On This Day...

Sorry, realised I was wrong after checking and so deleted my post !!

 

On this day 44 years ago Nigel Callaghan made his debut in our final home game of the season. He was involved in three of the goals as we beat Burnley 4-0.



https://oldwatford.com/1980/05/03/3rd-may-1980-division-two-watford-4-burnley-0/

 

The last day of the terrace in front of the Shrodells stand, where my formative football years were spent.

 

On this day 42 years ago, promotion to the top flight secured for the first time in our history.



https://oldwatford.com/1982/05/04/4th-may-1982-division-two-watford-2-wrexham-0/

 

I do, even after the numerous beers.

 

On this day 38 years ago two goals each for David Barnsley and Brian Talbot plus one for Colin West as we beat Chelsea 5-1 at Stamford Bridge.



https://oldwatford.com/1986/05/05/5th-may-1986-division-one-chelsea-1-watford-5/

 

They'd won the first Full Members Cup beating Man City 5-4 in the days when Chelsea and Man City playing in finals was still a novelty.

Apologies as well it was of course David Bardsley who scored two goals in the Chelsea game, not his Yorkshire cousin.

 

For those who weren’t around back then, the fairly short-lived Full Members Cup (for 1st and 2nd Div clubs) mirrored the Associate Members Cup (for 3rd and 4th Div clubs) which is still with us as the EFL Trophy. It was introduced to provide extra fixtures in reaction to the UEFA ban on English clubs competing in Europe, which lasted for five years in the latter half of the 80s.

 

Surprisingly we declined to play in the first one. There is a good Guardian article about the first competition.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/sep/29/chelsea-manchester-city-cup-final-league

After that we successfully went out in the opening tie we played every season, despite sometimes getting a bye to the second or even third round, apart from the 1988-89 competition when we reached the Quarter Final but lost 2-1 on penalties at home to QPR after a 1-1 draw.

 

Quite a few notable on this day events...

18 years ago, the Playoff Semi Final win at Palace.



23 years ago, GT's final game in charge of Watford.



24 years ago, the 'we're out of your league' party at Boro.



44 years ago, winning the FA Youth Cup for the first time.



https://oldwatford.com

 

I was at GT's last match (at Burnley). I can't remember the score, but I do recal that for pretty much the whole of the second half we sang "Elton John's Taylor made army".... over, and over and over again.

 

Yes me too. That second half singing was amazing, taking over from the "Small town in Blackburn" chant ! Wore my "Only one Graham Taylor" T shirt, I think sold by BSAD website ? Shame the game was so poor, would have been nice to go out with a win.

 

On this day 29 years ago, we secured our highest tier two finish for six years with a 2-1 win at home to Derby County.



https://oldwatford.com/1995/05/07/7th-may-1995-new-division-one-watford-2-derby-county-1/

 

Lost 2-0 I think but the most away fans we've ever taken to Burnley I would think. Even their fans applauded him

 

The match was meaningless to both sides but it was a disappointing final result as just a draw would've put us 7th (but then Burnley have mostly been a bogey side - we didn't win there until the crazy 7-4 in 2003 and have only won twice there since). But despite it being Burnley, it probably would've been worth going for the emotion and atmosphere despite a desparately disappointing final six months (but Taylor's stock was so high I imagine short of relegating us, any season would've seen our fans keenly applauding him and giving him a massive send-off).

 

On this day 30 years ago, we spoilt Palace's promotion party and ensured our own survival with a 2-0 win at Selhurst Park.



https://oldwatford.com/1994/05/08/8th-may-1994-new-division-one-crystal-palace-0-watford-2/

 

I believe we were effectively safe before the game was played, but more importantly we leapfrogged Luton to finish above them on the final day !

 

Looking at the league table it looked like we weren't but none of the reports said anything about us surviving so I thought that might be the case.

 

On this day...
2006:Aidy fought Fitz in our playoff draw with Palace.
1999:Our 1-0 win over Grimsby ensured we made the playoffs.
1989:We won the FA Youth Cup for the second time.
1987:Final competitive Watford game for John Barnes and of GT's first spell.

https://oldwatford.com

 

Christ, had we known then what was about to follow....

 

On this day 31 years ago we won the London five-a-side tournament beating Wimbledon on penalties in the final.



https://oldwatford.com/1993/05/10/1...-side-football-championship-at-wembley-arena/

 

Mrs Willis and I were there to see Watford lift a trophy! But what awful shirts…

 

On this day 39 years ago we beat Spurs 5-1 at White Hart Lane.



https://oldwatford.com/1985/05/11/11th-may-1985-division-one-tottenham-hotspur-1-watford-5/

 

Yes, proving we were all that was wrong with football. I mean some of our players even had the temerity to TACKLE the North London Darlings.

 

Remember coming out deleriously happy, got in mate's dad's car, and the news from Bradford was breaking.

 

It was also the day my wife’s nephew was crushed under a collapsed wall during the Brum-Leeds game; he died early the next morning at only 15 yo. I hadn’t met her by then, and she still feels it very deeply. She’s had a little weep this morning after reading the messages still posted every year by some of his old schoolmates.

 

Such a shame there’s no video