Memory Lane today 40 years ago..Watford v Blues FA CUP...1978

[ozzie]

Today,40 years ago,we played Watford away in the 2nd round of the FA cup.
Cannot remember the score,maybe 1-1,but we drew.Cannot remember anything about the game to be honest.
As like most Watford away games,plenty of things happened around the town.
This time,Watford gave us (Blues),the Rookery,the home end....after a visit by "Leigh Comm" a few years before and knowing that Southend were taking "loads" of fans,they put us in the home end..which normally did not happen.
After the game,i ended up being taken back to Southend in a car.Sadly cannot remember who was driving it,but there was only two of us.
The draw was made a while after the game :So on the way back ,we stopped and listened to it......
Then the bloke on BBC radio said.....Southend United or Watford versus...LIVERPOOL
We went mental...forget Del boys"3 wheeler" when he became a millonaire...that car"bounced around"like never before:
So the reason for this "thread"is...after todays game(40 years ago)...SOUTHEND,the Blues and the whole area went mental..we could be playing the best team in EUROPE,the World...and im sure EVERYONE who lived those weeks will remember them fondly.
So the build up starts today...we still have a replay

 

[AndyT]

It was a 1-1 draw as you suspected, Ozzie.

Saturday 16th December 1978

Team :-

Cawston
Stead
Walker
Laverick
Hadley
Moody
Morris
Pountney
Parker
Dudley
Polycarpou

Att : 13,377

Goalscorer : Parker

The replay, I'd forgotten, was only two days later on Monday 18th December 1978.

Same team that night, as well.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Yeah, I'd have been there for both games. Happy days!

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

And the roar from the crowd after 'pretty' Poly scored the only goal in the replay, was probably heard in Shoebury!.
Vouchers for priority Liverpool tickets, were issued at the home game v Brentford on the Saturday after. We had a 13,000 plus crowd for that one as well.

 

[Maldon Shrimper]

What a day remember it well walking back to the car and seeing the draw in the window of a TV shop(probably a redifusion)for those that remember and all the Watford supporters assuming they were all ready through to play Liverpool how wrong g they were

 

[yogi bear up the cagire]

Nice that you have good memories of playing Watford in the Cup. Didn't see that (those) games. Was living in Kent at the time and settling into a new job and marriage. I did however make the trip, after work, through the Dartford Tunnel and along the old A13 (in the snow!) for that incredible Liverpool game.
Sadly my memories of Watford were rather less happy, during that period of time in the sixties when we seemed to draw them every bloody year! 1961; lost at home in 1st Round. 1962; Lost at home in the 2nd Round. 1965; WON at home 2nd Round (don't remeber it that well!). 1966; I do remember making the trip to Watford (train and tube).............dismal affair, should have stayed at home............lost 1-0.

 

[AndyT]

These might be of interest :-

 

[AndyT]

 

[mervthe swerve]

Great header by Polycarpou, and Merv was top drawer. Proper football.

 

[onceknownasrab]

Great days! There for both games. How we could do with a Ross Jenkins. Billy Bests boot laces referred to 'pretty poly', Andy Polycarpou. Really liked his style and the wonder goal he scored against Swindon in a 5-3 victory. Such a shame injuries curtailed his career and it only lasted six years and seventy odd league appearances.

That was a super team. Merv, for me, is the best Blues keeper. Colin Morris was a different class and the rest of the team were excellent. Moody being my all time favourite. Perhaps the one weak link was Phil Dudley. I never forgave him for missing the sitter, two yards out and the keeper missing, against West Ham at Upton Park!

 

[LBBlue]

These might be of interest :-

Is that a young Keith Mercer on the far right?

 

[RobM]

For reason I can't recall, I took my daughter to tat game, she slept most of it! (She wasn't quite a year old).

 

[onceknownasrab]

Is that a young Keith Mercer on the far right?

A tad before Mercer I believe. Hadley far right top.

 

[Firestorm]

Great days! There for both games. How we could do with a Ross Jenkins. Billy Bests boot laces referred to 'pretty poly', Andy Polycarpou. Really liked his style and the wonder goal he scored against Swindon in a 5-3 victory. Such a shame injuries curtailed his career and it only lasted six years and seventy odd league appearances.

That was a super team. Merv, for me, is the best Blues keeper. Colin Morris was a different class and the rest of the team were excellent. Moody being my all time favourite. Perhaps the one weak link was Phil Dudley. I never forgave him for missing the sitter, two yards out and the keeper missing, against West Ham at Upton Park!

Andy Polycarpou's company
http://www.sochicinteriors.co.uk/

one for SUEPA ? or has he already joined ?

 

[Firestorm]

A tad before Mercer I believe. Hadley far right top.

Not before Mercers time at Watford though, I presume LBB meant the Watford player on the programme

 

[onceknownasrab]

Andy Polycarpou's company
http://www.sochicinteriors.co.uk/

one for SUEPA ? or has he already joined ?

Stylish as befitting the player.

 

[LBBlue]

Not before Mercers time at Watford though, I presume LBB meant the Watford player on the programme

That's the one !

 

[onceknownasrab]

Not before Mercers time at Watford though, I presume LBB meant the Watford player on the programme

Oops, my bad. That is indeed Keith 'The Barrel' Mercer on the programme.

 

[LBBlue]

So the replay must have been 40 years ago today (Monday 18th).

Attendance 15,636

 

[onceknownasrab]

Looking at the Watford line up, it shows what an achievement it was for us and vindication of how good our team was.