Seven questions on our next opponents going back to the sixties.
60s. He began at the Showgrounds appearing for a side that no longer exists. That apart, if you count Watford as being in the capital (it’s got a tube station), he never had a club from outside of London during a very long career apart from a very brief spell with Everton just before he retired, who?
70s. Despite it sounding to the contrary, this defender never played for a Lancashire club in his life. All of his league football apart from at Watford was played for clubs that wore stripes starting with a very old team indeed, The large majority of his senior career was spent at Watford though and he was a constant during their rise up the divisions in the late seventies and early eighties, although he found the final step into the top flight too much of a challenge in the end and went off to play for some other stingers. Can you name him?
80s. What connects a fifty times capped Welsh international who numbered Cardiff City among his clubs and a forward who was christened “the next Pele” when coming through the Watford youth system? In the event, he played most games for Carlisle United after never quite being able to establish himself in Watford’s First Division team.
90s. Sort yourself out Neil, milk the herd and then you can play for Watford! (5,6)
00s. Acorn hoarder gets marked down?
10s. He made his league debut for Napoli when he came on in place of Marek Hamsik and his senior international experience comes from a single substitute’s appearance a minute into added time in a game against Spain. When Watford signed him for a second time, it was on a five year contract, but he suffered a bad knee injury which restricted the number of matches he played for them – he signed for his present, Premier League, team on a free transfer last year, but can you name him?
20s. Who played in a Spurs team, which was beaten by Enfield, during this decade while still contracted as a Watford player (it wasn’t on loan)?
Answers:
60s. The legendary Northern Irish keeper Pat Jennings started off with the now defunct Newry Town before moving to Watford in the early sixties. Jennings went on to have two spells at Spurs and one with Arsenal before he signed a short-term deal with Everton when Neville Southall had to miss the 1986 FA Cup Final because of an injury sustained while playing for Wales – in the event, Bobby Mimms played in goal for Everton who were beaten 3-1 by neighbours Liverpool.
70s. Ian Bolton began his career with Notts County and had a spell on loan at Lincoln before signing for Watford in 1977. He played over two hundred and thirty times in the Football League for them over the next six years as they went from Division Four to Division One and then had a few games for Brentford before dropping into non league football.
80S. Their names, Rod Thomas was a right back for Wales in the 60s and 70s who played for Swindon and Derby before having a few years with City towards the end of his career. Watford’s Rod Thomas was a highly promising forward who played over eighty times for them before moving on to Carlisle in the early nineties.
90s. Keith Millen.
00s. Jay DeMerit.
10s. Nathaniel Chalobah was sent off while playing for Watford at Cardiff City Stadium during his loan to the club from Chelsea in 12/13. Three seasons later, he was loaned to Napoli and then signed permanently by Watford in 2017. He was a Hornets player when he won his one international cap when he came on as a very late sub in England’s Nation’s League win in Spain in 2018. Chalobah signed for Fulham last season.
20s. Former England international Danny Rose had been reported as being desperate to play “one last game” for Spues and, with him set on leaving Watford following their relegation last season, he got his wish in July when he played for Spurs’ under 21 side in a pre-season game at Enfield – Rose was subsequently given a free transfer by Watford in September and is currently without a club.