity between legend, cult hero and just a good player.

    for me a legend is someone on the playing or non-playing staff who has gone above and beyond what you would expect for the club. they are looked back upon and revered by all fans of the club. im 31 years old and have been going to games since the early 90s, so in my time these are the only players i would classify as club legends:

    - deeney. like him or not, he has spent the best part of his career with us and scored some hugely memorable and important goals. he was a catalyst in our promotion and at times was a key difference maker in the premier league. time and injuries might be catching up to him, but he has to be respected for the career he has had at the club.

    - tommy smith. worked his socks off every single minute he was on the pitch, scored huge goals for us and made the all important trip back home having previously moved away. he was pretty much dragged us into those ill-fated playoffs against Hull by the collars of our shirts. a local lad and everyone likes to see one of those succeed.

    - heidar helguson. my all time favourite watford player, only average height but won everything against anyone in the air and had the heart of a lion. i cried when he scored on his second debut for us.

    - tommy mooney. encapsulates my memories of the club in my early years as a fan, i don't like him on commentary but he was one hell of a player.

    - graham taylor. god.

    a cult hero is a bit different to a legend. to me a cult hero is someone who works their socks off and makes significant contributions on and off the field, is a fan favourite but is maybe not the best player in the team. for me you are looking at players like doyley, gibbs, chamberlain, henderson.

    i think the term cult hero has been used a bit too liberally in this thread.
     
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  9. Hogg-DEENEY!!!

    Hogg-DEENEY!!! Squad Player

    I feel if you spend a decade at any one club play over 400 times that's definitely enough to be considered a legend tbf, whether you're the best player in the team or not. I'd also include Abdi as a player who encapsulates the Pozzo era, my favourite player of all time, just such a joy to watch
     
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  10. Hornpete

    Hornpete Squad Player

    Gibbs and Doyley both more than cult hero. Club leg ends both of them.
     
  11. Since63

    Since63 Squad Player

    His save in the last minute at Old Trafford to ensure we beat them 2-1 in the League Cup was one of the most amazing I've ever seen. Watching from the other end, we all saw Gordon ("is a moron") McQueen bullet a header for the equaliser into the top corner from about 8 yards...except, in McQueen's words, "this green thing with a hand on the end of it appeared out of nowhere and pushed it round the post". Rankin came to us from Everton to get regular game time....little did he know that for the first 6 seasons he'd have to at times single-handedly attempt to keep us in games at all.
     
  12. MarlonsCellMate

    MarlonsCellMate Reservist

    Wooter - incredibly exciting to watch, despite not really delivering consistently
    Bangura - I think he only scored 1 goal for us? And I recall it being a decent effort from outside the area. Plus the whole town pulling together to stop him being deported.
     
  13. The Voice of Reason

    The Voice of Reason First Team Captain

    His biggest claim to being a WFC cult figure was crocking Robbie Savage :D
     
  14. AndrewH63

    AndrewH63 Reservist

    Not cult heroes - Malcolm Poskett, John Stirk, Eric Steele. All reasonable enough, but replaced cult/legend players and ultimately had short times with us as a result.
     
  15. I Blame Pozzo

    I Blame Pozzo First Team

    There was a man who stood behind us at the Vicarage Road end and whenever Stirk received the ball he would mutter " Stupid git Stirk,get rid of it,git,stupid git" and so on,every home game for that season.
    I think Stirk only played for one season and then left.
    Oddly enough so did this chap!
     
  16. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

    Probably his dad.
    Yes joined summer 78 from Ipswich, ever present for the 78/79 season and never played for us again.
    I thought he was ok.
     
  17. duwebivu

    duwebivu Academy Graduate

    Heiðar Helguson in my heart!
     
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  18. WillisWasTheWorst

    WillisWasTheWorst Its making less grammar mistake's thats important

    A crowd favourite certainly; perhaps even a borderline club legend, but doesn’t qualify as a cult hero in my view.
     
  19. Heidar

    Heidar Squad Player

    Just remembered Rene Gilmartin. Played only a handful of games but his community work (and commentary work) was exemplary and made him a real favourite. Think he won an award for his community work as well.
     
    luke_golden likes this.
  20. WillisWasTheWorst

    WillisWasTheWorst Its making less grammar mistake's thats important

    Yes, great off the pitch. Not so much on it.
     
  21. tonycotonstache

    tonycotonstache Squad Player

    Great tache too
     
    The Voice of Reason likes this.
  22. tonycotonstache

    tonycotonstache Squad Player

    May I present the three Thomas's of Cult

    Dai Thomas
    Rod Thomas
    Tommie Hoban
     
  23. Abdi

    Abdi Academy Graduate

    Andre Gray
     
  24. Diamond

    Diamond First Team

    How the **** has George Reilly not been mentioned on this thread yet? An absolute legend in an era when football was played by men, and the FA Cup semi final goal was only a small part of it.
     
  25. BigRossLittleRoss

    BigRossLittleRoss First Team

    Fabrinni for me .
     
  26. We hate 48

    We hate 48 Reservist

     
  27. leighton buzzard horn

    leighton buzzard horn Squad Player

  28. Teide1

    Teide1 Squad Player

    My top five WFC cult hero’s
    Sir Elton John for buying the club more than once and appointing G.T.
    Mr Graham Taylor for putting WFC on the map and rising from the 4th division to runners up in the top one
    Luther Blissett for being our record goal scorer and favourite Son
    John Barnes for being the most skilful player I have ever seen play for WFC
    Tom Walley for bringing through many important players from the youth to the first team.
     
  29. WillisWasTheWorst

    WillisWasTheWorst Its making less grammar mistake's thats important

    All good shouts, but these are probably ‘heroes’ rather than ‘cult heroes’.
     
  30. pleaseenterthenamebywh

    pleaseenterthenamebywh Academy Graduate

    Tozser, Guedioura, Priskin (post Hoofroyd) and Scott Fitzgerald for the first few months.

    Beppe Sannino for manager. Had a great impact inbetween our two promotions pushes.
     
  31. Dorset-Orn

    Dorset-Orn First Year Pro

    The guys who I remember most and made me love them for their commitment:-
    Barry endean
    Ross jenkins
    Brian talbot
    Nielsen
    Tony cotton
    Barnes
    Blissett
    Robbo
    Mooney
    Helguson
    Demerrit
     
  32. Stuey

    Stuey Reservist

    Brynjar Gunnarsson
    Stephen Glass
    Paolo Vernazza
    Xavier Gravelaine
    Ronny Rosenthal
    Wayne Brown
     
  33. ITK platypus

    ITK platypus Squad Player

    How do you categorise someone like Zuniga, who played for us very briefly, probably never learned English, barely remembered, but scored a brilliant winning goal against Man Utd.

    I think his career is one of the hardest to categorise.
     
  34. Relegation Certs

    Relegation Certs Squad Player

    I think the word you're looking for is 'shyte'.
     
  35. pleaseenterthenamebywh

    pleaseenterthenamebywh Academy Graduate

    Criminal how underrated that moment is. Should be on a par with Mooney's goal at the bin dippers and Smart vs Chelsea.
     

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