On This Day...

On this day five years ago, Andre Gray's goal gave a Marco Silva an unhappy return to the Vic as we beat Everton 1-0.



https://oldwatford.com/2019/02/09/9th-february-2019-premier-league-watford-1-everton-0/

 

Controversy on this day 50 years ago as we played our first ever game on a Sunday! Ross Jenkins and Billy Jennings scored our goals as we drew 2-2 away at York City.



https://oldwatford.com/1974/02/10/10th-february-1974-division-three-york-city-2-watford-2/

 

What was the reason for playing that game on Sunday?

 

Was the Sky Live game ?

 

There's a picture of York Minster on the cover as well.

 

It was because of the energy crisis but quite why moving a game from Saturday to Sunday helped I'm not sure. I know games were played earlier than usual (this one kicked off at 2pm) to avoid the need for floodlights.

 

On this day 40 years ago two goals from Nigel Callaghan, one each from Mo and George Reilly and an own goal saw us win 5-3 away at Notts County.



https://oldwatford.com/1984/02/10/11th-february-1984-division-one-notts-county-3-watford-5/

 

I remember some midweek evening games actually kicked off in the afternoon to avoid the need to turn the floodlights on. But, as you say, switching a game to a Sunday wouldn't make any difference. It's a mystery

 

I wondered what Les McKeown did once the Rollers stopped touring...

 

Apparently because of the miners strike, a loss of coal lead to the three day week, shops didn’t open in those days on Sundays and the government allowed earlier kick offs to conserve energy. They also allowed an experiment of allowing some FA Cup 3rd round games to be played on the first Sunday in January, with people not knowing what to do with their increased time off work this led to an increase in gates, lower league clubs caught on, hence we played away to York on the Sunday 11th Feb.

 

On this day 16 years ago despite John Joe O'Toole's first half red card we beat Leicester 1-0 thanks to a Darius Henderson goal. This was only our second home win in 10 but somehow we were still top of the Championship.



https://oldwatford.com/2008/02/12/12th-february-2008-championship-watford-1-leicester-city-0/

 

On this day 92 years ago we reached the Sixth Round of the FA Cup for the first time beating Bradford (Park Avenue) 1-0 at Vicarage Road.



https://oldwatford.com/1932/02/13/1...fifth-round-watford-1-bradford-park-avenue-0/

 

On this day 9 years ago goals from Odion Ighalo, Almen Abdi, Joel Ekstrand and Troy Deeney saw us win 4-3 away at Bolton Wanderers.



https://oldwatford.com/2015/02/14/14th-february-2015-championship-bolton-wanderers-3-watford-4/

 

On this day 21 years ago Tommy Smith's twice taken penalty saw us beat Premier League side Sunderland 1-0 at the Stadium of Light to reach the FA Cup Sixth Round for the first time since 1988.



https://oldwatford.com/2003/02/15/15th-february-2003-fa-cup-fifth-round-sunderland-0-watford-1/

 

One of my favourite non-GT era away days.

 

On this day 44 years ago we travelled to Molineux in the FA Cup Fifth Round as a struggling second division side to face top flight Wolves who'd just got to the League Cup final. We beat them 3-0 with a brace from Malcolm Poskett and one from Luther Blissett.



https://oldwatford.com/1980/02/16/1...th-round-wolverhampton-wanderers-0-watford-3/

 

Remember this one well. How to take advantage of the extra man in the last few minutes!
Strange to hear Des Lynam as a commentator. I remember him doing boxing before he became a presenter, but not football.

 

I've slept on this thread for a while now, but there's some excellent memories here!

 

On this day 15 years ago we ended Swansea's 16 game unbeaten run winning 2-0 at the Vic with goals from Tamas Priskin and Tommy Smith.



https://oldwatford.com/2009/02/17/17th-february-2009-championship-watford-2-swansea-city-0/

 

On this day 40 years ago goals from George Reilly, Mo Johnston and Kenny Jackett gave us a 3-1 win over Brighton in the FA Cup 5th Round.



https://oldwatford.com/1984/02/18/1...fifth-round-watford-3-brighton-hove-albion-1/

 

On this day two years ago an Emmanuel Dennis goal gave us a 1-0 win away at Aston Villa.



https://oldwatford.com/2022/02/19/19th-february-2022-premier-league-aston-villa-0-watford-1/

 

On this day 8 years ago Scott Wootton's own goal saw us beat Leeds United 1-0 to get to the FA Cup Sixth Round for the first time since 2007.


https://oldwatford.com/2016/02/20/20th-february-2016-fa-cup-fifth-round-watford-1-leeds-united-0/

 

On this day 54 years ago, probably our greatest ever result at the time, a 1-0 home win in the FA Cup Sixth Round against Bill Shankly's Liverpool.



https://oldwatford.com/1970/02/21/21st-february-1970-fa-cup-sixth-round-watford-1-liverpool-0/

 

Yes, the game that prompted Shankly to break-up that established team and rebuild. Played on a mixture of mud and sand (which was useful for soaking up the blood from some of the ‘tackles’ that day) and absolute mayhem in the Rookery when the goal went in. My 13yo self was standing about 3/4 of the way up the Rookery, and finally got back to my feet in the concourse behind the goal.

 

A year younger than you Since63 but can recall the human pinball in the Rookery as Barry Endean celebrated!!

 

What an atmosphere that night!

 

On this day 5 years ago our biggest top flight away win since 1986 as we beat Cardiff City 5-1 including a hat-trick from Gerald Deulofeu.



https://oldwatford.com/2019/02/22/22nd-february-2019-premier-league-cardiff-city-1-watford-5/

 

What was the furthest clear we were that season? Without remembering the details, I remember we were miles clear before the house of cards came crashing down when King and Adam Johnson (those two fine upstanding individuals!) left, and it seemed we were on relegation form the second half of the season

 

I want to say it was something like 10/12 points clear by October/November but might be wrong.

Yeah you're right, we sold King in January and Johnson was recalled by Southgate at Boro and the wheels well and truly came off! We lost all of our creativity and became too predictable and easy to play against. Lucky to scrape the play-offs that season on the last day away at Blackpool.

 

On this day 11 years ago we beat Derby County 2-1 with goals from Matej Vydra and Joel Ekstrand.



https://oldwatford.com/2013/02/23/23rd-february-2013-championship-watford-2-derby-county-1/

 

For the record, we were 6 points clear at the top after 12 games and then again after 16, but never more than that before being reeled in. We were however top again by just 1 point after 32 games (in February) never to return, before finishing in 6th place, 11 points adrift of West Brom in the end.

 

Our supporters were so pessimistic about our chances in that home playoff semi final against Hull that the attendance was the lowest of the season (excluding our home cup ties). Just 14,713 were there to see the 12noon Sunday kick off in which we lost 2-0. I haven't done the research but I'm guessing we are probably the only club ever to have taken part in the playoffs in which the home first leg was the lowest league attendance of the season.

 

What a photo. Bloody legends the lot of them. Will never happen again.