Duncan Welbourne - 1940-2019

Very sadly passed away this morning, at 78.

RIP.

 

Oh sad news.
RIP.

 

Before my time but a name often referred to by older fans.

 

Are you calling Burnsy old ??
RIP Duncan.

 

Was playing in my first ever Watford game. RIP.

 

‘Chopper Welbourne’ Legend. RIP

 

I really thought he was indestructible. Sad news.

 

Played before my time, but clearly a club legend. Just behind Luther, Gibbs and Porter in the all time list for appearances for the club.

Very sad news.

https://www.watfordfc.com/club/duncan-welbourne-club-legend-passes-away

 

Like many on here, before my time but that is a serious amount of appearances and quite rightly a legend
RIP

 

I recall interviewing him for the legends site. I spoke to his grandson who was happy to tee the interview up but said he wanted to be in on the call as well, as his granddad was struggling with dementia. The interview was fine and his grandson seemed pleased with how well his granddad had recalled memories from so many years ago without any issue. He was a lovely bloke who looked back on his career with fondness. Sad to hear the news.

 

Very sorry to hear that, Duncan was playing when I first started supporting the Hornets, signed for us on the 22nd November 1963 the day Kennedy was shot! R.I.P. Sir you are a WFC legend!

 

Yes....everyone remembers what they were doing, the day Duncan Welbourne signed for Watford.

 

I started watching Watford in 1963 and remember Duncan Welbourne very well. Under Furphy he was a member of the legendary three Ws - Walker, Welbourne and Williams. He was certainly a tough tackler - Watford fans used to rely on him to "sort out" any stroppy opposition player. If he were playing today he'd probably get sent off every other game.

 

Was one of my all time Watford favourites.
Remember him getting the better of "Chopper" Harris in a crunching tackle in the FA Cup semi final at White Hart Lane.
Genuinely sad at his passing.
RIP. Duncan.

 

Yes, and as I have mentioned in my above post.
One of them being Chelsea's Ron Harris.

 

You have forgotten another member of the W club from the time who also has a huge legacy, that is Tom Walley!

 

He stayed at my house in West Watford for a few weeks (well my mum and dads) just temporarily until he got somewhere more permament. Really nice bloke. I was only a little lad but I remember being sad when he moved out.

For someone that put 100% into everything it was amazing he played so many league matches non stop (280).

RIP Duncan.

 

Yes, but they formed the last line of our defence, ie goalkeeper snd full backs, and were therefore a "unit".

 

Stewart Scullion always said he never had to worry about defenders ‘targeting’ him, as after the first iffy tackle, DW would inflict more than adequate ‘admonishment’ & that most oppo players were not too keen after that.

 

He played in the first ever Watford match I saw as a young boy. I knew of his tough reputation even then! 280 consecutive matches?! Wow! When was the last time that happened in today's game? Not since the 70s maybe?

RIP

 

Shocked and saddened. I think the shock is because you remember them as fit young men and haven't seen them grow old.
He was actually a good player, not just a hatchet-man; although that was of course at third division level.
He eventually became manager at Southport, who were still a league club, but a small, struggling one. He had to carry out every duty, such as sweeping the terraces, washing the kit, that sort of thing, because there was so little money.

 

Yes I remember at the time they traveled by train to a London match and had sandwiches on the train for their pre-match meal!

 

RIP. Well before my time, but get the impression he was a legend.

 

Watford legend if ever there was one. RIP and thanks Duncan.

 

I am sure a special welcome arranged for Duncan in Hornet Heaven.

 

Like many of the posters i saw him play when i first started going in 1967- to have that record of consecutive appearances and to play over 400 times for our club does fully warrant the legend status.

To join Watford in 64 and then 5 years later play a large part in the promotion followed by the cup run the following season must have been rewarding for him.

Beating Liverpool in the QF and then playing Chelsea (with that infamous "coming together" with Ron Harris) followed by Man U in the losing semi finalists play off at Highbury would have been as much a highlight for him as it was for many of us

RIP Duncan

I appreciate there may well be a some form of memorial on Saturday for the late Capt Tom Sawyer (as its 10 years since he was killed in Afghanistan) and I hope the family would not mind including some reference/acknowledgement to Duncan as they are fans of that era as well.

 

Me too.

 

Legend is an overused word these days, but this man epitomised that word. True legend, RIP Sir

 

Mine too.

 

We signed other Ws too: Walley, Wigg, Woods, Woodfield. It seemed like some kind of obsession.

 

My brother trained me to recite "Walker,Welbourne,Williams,Eddy,Lees,Walley etc".
If I hear anyone named 'Walker' I always think 'Welbourne'.
Great picture by the way!

 

Happy days that promotion season and cup

Happy days watching that team.
Chopper Welbourne you could always rely on him.
Thankyou Duncan.
Legend.
RIP

 

A bit before my time, but I believe there were two Williams' in defence during the 65/66 season - Johnny and Alan.