As my erstwhile name is replaced from the Rous stand I presume the old wall-mounted quote by the entrance will go too (maybe it went years ago? I wouldn't know). As a family enclosure user I rarely went in the Rous. But I still remember the first time I went (Youth Cup final, ’89) being struck by the words along the lines of “I don't want to be accused of looking back, rather than forwards, but I hope football never becomes more than just a game”. In a way it did define the club ethos of the era. There must be an evocative quote from GT, from a programme note or media interview, that could be used in its place. I have always loved this sort of stuff from GT: “In life there are opportunities. And they are always around us. Most people don't see them. Others see them but don't do anything about them. But then there are those who are life’s winners, They go looking for opportunities. And when they see them they grasp them. This is your opportunity. Its there for you. Now go out there, and wring every little bit out of it. " Of course we cant use that as its from his England days (they promptly went and lost and were effectively eliminated from US'94). For similar reason we couldn't really use ‘Do I not like that’. But if the club were to adorn the entrance of the GT stand - and I think they should - with a genuine and equally stirring GT quote reflecting the man and WFC, what would you choose?
Taken from his notes in the match day programme of his very first game in charge - Watford vs Reading, Football League Cup, First Round on Saturday 13th August 1977: 'I am a big believer in dealing with strengths and not weaknesses, in being positive, in looking for the good things and not bad and therefore trying to breed an air of confidence rather than dejection.' 'The lasting success of a football club depends in the end on how many people are prepared to pull for it rather than against it. It is like many other walks of life - namely, that when the chips are down you have to either get in there and fight, or simply accept the position and go under!' 'I am convinced that everyone wants success, and that if on the field we can give the correct lead in terms of attitude to the job in hand then more and more people will be prepared to get in alongside and fight with us.'
Not one I'd put on a new stand but one of my favourite lines from GT was: "Carlton Palmer isn't one of the best players in the world but he's good at stopping those that think they are."
Considering our tendency to get awful officials why not have his England manager quote "The referee has got me the sack... thank him ever so much for that!"
I'm guessing that you didn't see the first GT era and the Bassett period that followed it. The press linked GT's Watford and Bassett's Wimbledon together, but the two were chalk and cheese. GT's team was one of the best in the country. They were all good players, but the only ones that were really top class were Coton, McClelland, Callaghan, Blissett/Johnston and Barnes. It took a fair amount of sophistication to formulate tactics that would beat and sometimes destroy teams containing rather more talent.
I would add to that Kevin Richardson and David Bardsley, possibly even Kenny Jackett. But we consistently had very good teams who could beat the best in the land. As for the quote its has to be the cramp one.
Richardson, Sims, Jackett, Falco and Jenkins just missed my cut. I would say they were very good players, but not in the same class as the ones I listed. Bardsley in the group below, with les Taylor and Reilly.
and i'm guessing you didnt see this interview.. [video=youtube;QkrFqgzbVow]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkrFqgzbVow[/video] Has to be the cramp one.. plus i would hope the Rous one remains in place.
OK, it was a quote, but a misleading one. The critics who Jimmy Hill was citing were anticipating Brenda's "playing football the right way", and GT was stressing that there's more than one way to play and his way was exciting. The term "sophisticated football" was being used as a stick to beat Watford with.
There's some classics out there. In fact he rivales Murray Walker. http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/g/graham_taylor.html I'm going for this one: "In football, time and space are the same thing." Got a Hawkingesque ring to it.
