Watford FC Historical Photographs/Video Thread

Discussion in 'The Golden Years' started by Stevohorn, Feb 24, 2019.

  1. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

  2. MIlton Dammers

    MIlton Dammers Reservist

    I find it slightly concerning that Harriet looked identical to Harry, but with long eyelashes. Are we sure they weren't related?
     
  3. wfc4ever

    wfc4ever Administrator Staff Member

  4. Teide1

    Teide1 Squad Player

    I’ve got a feeling they could well have been Brother and Sister born in China, their Mum had sewn an identical name tag in their suits both had the same surname XXXL
     
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  5. wfc4ever

    wfc4ever Administrator Staff Member

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  6. sydney_horn

    sydney_horn Squad Player

    Yes, I was standing in the Vic road end. An amazing day and an absolutely unbelievable season.

    In some ways I, and those of our generation were spoiled. Going from the fourth tier to the second best team in the land, in just a few years, is an achievement that is beyond incredible.

    But, at the time to me, it seemed an inevitable consequence of a journey that GOD and Elton had set us on when they joined forces all the years ago.
     
  7. WillisWasTheWorst

    WillisWasTheWorst Its making less grammar mistake's thats important

    Not forgetting a great goal in that game by Martin Patching. I was right in line with the flight of it and I can still see it arrowing into the top corner beyond Grobelaar.
    I also remember waiting on the terrace afterwards to hear the news that Man U had lost at Notts County to secure our second place. Great day.
     
  8. BigRossLittleRoss

    BigRossLittleRoss First Team

    We re not Norwich
     
  9. wfc4ever

    wfc4ever Administrator Staff Member

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  10. ST1968

    ST1968 First Year Pro

    Was indeed a great day. As an impressionable 15year old I ran on the pitch at the final whistle with a few hundred others. Grobelaar was directly in front of us and running up to him I asked him if I could have his gloves. His answer was very clearly for me to "Fxxx right off".

    Which I did.

    He wasn't so much of a clown face to face.
     
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  11. Smudger

    Smudger Messi's Mad Coach Staff Member

    [​IMG]
    Fred Sargent athlete extraordinaire and striker here in 1890 for Watford Rovers prior to their first match at the Cassio Road ground occupied by West Herts. The club changed their name to West Herts becoming an affiliate as part of the football division allowing them to use the then verdant expanse now encroached upon by development.

    Sargent was drawing to the end of his career having played already for many seasons for a variety of local teams that flourished as elsewhere with football becoming part of the national consciousness. He started out in 1874 with The Clarendon either named after its benefactor or drawn from the area around the Clarendon Hotel before moving on to the short lived Hertfordshire Rangers.

    When that ceased to exist he played for St.Albans the precursors of St.Albans City bagging eighty odd goals in fifty matches between 1883-95 before eventually ending up as captain of Watford Rovers. This was the time when a player could turn out for several sides in a season with Watford Rovers having first dibs at a call up.

    A short stocky centre forward with blistering pace (he was a champion sprinter as a youth) who could play on the right wing he was into his early thirties when playing for the Rovers. For the Rovers and West Herts he scored some 161 goals in 152 games.

    At West Herts he was also opening batsman in the summers while not working for LNWR whose lines passed through Watford Junction. Awarded an OBE not for his sporting accomplishments but for long service with that company he passed away on the 13th April 1942 aged 84 having seen the formation of Watford FC and remaining a keen supporter.
     
  12. Johnny Todd Sings

    Johnny Todd Sings First Year Pro

    I've just gone through this thread for the first time and it has brought back some amazing memories. I didn't get to see Fred Sargent, unfortunately, as I wasn't in the area at the time. We could do with a goalscorer like him now.
     
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  13. BigRossLittleRoss

    BigRossLittleRoss First Team

    Great goals per game stats, could be the striker we looking for ?
     
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  14. Harefield Yellow

    Harefield Yellow First Year Pro

    Had the pleasure of receiving this cracking press photo from a friend this morning. I'm assuming from the scoreboard showing Southampton as the opposition that this was before the meeting in January 1983

    20220131_133835 (2).jpg 20220131_133848 (2).jpg
     
  15. Smudger

    Smudger Messi's Mad Coach Staff Member

    1922-23

    [​IMG]
    Watford FC finished a respectable tenth in Division Three South led by centre forward Fred Pagnam who bagged thirty goals out of a total of fifty seven goals for. The team managed by Harry Kent started strongly as you can see from the record before stuttering badly around Christmas and were never able to recapture any form tailing off like many Watford sides since at the seasons end.

    https://www.11v11.com/teams/watford/tab/matches/season/1923/

    Fred Pagnam the chap with the ball on his lap was an interesting character. A Lancastrian he had plied his trade for Liverpool and Arsenal in the top division before being signed for a record thousand pounds by the Brewers. Pagnam was prolific and after Harry Kent who had signed Pagnam using some of the record fee for the sale of Frank Hoddinott to Chelsea retired to become landlord of the still extant Wellington Arms near the Junction station he took over the reigns.

    His tenure was not a successful one with a strip change from black and white stripes to all blue not bringing any fortune. Fred moved overseas coaching Galatasaray and Turkey and then several clubs in Holland where he found true love before returning and like his mentor Kent turning his hand to running several public houses.

    This season saw Stalybridge Celtic resign from the league. @reg_varney Aberdare Athletic from whom Hoddinott had signed were still in the league to complement Cardiff, Swansea, Merthyr and Newport. However two other Welsh sides Pontypridd and Llanelli failed to get elected to the league. Instead Bournemouth & Boscombe as then was were elected.
     
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  16. wfc4ever

    wfc4ever Administrator Staff Member

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  17. WillisWasTheWorst

    WillisWasTheWorst Its making less grammar mistake's thats important

    One of my all-time favourite Watford goals there on one of the great away days in the Cup. Pretty sure I was at Leicester for that Wilf goal too.
     
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  18. ST1968

    ST1968 First Year Pro

    Still absolutely gutted I missed that quarter-final.

    I needed to work as I needed the money.

    For the younger members of this forum: 16 year old Saturday paid was a princely sum of £1 per hour in the pet shop on Garston Park Parade in 1984.
     
  19. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

    A fantastic game to be at. One of my mates missed it. We told him to meet us at Birmingham New Street station. After waiting 2 hours at Birmingham International station he went home assuming the game was postponed (days pre mobile phones of course).
     
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  20. westbridgfordhornet

    westbridgfordhornet First Year Pro

    I always love the Watford Observer's black and white photos posted occasionally. Don't remember seeing this one previously.
    [​IMG]

    Going purely from my wonky memory here goes. I struggled to name any in the back row, I guess reserves, youth mainly. One of them probably Trevor How or Laurie Craker, the blond 2nd from left?

    For the middle row, I can see Dave Butler, a beaming half-hidden Pat Morrissey surely, with Viva Zapata 'tache hidden I guess (!), Ross J (version 1.0), is that a surprisingly young looking Duncan Welbourne, the next one is very familiar but I'm struggling (John Stirk? Probably not), a hidden Mike Keen. And on the front row a sweaty Leo Markham, EJ, Dennis Bond and again I should know the fella in the fashionable shirt and strides but can't bring him to mind, Keith Pritchett...?

    Someone fill in the gaps for me and correct most of my guesses too! Calling Stevohorn, Smudger!
     
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  21. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

    Downes or Horsfield ? Before my time. Tony Geidmintis ? Peter Coffill ?
    Too early for Stirk.
     
    Last edited: Aug 16, 2022
  22. WillisWasTheWorst

    WillisWasTheWorst Its making less grammar mistake's thats important

    I can do some of those. The guy you thought was Stirk is Jimmy Lindsay and I think it’s David Woodfield in the horrendous shirt. At the back the one who looks like he was in Slade is Larry McGettigan and the two to his right are Jimmy (?) Walsh who didn’t get many games and the fair haired John (?) Watt who possibly didn’t play at all for the first team. Don’t know the other two at the back.
     
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  23. westbridgfordhornet

    westbridgfordhornet First Year Pro

    Thanks Willis. I wondered about Larry McGettigan but he looked too young for our occasionally tricky winger! Lindsay was our big signing from West Ham as I recall.
     
  24. BigRossLittleRoss

    BigRossLittleRoss First Team

    Harriet the Hornet . Phwoar Defo would .

    I’d like to have a threesome with her and the bunny from the Caramel ads .
     
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  25. westbridgfordhornet

    westbridgfordhornet First Year Pro

    I reckon you'd prefer that old boiler from West Brom really.
    [​IMG]
     
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  26. tonycotonstache

    tonycotonstache Squad Player

    I'd go with them, but I'd be thinking of Wilmur
     
  27. Jimmy Walsh

    Jimmy Walsh Academy Graduate

    Back row left right. Ernie Talbot, apprentice brought in by Tom Walley. John Watt, .me Jimmy Walsh, Larry Mac
    Peter Coffil.
    Middle row. Dave Butler, Leo Markham, Pat Morrissey, EJ, Ross Jenkins, Denis Bond, Duncan Welbourne, Jimmy Lindsey, Mike Keen, Dave Woodfield. From Wolves bought by George Kirby. This was the first time that Elton met us the players, we had to wait after training for some bloke who wanted to meet us. He was very nervous, don't blame him.
     
  28. Teide1

    Teide1 Squad Player

    Welcome to the forum Jimmy, look forward to hearing some of your stories!
     
  29. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

    Hey I was right about Coffil. My hero after the first 2 Watford games I saw.
    Welcome to the forum Jimmy. I remember I got your autograph after one game in 1977 (might have been a reserve game though as GT barely gave you a chance ?? :) ).
     
  30. Jimmy Walsh

    Jimmy Walsh Academy Graduate

    Sometimes you just don't gel with some people. It was like that with Graham Taylor. Didn't do too bad, signed apprentice by Ken Furphy, then pro by George Kirby, debut against Huddersfield, first away win for 18 months if I remember right 2-1. with Mike Keen, then free transfer with Taylor.
     
  31. westbridgfordhornet

    westbridgfordhornet First Year Pro

    Welcome Jimmy, apologies for not spotting you in the photo in the first place! In my very slight defence your Watford career must have coincided with a time when I was playing regular West Herts hockey on Saturday afternoons and was a much more occasional Vic Road visitor.

    Just wondering if you have any photos from that era to post for us and whether you're still in touch with any of the lads you played with in the Furphy, Kirby and Keen eras.
     
  32. Jimmy Walsh

    Jimmy Walsh Academy Graduate

    Sorry for the delay in replying.
    I'll have a look at what's in the scrapbook.
     
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  33. wfc4ever

    wfc4ever Administrator Staff Member

  34. Smudger

    Smudger Messi's Mad Coach Staff Member

    [​IMG]
    August 1947 and new manager Jack Bray encouraged his charges to play and train with the local youth in Cassiobury Park. A good initiative but Bray's managerial tenure was a short one. He departed ostensibly for family reasons in January 1948 after overseeing a poor run of results. He was replaced by former Arsenal and England captain Eddie Hapgood who led the side to a midtable finish.

    Season 1947-48: Watford match record: 1948 (11v11.com)
    Final table: footballsite - Football League Division 3 (South) table 1947/48

    Hapgood a Bristolian ended up initially at Kettering for a season because they allowed him to still be a milkman during the offseason but his talent was quickly spotted by Arsenal who he led to their first league title with Herbert Chapman as manager. He led the national side with distinction notably in Berlin in 1938 where he told an FA official to stick his finger up his bum as they were demanded to perform a Nazi salute. In the end a threat of a possible war was used to coerce the player although Stan Cullis still refused and was replaced by a more willing player.

    Hapgood when he left management fell on hard times and never received a testimonial from the Arsenal just a paltry thirty pounds and ended up managing several hostels before passing away at the relatively early age of 64.

    At the end of the 1947/8 Division Three South, Norwich and Brighton & Hove Albion had to apply for reelection and were duly returned. Lovell's Athletic is the unusual name among the clubs that applied to replace them in Division Three South. They were a Welsh side that ceased playing professional football in 1969 and were a works side for Lovells Confectioners that played at Rexville in Newport (now covered by a housing estate the Turnstiles). The side enjoyed great success in cup and league and several workers became professionals but a decline in crowds and increase in costs led to the club being wound up and the ground sold.
     
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  35. wfc4ever

    wfc4ever Administrator Staff Member

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