lots of former Watford players sprinkled amongst the teams including the great Derek Payne turning out for Barnet.
Thinking about it our runners up places have all had quite a different feeling to them.. Finishing 2nd to you know who in 82 didn't feel as bad as it should have, cause dare i say they led the way most of the season. 1st Division runners up felt like absolute glory, especially getting there right at the death. Losing to Wednesday felt as low as it gets.. and the FA Cup final i still dont know what to make of it after all these years. Very disappointing game but hey we all went to a Cup final!
Cup final wasn't just the game. The four weeks leading up to it were just mental. The day itself was crazy, and to some extent, for me anyway, the game was irrelevant. Nothing could take anything away from us being there. GT regretted that outlook afterwards, but that was the time to ponder such things because the lead up was a roller coaster, from the bus back from Villa Park, to taking the piss out of Tom O'Connor down the social club, and Ray Abbott puking up on Cordelia's boobs at the post match party. Even the loosers parade was a bit special! I am glad we made a Cup Final at a time when the FA Cup was still part of the national conciousness. It would be special now, but I can't imagine it being the same as 1984. I wouldn't swap that day, those weeks, for a win in the league cup; seriously.
Slightly off topic and reminiscing, i also attended that game at Highbury. I remembering comparing the huge crowd at White Hart Lane in the semi and then standing in the massive (to me anyway) Northbank in front of 15,000 v Man U and thinking why aren't more here.
We have had plenty of ups and downs thats for sure. GT and EJ made sure that being a hornet is never boring. I remember the title race with Bristol City in what was then National Football League 2. Brilliant season overall, but I, liked others were concerned when we went on a run of draws and loses towards the end of the season and it seemed the title was over but we managed to claw it back. Seeing pictures the next day of the players spraying champagne in the dressing room is always a fond memory. On from this, I remember being at Fratton Park for our first League 1 game against Portsmouth (we won 2-1) and it was the start of yet another promotion season where we showed metal (the win against Ipswich comes to mind), beating Grimbsy 1-0 at the Vicarage last day of the season to assure our playoff position. The win over Birmingham in the first leg, then being at St Andrews as I was biting my nails as the tension of the penalty kicks got too much to bare - Chamberlain!!!!! Then off to Wembley and letting Bolton having more of the ball but us showing finishing class... Nick Wrights overhead kick... just wow. Memorys i will never forget.
winning the championship title would have been our greatest honour for sure. Plus that trophy is really beautiful, especially when compared to the vulgar premier league abomination. how our manager failed to win it with the squad we had is beyond belief.
I really enjoyed that game, playoffs aside though, my favourite game in the 1998/1999 season was beating Tranmere at home with 9 men having been behind. That kick started once of the most enjoyable runs I can ever remember. Oh and I enjoyed Johann Gudmundsons 2 goals against Port Vale as well.
I understand the model, and I think many others do as well. The head coach is seen as just one part of the jigsaw, as opposed to the glue that holds the club together at other teams. I will also continue to call out pundits for their shocking lack of knowledge. I'm not quite sure where you've got that second point from, as I certainly never said anything like it. I just feel disenchanted with the fact that our head coach changes on so frequent a basis. I also don't think our players are a very likeable bunch, but maybe this is simply a reflection of modern day football. It is a shame though that you cannot see things from my point of view, and are clearly so upset at what I have said. It doesn't really make a difference to me though. I know how I feel about the club and the avenue that we and the PL have gone down, even if you don't like it.
I am not upset at all. Just a little dissapointed that some fans see the club the way you do, expecting every decision made by Gino to be perfect, and failing to recognise that, despite our superior model, we still have to compromise, experiment and take risks, leaving us with imperfect players and head coaches on occasions. The great thing to me about Gino is that he doesn't faff or panic like every other club owner, and when I hear arguments like yours, it appears that many fans wish he would do exactly that, whilst also expecting him to make a flawless decision. It is the epitomy of expectantcy and entitlement. If you do understand and accept the model, then understand and accept that it is not perfect. I would like to see more continuity in coaching, but I don't think Gino has acted a moment too soon in any of his new appointments (except McKinley); in fact I'm damned glad he got rid of most of them (Slav the only exception) when he did. Falling out of love with football is one thing; I fell out of love with football in the nineties, but citing Watford FC as part of the cause, to me, seems very unfair.
That Southampton equaliser didn't do us many favours. You've got to think West Brom will bin Pardew before next Saturday too.
West Brom good as gone. Win today and we're safe. Lose today and Palace win then it's looking a bit uncomfortable.
Good wet spam and Swansea lost oh and WBA but forget those results boys.Beat Everton and it’lL look a bit better.
No doubt West Brom will sack Pardew by next week - and probably appoint some manager everyone will laugh about. Bit like with the Swansea guy.
A win against West Brom is vital now, With Southampton V Stoke, Swansea v West ham and Huddlesfield away at Spurs, its a great chance to make ourselves safe and secure.
Just watching Match of the Day and thought "losing 2-1 at home to Huddersfield is a terrible result". Then I remembered what happened when we played them!
Liked but not giving you any money though! Also my mate who has never seen us win this season was at yesterday's game so that taboo is broken - although I'm yet to hear if he left after 75 mins or not! )
God....nightmare game that was. Sat in the EJ stand head in hands thinking what Snake had turned us into. Hopefully now just a blip result on what will be a good end to the season.
No doubt West Brom will sack Pardew. If we play with the spirit, organisation and effort we have done (West Ham aside) under Garcia we will hopefully come out on top next week. The key to winning next week is to limit the number of corners or set pieces around the box they get. Watching MOTD that was the only way they looked like scoring yesterday. Anyway.. Realistically we need 2 more wins to be certain of safety and sooner we get those the better. Then we can look upwards and dream..top half finish isnt beyond us despite everything. Stoke, Swansea and Southampton all look bang in trouble and of them could join WBA in the championship next year.
Pretty ridiculous if WBA sack Pardew, but it looks like they will. Obviously he’s a terrible manager and in normal circumstance he should get the sack, but when they sacked Pullis they had nobody in mind, fannied around for ages and then eventually appointed...Pardew. Where do you go from Pardew? If he was the best they could come up with before who they hell will they get in now, with them virtually relegated? I think sacking Pullis was the right call, but only on the proviso they had somebody decent to replace him, which they didn’t. Also, I can’t be bothered to work it out but surely we must have some sort of record for facing teams with a new manager after the last one was sacked? Assuming he goes of course.
Turns out I could be bothered to look - at this season at least - and we're actually level pegging with Huddersfield in having faced 2 new managers each. They had Allardyce and Lambert, we had Moyes and Carvalhal. And, in rules I've just made up completely, Huddersfield were unluckier than us as both their fixtures were away while both of ours were at home. So, if Pardew goes and is replaced this week, we will take our rightful place as outright leaders.
