11th February 1997- Football League Trophy Quarter Final (South), Watford 2 Bristol City 1

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

Being a Vicarage Road end junkie I rarely get the chance to sit in the Rous Stand. So as it was only 6 pounds, we had decided to treat ourselves to a superior view. There is no argument that the atmosphere in the Rous is not as good as Vic end, but you can see everything that is going on from the Rous. And you really see how bad the refs are!!

It would be fair to say that my attitude to the Auto Windscreen Shield is ‘any result, apart from a draw, is fine’. It is, as we’re ceaselessly reminded, a competition with a final at Wembley – well, pardon me for being picky but the Second Division playoff final is also at Wembley and would be accompanied by a prize worth winning. So I can’t work up any enthusiasm for this – it’s a pointless tournament and a distraction from the more important business of gettting promotion. All of which makes the possibility of extra time and penalties too hideous to contemplate. I mean, what am I supposed to do? Leave the game regardless, something I’ve never done even when we’ve been 12-0 down with nine players sent off and two minutes to go, and get back to Brighton at a reasonable hour? Set a time limit in the hope that someone will score the ‘Golden Goal’ and then go in the middle of extra time if necessary? Stay for the whole caboodle and risk spending the night at Gatwick?

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