The Watford years 1977-1979

[ozzie]

Some of the best times i ever had was against Watford:smile:.Every time time i went there,at least 4,maybe 5 times..there was always things happening before and after the game..and not only at Watford,but also in London..trains getting wrecked,Jimmy.C. being saved by a lone policeman,from cockney reds,bottle fight outside Euston station with Arsenal fans....if anything was going to happen,it was that fixture...and we never lost....
Remember Watford fans only coming once to Roots Hall....they never cane again
Crap team,crap fans,crap ground,crap town...how they get into the "prem",again i never know...we should be bigger than them,,sad

 

[ozzie]

If i remember!!!the first time i went...it was the LEIGH COMM game...that was on January 1st?????1973?? could be wrong...the flying cup of tea!!in the Rookery...my memory and eyesight was better then(like my hair)

 

[ozzie]

Do i not like Watford......
Kev,you have got me going now....happy days,even better MATES...im sure some of the "older lads"remember some tales:nope:

 

[drummers grandad]

To the sound of 'your gonna get your f****** head kicked in'

Elton John is a homosexual.

I believe it was the cup replay when our announcer appealed to the west stand at half time... .'to give there winger a fare chance.' He was having a total mare and we were giving him plenty. It had the effect of only made things worse. Fans really could e the twelve man back then.

Think that was a young Luther Blissett
He was racially abused big time,that's why the announcement was made.

Some of the best times i ever had was against Watford:smile:.Every time time i went there,at least 4,maybe 5 times..there was always things happening before and after the game..and not only at Watford,but also in London..trains getting wrecked,Jimmy.C. being saved by a lone policeman,from cockney reds,bottle fight outside Euston station with Arsenal fans....if anything was going to happen,it was that fixture...and we never lost....
Remember Watford fans only coming once to Roots Hall....they never cane again
Crap team,crap fans,crap ground,crap town...how they get into the "prem",again i never know...we should be bigger than them,,sad

They used to come till the game when three of their fans were stabbed.
Don't blame them for staying away,I wouldn't have come if I was Watford.

 

[rigsby]

Think that was a young Luther Blissett
He was racially abused big time,that's why the announcement was made.


They used to come till the game when three of their fans were stabbed.
Don't blame them for staying away,I wouldn't have come if I was Watford.

That's not who I was thinking of. I remember him being injured and not playing in one game at RH which was a great plus for us at the time.

 

[C C Csiders]

That's not who I was thinking of. I remember him being injured and not playing in one game at RH which was a great plus for us at the time.

Blissett was injured for the replay and Keith Cassells played and was the man in question. It was Frank Walton (Chairman) who cam on the and appealed to the crowd to "give the Watford number 8(?) a fair crack of the whip". Unfortunately, he was being barracked with monkey chants.

 

[Kevin Hogg]

The Watford games really were massive events for both clubs.
We played them opening home game in 1976/77. I was 14 and remember trouble in the underpass by the Civic Center. Watford had been in The Forresters as two well known Southend lads burned a Watford scarf standing on a table.

Then in 78 at the MoTD game I remember we had a large section of The Vicarage Road End (which was not big enough for the numbers). There were toilets adjoining the terracing and another two well known Shrimpers CC and CF got on the toilet roof and taunted the Watford while "Southend Boys We Are Here" boomed out around the ground!

 

[Pak Power]

Got badly beaten up there in the 70's 1-1 draw. Ended up in Watford general and was unconscious for an hour and a half!
So I ****ing hate Watford.

I don't think I've ever been the same since, and I put memory loss, senility and the early onset of alzheimers down to this event.


Still love away games though

 

[Uncle Leo]

Another Southend/Watford connection from that era...

Elton John offered the manager's job at Vicarage Road to Bobby Moore in 1977. Two of the Watford directors blocked it though and instead suggested Graham Taylor which ended up rather well for them. And of course, weren't we lucky to get Moore several years later...:facepalm:

 

[LCBB72]

Another Southend/Watford connection from that era...

Elton John offered the manager's job at Vicarage Road to Bobby Moore in 1977. Two of the Watford directors blocked it though and instead suggested Graham Taylor which ended up rather well for them. And of course, weren't we lucky to get Moore several years later...:facepalm:

Wasnt it a toss up between Dave Smith and Graham Taylor for the Roots Hall job .

 

[Kevin Hogg]

Is harsh to blame Bobby Moore. The club was virtually bankrupt, paid players (sometimes!!) from the slot machines in The Shrimpers and had crowds hovering between 1,000 and 2,000 if a huge game.

So, back to the halycon days of Watford, big crowds and massive excitement.

 

[C C Csiders]

Another Southend/Watford connection from that era...

Elton John offered the manager's job at Vicarage Road to Bobby Moore in 1977. Two of the Watford directors blocked it though and instead suggested Graham Taylor which ended up rather well for them. And of course, weren't we lucky to get Moore several years later...:facepalm:

I always think yes, for it was he who laid the stepping stones for promotion the following season by signing: Richard Cadette, Shane Westley, Jim Stannard to name three....

 

[Uncle Leo]

Is harsh to blame Bobby Moore. The club was virtually bankrupt, paid players (sometimes!!) from the slot machines in The Shrimpers and had crowds hovering between 1,000 and 2,000 if a huge game.

So, back to the halycon days of Watford, big crowds and massive excitement.

I always think yes, for it was he who laid the stepping stones for promotion the following season by signing: Richard Cadette, Shane Westley, Jim Stannard to name three....

Ah ok, maybe a bit harsh on Moore then. He was manager when I was first going to games and the general mood among the grown-ups seemed to be that he was a bit ****. But Richard Cadette was my first SUFC hero.

Currently reading Matt Dickinson's Bobby Moore biography and am just about to get to his spell at Roots Hall so will perhaps be a bit better informed once I've done that chapter!

Apologies for the diversion - back to the late 70s stories chaps!

 

[LCBB72]

If i remember!!!the first time i went...it was the LEIGH COMM game...that was on January 1st?????1973?? could be wrong...the flying cup of tea!!in the Rookery...my memory and eyesight was better then(like my hair)

It was the 1st January 1974 , 12 Leigh Comm were right in the middle of the Watford in the Rookery End .

 

[Kevin Hogg]

Ah ok, maybe a bit harsh on Moore then. He was manager when I was first going to games and the general mood among the grown-ups seemed to be that he was a bit ****. But Richard Cadette was my first SUFC hero.

Currently reading Matt Dickinson's Bobby Moore biography and am just about to get to his spell at Roots Hall so will perhaps be a bit better informed once I've done that chapter!

Apologies for the diversion - back to the late 70s stories chaps!

If you look at the rather depressing pic of Bobby under pressure in The Shrimpers with John Adams and a keen younger man in check top..that is me!! I can sign your book for virtually no fee.

 

[Kevin Hogg]

Me looking pensive...but it got me a job at The Hall!!

 

[Uncle Leo]

Me looking pensive...but it got me a job at The Hall!!

Yes, I recognise that picture! I did wonder if there would be anyone on here in the background!

 

[Kevin Hogg]

Yes, I recognise that picture! I did wonder if there would be anyone on here in the background!

I arranged the meeting - thus Mooro looking unhappy. Was not his job to explain the vagueries of Anton Johnson.
We were too crap to play Watford at that time!!!

 

[Firestorm]

Is harsh to blame Bobby Moore. The club was virtually bankrupt, paid players (sometimes!!) from the slot machines in The Shrimpers and had crowds hovering between 1,000 and 2,000 if a huge game.

So, back to the halycon days of Watford, big crowds and massive excitement.

Of course its fair, all he had to do was sell the bracelet (one for you Harry...)

 

[LCBB72]

Of course its fair, all he had to do was sell the bracelet (one for you Harry...)

I always thought that it was Peter Osgood that borrowed the bracelet and Bobby took the rap ,Osgood and Bobby look very much the same with the sideburns .