Difficult time for Andy. https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/wfcformerplayers-club?utm_term=GMkexY8mb
Great keeper. Wish him all the best. Isn’t the former players club something Luther was involved in setting up? I may have got that wrong.
You are correct and Luther spoke with him after being put in touch through Everton (Rankin's first club). Andy Rankin (who played 299 games as a goalkeeper for Watford from 1971 until 1980) had a severe stroke 18 months ago. "The Former Players Club have pledged to raise funds to obtain some things to brighten Andy’s days and make him more comfortable where he is (in a special home). Having spoken with his family and the medical team we have been given details of what he needs, so we hope you golden hearted hornets can help us make that happen. A special chair and and iPad will make his life easier." https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/wfcformerplayers-club?utm_term=GMkexY8mb
Although Andy was reserve keeper at Everton (actually made 85 appearances for them) and you would have thought in quite a comfortable position at Everton, he made the brave decision to join what were a run down second tier club heading towards relegation! Andy was a superb keeper, very steady, humble and calm without being flashy! After playing all those games for us (299 in the league) he had a spell at Huddersfield and I believe ended up working in a factory! Any donation however small would go to helping a former hero in their time of need!
What a great cause. Thanks to Luther and the WFC Former Players' Club for alerting us all to this. I was privileged to see Andy's and Luther's starring roles in that incredible League Cup win. That game probably first put GT's Hornets on the nationwide map and showed the rest of the country that something big football-wise was taking shape in sleepy SW Herts. Through my very beery haze, I can still remember Andy's incredible save from McQueen and Luther's 2 headers...well I like to think so at least!
In McQueen’s words: ‘I knew I’d equalised, but then this green thing with a hand on the end appeared from nowhere and tipped it over the bar.’
I saw him once jumped out of his Beetle to pop into a newsagents, players don't drive the ilk of those sort of cars these days and most of them can't read haha!
