Afternoon all, The latest legends interview is now live on www.watfordlegends.com with a keeper from the 70's. Thank you to Fuzzy73 for putting me in touch!
Excellent interview..thank you. Only ever remember seeing him play once, that was the League Cup year where we beat Man Utd and we then played Exeter City, close to where I was living at the time. So as a 13 year old, I got to see my beloved team!
My favouritist Watford goalkeeper ever - he gave absolute confidence to the defence. He was George Kirby's first signing for us and at the time our entire team was pretty carp apart from our keeper - Mike Walker. I remember Kirby saying in the Wobby that nobody had expected his first signing to be a keeper and no we didn't. There was a lot of criticism and discontent about it at the time. I was always delighted though because Rankin was a BIG 1st division name - as he says in the interview, he'd been Everton's first choice the season before. Although it was quite sad to see Walker drop out of the first team, Rankin was always a big fan's favourite despite the circumstances of his arrival. He doesn't mention it, but I seem to remember vaguely his career coming to an end at Watford when he put his back out bizarrely bringing coal up from the cellar or something. He was out for months, lost his place and that was it. Great, great keeper for us and a top man.
That was an excellent interview, good work. What a thoroughly decent bloke he is. I was at his debut and 'that' game at Old Trafford, the save he made was unbelievable - it looked a goal all over and then suddenly this green gloved hand appeared from nowhere to tip it over the bar, I saw it, but couldn't believe it! Thanks.
Thank you (and Fuzzy 73) for setting this up. It brings back a lot of memories. This guy played nearly 300 games -a 100 more than Steve Sherwood. He played when were bad (and crowds hovered around 4,000)-getting relegated 71/72 and again 74/75 but also the first promotion under GT and most of the second in 78/79. Whilst the Man U game stands out i also remember the game at West Ham in 78 when we narrowly lost 1-0 in the 3rd round in front of 36,000. A real gent with a good attitude and a true legend
And the great work continues LBH, good interview and thanks A Rankin ( second to T Coton when it comes to goalies ive seen in a Watford shirt ).
Before my time, heard about him and prob did see him play, what a great interview and seems a total genuine bloke, love the way he says God Taylor showed him the door but still showed him total respect the way he did it. Love what he says about the pundits, how true! Give him a job, shame that he cant watch footy now but can see where he is coming from! Keep up the good work chaps!
Sounded like a top guy. Before my time, but a pleasure to hear about his experience and journey with the club. It's also interesting to see how the relationship was with the fans back then - a very mutual partnership, before players became so distant from supporters.
