Passed away aged 73. The older fans on here will remember him fondly I am sure. https://watfordlegends.com/interviews/johnny-williams/
Yes,Dave has just told me. Very bad and sad news indeed. My brother painted on his trademark Mexican moustache to our Subbuteo team and Dave and I were only saying the other night that the bearded *** on Winterwatch should be renamed JW in his honour. I learned "Walker,Welbourne,Williams..." long before any times tables. RIP Johhny.
A true stalwart of the club. Always a Hornet. RIP. Learnt his trade locally in Hemel at Bennetts End FC.
I learned Slater Furphy Williams Welbourn Garvey Eddy...... I think - unless dementia has got the better of me.
Well I could be wrong but I expect Paul would have punched me if I got it wrong. Perhaps it was after one particular game,I was only five at the time! I knew Furphy was the manager but I was never taught to include him in my recital. RIP Johnny.
Yes that’s right, Elton John performed at Baileys for Johnny Williams, sung “someone saved my life tonight” for the first time and forgot the words! R.I.P. Sir you were a fine servant to Watford F.C.
Mid 60s to mid 70s. He was a regular in the first teams I watched at Watford and I went to his testimonial match, against Sheffield U I think. A great club servant - RIP.
I lived in the same road as him and had many a chat with him. He was such a nice chap and one day gave me a programme signed by all of the squad which I still have to this day. I think he was the reason I started going to the matches so I could see my "mate" play. RIP Johnny.
No you are not wrong, I was not meaning to dispute what you said at all. I should have said that I also remembered a slightly earlier time when Ken Furphy was player manager. My line up at the back was from 1966/67. After Ken finished as player, then Duncan took the number two, and we had Walker Welbourne Williams as you so rightly said.
Solid reliable left back. The Walker Welbourne Eddy Garvey Williams back 5. Watched them so many times. Could do with Johnny Williams in his prime in the team today. RIP
You always assumed he’d just ‘do the job’ every game, no fuss. Unassuming, solid, reliable, consistent. A real team player. RIP, JW.
Was that the same back five who played in the team that won promotion to the second tier for the first time? That seemed a solid if not very prolific team and that's what kept them up for three seasons there.
Correct. Tight defence and some great games including the record crowd FA Cup replay vs Man U. The big win was away vs rivals Swindon which put us on a great run. Lost last 3 games but were champions on goal difference above Swindon. A great season. I think Williams was ever present? - players didn’t get so many injuries in the good old days.. We even had some Johnny foreigners in the team from Wales, Scotland, Ireland ... lol ... Our squad and results....
I like JW... My memory of him was tough as old boots but had big sideburns. My first game was around 1966/7 home against Reading. We beat them 3.0 and I was endeared immediately. I thought Short/tubby Barry Dyson was the dogs nuts...I think he scored a couple.? Called him Francis Lee's brother. (I was quite young)... My other favs were Duncan W and Steward Scullion.. What a great name.! I used to pull my shorts down below my tiny hips to emulate him..
Anyone remember mad Bert Slater... Goalkeeper come right winger.!? Almost every game I watched him, if we were struggling or not doing much, he would receive the ball at his feet and go on a rampaging run down the wing before humping it forward and sprinting back to his goal posts. Always brought out a great roar from the crowd, wouldn't get away with it these days....