Dedicated to my mate Phil, a non-smug Wednesdayite. RIP, my friend Phil a friend for more than 30 years, died shortly before Christmas, in his sleep. This felt very cruel to those of us who knew and loved him, because he'd had so many health challenges over the last few years, and had just reappeared on the social scene (#local pubs and the one local wine bar). He never whinged once during his ailments journey. Not once. When well enough to get out, if you bumped into him he wanted to know how you were; him updating you on his progress was always a necessary chore. A season ticket holder for many years until said ill health, if you bumped into him post-match (when football was on a Saturday, and smart phones were sci-fi), he wanted to know how Watford had got first, before any talk about the match he'd been to at Hillsborough, however their game had panned out. His funeral was 'standing room only' lovely. So whilst I would normally post 'Pigs' when I talk about our opposition on Wednesday, not this time... Wednesday 1 - 3 Watford Keep the Faith Love your Friends (and if you're a bloke, hug them) SCG
Sorry to hear about your mate . Nice tribute . Feel they might win this one. Couple of extras days rest and need the points .
It should have been headed either: On Wednesday, Wednesday v Watford or Wednesday v Watford on Wednesday Looks like I fcuked up...
I think we could win this one with one away defeat (Stoke) at the teams below 7th so far. We've been good at exploiting the lesser teams' weaknesses and winning games where the opposition badly needed points (the reverse fixture, Rotherham at home and QPR away) and we deservedly beat Swansea (a turning point in our season I feel) by capitalizing on the fact that they aren't a good team and were just on a good run, at a team where we didn't have a good record. Apart from Hull (who are pretty inconsistent and were down to ten men after 35 minutes) they haven't beaten anyone good, and I think we can consider ourselves a good team. Just need to get that elusive clean sheet and we stand a really good chance as I believe we have only failed to score twice since Sunderland away and Wednesday's defence is still leaky despite their improvement.
I've edited your title @Steel City Gold, gone with the first option you wanted. Sorry to hear about your friend, let's hope the boys can do it on the night and make you proud. Our record at Hillsbrough is actually pretty decent. A few wins and the odd draw with a rare loss. Pretty sure last time was a boring 0-0 draw, and to be honest we struggled to break them down in the reverse fixture, only managing to beat them by a single goal. However, they have hit a bit a form and unlike Rotherham are not destined (at the moment) for relegation like they looked back then. They strung a few wins together and can see daylight from the bottom three. QPR and Huddersfield drawing today was a good result for them going into the game no doubt. Not sure who VI will play, but I do hope whoeever he picks gets a least a bit of a rest especially if they played today. Dennis is still a few games away fitness to start, but no harm in giving him a second half run out. Hopefully Sema will be a bit more on the ball and can cross some balls in for Raj to score, as Bayo was pretty poor today despite having our only other really good chance to score. Might be fitness or confidence, but we need him to play better than today and I am sure it was a one-off and it being the cup probably didn't bother most. With our good away record we should go there and win without any problems, but you never know with this side. We are however, drawing a lot of games of late. Not quite Preston levels, but we have to score more than a single goal in games again. Are the playoffs out of reach? No, but to be honest it's going to take snookers to get into that top six come May with so many other fairly good sides vying for a place. Should be a good crowd, and hopefully a clean sheet for once. Sheff Wednesday 0 Watford 2 Here's my favourite Wednesdays.
We will lose this. SW fighting for their lives and with a few days extra rest and planning time. Us coming off the back of the crushing blow of conceding a late equaliser in the most important cup competition in the world.
Wednesday on Wednesday. I could never get the hang of Thursdays but I'm happy to change to a day earlier on this occasion.
Depends where you are. It's Wednesday on Thursday for me, which is good because Wednesday on Tuesday for you but Wednesday for me would have been a problem as I have to be somewhere on Wednesday morning but not Thursday morning. I can watch Wednesday on Wednesday evening on Thursday.
We have never won against Wednesday on a Wednesday: Our previous Wednesday meetings were all away as well: Wed 24/03/2010, lost 2-1, in fact our last away defeat to them. Wed 19/12/2001, lost 4-0, EFL Cup QF under Vialli, that was a horrible match. Wed 14/01/1998, draw 0-0 in FA Cup 3rd round replay, lost on penalties. Overall our record against them is pretty good though. In the previous 50 meetings: P50 W24 D11 L15 F76 A62 Our last defeat was Zola's last match in charge 10 seasons ago in December 2013.
I've been to Hillsborough 3 times, those two cup games I mentioned and a 2-2 draw in the Prem in a match we should have won in 1999.
That was a horrible season in general. Spent so much money on wasted PL cast-offs such as Ramon Vega from Spuds. Although Galli was very good. Couldn't believe it when Vialli signed on after GT went into retirement. Everyone had us touted to go straight up under him. I went to the first game of season (away to a then very different but still strong) Man City side and we lost 3-0. Despite us finishing 14th (I think?) it was an awful season more-so off the pitch for football in general with the ITV Digital fiasco. Never been that close to the brink as a club, and I hope we never have to go through that again, Full credit though to the players for taking that pay cut.
Ugh. I was. Up there with the worst. From Vialli’s annual leave to Wilkins randomly trying a lineup and formation that we hadn’t done all season to leaving early and hearing Pleat over the radio saying ‘this is beyond our wildest dreams’, just Watfordy.
I took my (then) young lad to that game as a treat after he'd badgered me for some time in the run up to it. That game remains etched on my memory as one I expunged from my memory banks. I never, ever leave a match early but that one was deservedly an exception. When the 3rd went in, I was fuming so much I told my lad that we'd better head off to beat the traffic. "But you've always said we should stay to the end to applaud the team, even when they lose". I had said that and although I still stay, even to the bitterest of ends these days, that particular match was abject. I knew what was coming and desperately needed to avoid complete humiliation so we moved smartly enough to only hear the 4th go in as we left Hillsborough. That was my best moment of the night. Had never seen the 4th until I clicked on the link above! God knows how Gianlucca and Butch set up our defence that night but watching Vernazza chasing back half-heartedly to try and stop the 2nd in a shirt about 8 sizes too big for him summed up one of the worst away efforts I've seen from us. Several trips back there since have usually been very productive but that QF in 2001 was awful.
First and foremost, nice tribute and sad to hear about your pal. I have always liked Sheffield Wednesday, I have a few mates that support them and they have always been respectful and knowledgeable. Having said that I still wish them no luck on Wednesday evening. Secondly: The trains back seem to be an absolute ball ache, really didn't want to drive as I wanted to spend the afternoon in the pubs of Sheffield!
Whoops, I've had a 'mare like our mighty Orns had that night. Memo to self...don't type when cold and your brain is clearly addled!
Never forgiven them for spoiling our promotion party and snatching the title from our grasp. Hope we smash em…
Very much my philosophy too, but I broke that at Millwall away last season and Leeds at home the season before that. Very rarely, you have just seen enough. I remember watching the 4-0 Wednesday game in the Golden Lion (was called something else back then). A shocking performance, and as the final whistle went, they switched to karaoke. A large lady took the mic, then halfway through her song remarked that the mic "looks like a ****" and proceeded to fellate it. A thoroughly grim evening.
Sorry not clear whether you liked this for his use of the word, or you liked for what she did to the mic ? Or both ?
My recollection of that day is standing high up at the back of the (then roofless) Spion Kop. I assume there was some segregation, but it was often hit and miss in those days.....
Not helped by a Wednesday “lad” being stabbed during a fight on the platform at the high st station after the home game 5 weeks before.
This is one of those games I've never watched a second of highlights from as it annoys me too much. Along with the 12/13 play off final and the FA Cup final.
I am no biologist, so could be wrong here BUT: I don’t think any of us would have been floating around in a nutsack for ‘many years’ before moving onwards and upwards to make that most rare and sacred appointment. It’s a lovely thought though, that you could have been to lots of Watford matches, even before conception. Anyway, your post has taken me to a special place of contemplation, and I thank you for that. (I really just clicked reply in order to use the word ‘nutsack’ for myself.)
