Tony Coton - Sixty Years Old - Club Legend

Best keeper ever. Best tache ever too.

 

I wasn't thinking that on his debut wasn't it the 5-4 defeat to Everton?
But he turned out to be our best that I've ever seen play for Watford.
Before anyone says Jennings it was before my time.

 

His autobiography is a great read with some great stories, he without doubt loved his time at Watford and will be forever grateful to GT for keeping him out of prison.

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You could just read his face after the 5th goal went in, at home as well, "What the **** was I thinking joining this team"....
Best keeper I have ever seen.

 

He was very good, but so was Miller, Alumina, Gomez and Foster we have had our fair share of decent keepers!
Respect also to Andy Rankin, Mike Walker and Steve Sherwood, sorry about the two Perry’s and Scott Loach! Sorry if I have missed any significant ones out!

 

There were very good, but he was a class above all bar maybe Foster at his best, and even then I'd prefer TC.

 

David James

 

Tony Meola

 

Golly Gosh how could I have missed him, perhaps because I missed the Football League trophy home game that season!

 

Forgot about him, considering his age he was extremely good, I would stick my neck out to say (although one played in goal, one played on the field ), second to John Barnes for amount of skill at such a young age in their chosen positions if that makes sense!

 

Baardson (Spelling?) was pretty good.

 

Yes, TC dominated his area better. And he would be quite scary if his defenders didn’t listen to him!

 

Fair comment re: Jennings. He was ridiculously good for only 19 in his first season in Div 3. But as he was only with us for one season, he was not at the same standard as TC when actually playing for us. That came a couple of seasons later when he became Spurs’ undisputed first choice. He gained 2 NI caps when at Watford. It was patently obvious he was going to be a top level player.

 

No weakness. Brilliant shot stopper. Saved so many "certain" goals. Not sure I can remember him making "an error" as such. So much better than those ahead of him in the battle for the England spot.

 

One of the best saves I've ever seen was DJ's in his last season for us. Saved a point blank shot and as the ball looped up he caught it one handed while still on the ground. No idea which game but it was insane agility. Never seen anything as good before or since.

 

He still had a minder even after retirement. Me and my boy met him at the FA Cup final when a fight kicked off and we had to leave the stand. This random guy approached us as my boy was upset. He told us he was Tony Cotons old minder and had to leave his seat coz some Watford fans had given him aggro for having a Midlands accent. He offered to let us meet TC after the game but we decided to leave.

This meant I missed the comeback and meeting my Watford hero.

 

Malcolm Dalrymple.

 

Peter Gibbs

 

Cleverly does alright considering

 

Great book. I like the summer holiday with the Birmingham players story when one of them starts drinking suntan lotion because he’s run out of booze.

 

Played snooker with him once. He let me win.

 

"Show us your contract Tony!"

 

Fond memories of the Rookery of my youth: "we're going down the pub...with Tony Coton"

 

As you can tell from the avatar he's one of my favourite Watford players. I went to pick up tickets one time and he was there in the ticket office, he gave me the death stare and I've loved the man ever since.

 

Presume at 60, he must only have a year or two left on his current deal ? Time to cash in or extend ?

 

Still in his prime. 5 year deal incoming.

 

I've now a mental image of Mrs Diamond

 

Oh yes,good chant that!
I recall Gladys Protheroe conning David Mellor on 606 one time.
'She' claimed that TC was so underemployed during one game that he gotout his sandwiches and ate them!

 

Alec.

 

Whoops I would put Alec in the second (Sherwood, Rankin, Walker) category

 

Legend is an overused word but TC was and is an absolute 100% Watford legend. Its debatable whether Foster, Gomes or James were better at their peak and obviously Jennings was. However TC was comfortably the best keeper based solely on Watford performances. With Luther on the pitch we always had a chance of scoring and with TC in goal we always had a chance of stopping the ball going into the net. Pure quality and a great man.

 

GT had every opportunity as England manager to call him up while he was at Man City. I never understood why he didn’t.