Monthly Archives: September 1996

24th September 1996- League Cup Second Round Second Leg, Sunderland 1 Watford 0 (Sunderland won 3-0 on aggregate)

This was the last time we played at Roker Park and the last time former Hornets goalkeeping legend Tony Coton would play against us. Less than a month later he broke his leg in six places in a game for Sunderland against Southampton which led to his retirement from playing.

Evening Standard, 24 Sep 1996

Northern Echo, 24 Sep 1996

https://watford.fcdb.info/index.php?page=matches

Northern Echo, 25 Sep 1996

BSAD: The game was pretty boring, not much happening. They scored quite early to really kill the tie stone dead, and the rest of the match was playing out for time, and trying to keep the score down to a reasonable level.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996–97_Football_League_Cup

21st September 1996- New Division Two, Watford 0 Peterborough United 0

In his programme notes Kenny Jackett writes ‘I can’t remember a time when we’ve gone so long without drawing a game’. Fate was tempted to a record breaking degree. We naturally drew this game and by the end of the season had drawn 19 league games which remains a club record. This included 9 away draws in a row, a sequence never achieved before or since in either the Football or Premier League.

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BSAD report: This was a goalless draw. I could end the report there, really. I won’t, though, partly because I’m such a dedicated reporter and mainly because I’d have to find something interesting to watch on TV on a Sunday night (Heartbeat? I’d rather boil my own head).

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17th September 1996- League Cup Second Round First Leg, Watford 0 Sunderland 2

BSAD report:I thought the crowd was pretty poor for a Premier League team, even if it was only Sunderland and it was only the Second Round First Leg of the Coca-Cola League Cup.

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7th September 1996- New Division Two, Watford 1 Stockport County 0

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BSAD report: The first half was quite monstrously dull, so much so that I was reduced to reading the newspaper confetti underneath my seat. Very very VERY tedious. There was no lack of effort on the part of the players, merely an absence of constructive and incisive passing. In truth, Stockport had rather the better of the play – they never really threatened our goal and Kevin Miller didn’t have a testing save to make but they certainly enjoyed the majority of the possession, particularly at the start of the half.

http://watford.fcdb.info?id=4201

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3rd September 1996, League Cup First Round Second Leg, Watford 2 Walsall 0 (Watford won 2-1 on aggregate)

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http://watford.fcdb.info?id=4200

Screen Shot 2016-09-01 at 22.52.13 BSAD Report: Not something you’d particularly want to own on video to show your grandchildren but a gigantic step in the right direction nonetheless. The reason for this quick turnaround in fortunes? We’re playing a sensible formation at last!

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17th September 1996- League Cup Second Round First Leg, Watford 0 Sunderland 2