Without a game report to write I thought it was about time I got round to reviewing the club's most recent publication.
I hope you won't get the wrong idea when I say this is the perfect toilet book. Its been sitting in my loo since Christmas and is guaranteed to keep me in there longer than I necessarily need to be.
Top Bsad and Bhappy contributor Matt Rowson has come up with a perfect mix of stuff you expect to find, stuff that adds more colour to our history and stuff that you had no idea about.
I love the anecdote about the Birmingham playoff tickets and also the revelation that a top flight manager once missed a game against us because he was on a family holiday.
If you are even a half hearted Watford fan there is content here that you'll enjoy. I'm already looking forward to Matt's next book, a Watford FC Miscellany which is cleverly plugged on the cover sleeve. However, despite it saying 'out in 2010' apparently it won't actually be out until next year.
To buy Watford FC- On This Day click here to go to the club's online shop.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
WO now saying postponed
Its great how the Official Site seems to be the last one wanting to break the news.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Watford v Swansea City- Previously...
Our first home meeting with Swansea Town was in the inaugural season of DIvision 3 football. We beat them 3-0 at Cassio Road on 8 September 1920, having gone down 2-1 the week before at the Vetch FIeld.
At home we've played Swansea 18 times, winning 10, drawing 4 and losing 4, scoring 29 and conceding 18. Our last home meeting with them was arguably Judas' finest hour. They were taking all the plaudits for their beautiful football and had just drawn 1-1 with Fulham in the FA Cup. We simply outplayed them and the 2-0 scoreline didn't do justice to our through superiority.
Back in August we drew 1-1 at the Liberty Stadium following Mike 'Geordie' Williamson's declaration that he wasn't fit to travel. Danny Graham put us ahead before Alan Tate equalised in the 90th minute.
Swansea are currently 5th with 42 points. On Tuesday they drew 0-0 at home with Coventry. Their away record this season is won 4, drawn 6, lost 3. They last won on their travels on 19 Dec when they beat Sheff Wed 2-0. Last Saturday they drew 1-1 at Middlesbrough.
Swansea might give a first ever start to our old Palace friend Shefki Kuqi. We can play Martin Taylor but are unlikely to include Will Buckley who is still recovering from an ankle injury.
At home we've played Swansea 18 times, winning 10, drawing 4 and losing 4, scoring 29 and conceding 18. Our last home meeting with them was arguably Judas' finest hour. They were taking all the plaudits for their beautiful football and had just drawn 1-1 with Fulham in the FA Cup. We simply outplayed them and the 2-0 scoreline didn't do justice to our through superiority.
Back in August we drew 1-1 at the Liberty Stadium following Mike 'Geordie' Williamson's declaration that he wasn't fit to travel. Danny Graham put us ahead before Alan Tate equalised in the 90th minute.
Swansea are currently 5th with 42 points. On Tuesday they drew 0-0 at home with Coventry. Their away record this season is won 4, drawn 6, lost 3. They last won on their travels on 19 Dec when they beat Sheff Wed 2-0. Last Saturday they drew 1-1 at Middlesbrough.
Swansea might give a first ever start to our old Palace friend Shefki Kuqi. We can play Martin Taylor but are unlikely to include Will Buckley who is still recovering from an ankle injury.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Will Buckley
A mate texted me to say we'd signed Bill Buckley, which made me think Malky had gone for the former That's Life presenter.
The Williams Buckley. We've signed the one on the right.
The Williams Buckley. We've signed the one on the right.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
The Wrath of Malky- Blackpool 3 Watford 2
What a stupid way to lose a game when you're 2-1 up with a minute to go.
Malky said we've got to become hard to beat. I wouldn't have fancied going back into the dressing room at full time or being on the coach for the long ride back. Extra training tomorrow maybe?
Malky said we've got to become hard to beat. I wouldn't have fancied going back into the dressing room at full time or being on the coach for the long ride back. Extra training tomorrow maybe?
Friday, January 22, 2010
Blackpool v Watford- Previously...
We've been up to Bloomfield Road only 8 times previously. The first was back in 1922 when as a Division 3 (South) club we won an FA Cup 1st round tie 2-1 against Second Division opponents. In total our record up there is won 3, drawn 4 and lost once (although was a 5-0 thrashing in 1972), scoring 11 goals and conceding 10.
On our last trip we won 2-0 back in Feb'09 with Mike Williamson and Priskin getting our goals. At the Vic in August we drew 2-2 courtesy of Toms Smith and Cleverley.
Blackpool are currently 9th and have 36 points, 4 more than us. They lost 2-1 at home to Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday and haven't actually won at home since 7 November when they beat Scunthorpe 4-1.
Hameur Bouazza won't be lining up for the Seasiders tomorrow as he'll be preparing for Algeria's quarter final clash with Ivory Coast in the African Cup of Nations. Al Bangura has played 8 times for Blackpool since joining them in the summer, the last of which was their 3-1 defeat at Ipswich on 12 December.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
The Winning Habit- Doncaster Rovers 2 Watford 1
We really need to find the winning habit again and fast if we don't want to be dragged into a depressing end of season relegation fight.
I believe we've got the players to be easily mid-table, especially as there have been no signs of a fire sale.
One good result was Chelsea's annihilation of Sunderland. It at least puts our own failings at Stamford Bridge into perspective.
I believe we've got the players to be easily mid-table, especially as there have been no signs of a fire sale.
One good result was Chelsea's annihilation of Sunderland. It at least puts our own failings at Stamford Bridge into perspective.
How turmoil in Watford boardroom unfolded
http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/sport/watfordfc/watfordfcnews/4852191.How_turmoil_in_Watford_boardroom_unfolded/
Fantastic article by Ollie Phillips outlining what's gone on during the Russo's involvement over the last six years. Very impartially and fairly written.
I can understand their point of view of not wanting to be done over a second time. However when its our football club you're dealing with I can't forgive their actions either.
In an ideal world GT will appear on the pitch sometime in the near future to tell us 'Elton's coming home'. However as he's already performed that miracle once I won't hold my breath.
Fantastic article by Ollie Phillips outlining what's gone on during the Russo's involvement over the last six years. Very impartially and fairly written.
I can understand their point of view of not wanting to be done over a second time. However when its our football club you're dealing with I can't forgive their actions either.
In an ideal world GT will appear on the pitch sometime in the near future to tell us 'Elton's coming home'. However as he's already performed that miracle once I won't hold my breath.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Doncaster Rovers v Watford- Previously...
We've only been to Donnie competitively 6 times. Up there we've won 3 times, drawn once and lost twice, scoring 5 goals to their 4.
Last time at the Keepmoat we won 2-1 with our goals coming from an own goal and Don Cowie. Donnie was our first game of this season and we drew 1-1 at the Vic with Danny Graham scoring for us.
Doncaster haven't played since Boxing Day when they lost 1-0 at Coventry. Before that they'd won four games on the trot, away at Derby and Palace and home to Sheff Wed and Bristol City. They are currently 15th, two points behind us but with a game in hand. They've only lost once at home this season going down 1-0 to Barnsley in October.
Hopefully they've been unsettled in the last couple of weeks by Sean O'Driscoll being linked to the Burnley job. I did laugh when I saw the Watford Observer were trying to link Malky with it.
Last time at the Keepmoat we won 2-1 with our goals coming from an own goal and Don Cowie. Donnie was our first game of this season and we drew 1-1 at the Vic with Danny Graham scoring for us.
Doncaster haven't played since Boxing Day when they lost 1-0 at Coventry. Before that they'd won four games on the trot, away at Derby and Palace and home to Sheff Wed and Bristol City. They are currently 15th, two points behind us but with a game in hand. They've only lost once at home this season going down 1-0 to Barnsley in October.
Hopefully they've been unsettled in the last couple of weeks by Sean O'Driscoll being linked to the Burnley job. I did laugh when I saw the Watford Observer were trying to link Malky with it.
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
Message to GT
Graham, its just good to have you in the role of chairman. Its perfectly understandable that you can't be there the whole time.
Its a shame you aren't in control of the purse strings but its certainly reassuring to have you overseeing the club in its current state.
Any-one who says differently clearly isn't a Watford fan.
Its a shame you aren't in control of the purse strings but its certainly reassuring to have you overseeing the club in its current state.
Any-one who says differently clearly isn't a Watford fan.
Sunday, January 03, 2010
Class Divide- Chelsea 5 Watford 0
The gulf in class between us today was just ridiculous. We didn't help matters by being particularly poor in the first half, but even so. This was like one of the Harlem Globetrotters matches where the opposition is just there so the millionaires can humiliate them.
Only towards the end, once Chelsea weren't bothered, did we show them that we are actually an okay Championship side, rather than one from the lower portions of the non-league pyramid.
Worst moment of this afternoon was nothing to do with getting thrashed but the site of Jay DeMerit hobbling off during added on time after we'd already made our three subs. Jay really isn't the sort of bloke to leave his team a player short unless he has to and so I can only assume it was fairly serious. I really hope I'm wrong.
Only towards the end, once Chelsea weren't bothered, did we show them that we are actually an okay Championship side, rather than one from the lower portions of the non-league pyramid.
Worst moment of this afternoon was nothing to do with getting thrashed but the site of Jay DeMerit hobbling off during added on time after we'd already made our three subs. Jay really isn't the sort of bloke to leave his team a player short unless he has to and so I can only assume it was fairly serious. I really hope I'm wrong.
Saturday, January 02, 2010
Chelsea v Watford- Previously...
We first met Chelsea at White Hart Lane in the FA Cup Semi Final of 1970 when we went down 5-1. In all we've played 25 times, winning 9, drawing 4 and losing 12, scoring 35 and conceding 46. At the Bridge we've got a better record than at the Vic. Of the 11 games there we've won 4, drawn 3 and lost 4, scoring 18 and conceding 22.
In the FA Cup we've met five times. We beat them 1-0 in the Fourth Round on the way to the semis in 1987. We secured a memorable 2-2 draw at the Vic in the Third Round five years ago before going down 4-0 in the replay. Our most recent meeting was back in Feb when we had to endure all the media circus around Brendan facing his former employers and the Lampards coming up against each other. Thank God all that is now in the past. Priskin put us ahead before Anelka scored a hat-trick.
Chelsea, of course, are top of the Premiership at the moment but by their standards they've had a fairly awful December. In 8 games in all competitions they won just 2, drawing 5 and losing 1.
These days our only connection with Chelsea is that Ray Wilkins drew a salary from us for one season back in 2001/2. What the hell he actually did is anyones guess.
In the FA Cup we've met five times. We beat them 1-0 in the Fourth Round on the way to the semis in 1987. We secured a memorable 2-2 draw at the Vic in the Third Round five years ago before going down 4-0 in the replay. Our most recent meeting was back in Feb when we had to endure all the media circus around Brendan facing his former employers and the Lampards coming up against each other. Thank God all that is now in the past. Priskin put us ahead before Anelka scored a hat-trick.
Chelsea, of course, are top of the Premiership at the moment but by their standards they've had a fairly awful December. In 8 games in all competitions they won just 2, drawing 5 and losing 1.
These days our only connection with Chelsea is that Ray Wilkins drew a salary from us for one season back in 2001/2. What the hell he actually did is anyones guess.
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