Tag Archives: Ann Swanson

12th February 2022- Premier League, Watford 0 Brighton & Hove Albion 2

Attendance: 20,795

BBC Sport: Roy Hodgson says his Watford side “will need a lot of mental strength” to secure Premier League survival this season after Brighton inflicted further misery on the relegation-threatened Hornets at Vicarage Road.

Sky Sports: Watford only managed their first shot on target in the 88th minute and are deep in the relegation mire. They remain in 19th with Burnley and Newcastle yet to play this weekend.

The Guardian: A match that started with the stands reverberating to cheers as Roy Hodgson was introduced as Watford’s latest manager ended with a sixth successive home defeat and to the sound of away fans singing about him getting sacked in the morning.

BHappy: A miserable first half saw us obstruct Brighton up to a point….  Samir impressed in the backline, doggedly getting a foot in, revelling in challenges.  But we didn’t obstruct enough to prevent those chances… Moder forced a good save from Foster, then put in a cross for Gross to head wide unchallenged;  Maupay shot from long range in too much space, Foster saved comfortably; Dunk headed over unchallenged from a deep corner.  Whether Maupay’s looping shot was quite what he intended or otherwise we had allowed Brighton enough bites not to be able to complain when they got lucky.  This wasn’t Bowen at West Ham.

Fran’s Watford Blog: The match had been designated as Trust Awareness Day and the half time guest on the pitch was Ann Swanson, who has agreed to be a Patron of the newly re-launched Junior Hornets.  For those who were fans of the Hornets in the 80s, even those who were too old for the Junior Hornets at that point, Ann is remembered as a Watford legend.  She was the driving force behind the organisation of the Family Enclosure and Family Terrace as well as the Junior Hornets trips to away games.  At that time, there was a lot of violence attached to football and many people avoided going to games for that reason.  Ann, in collaboration with GT, made Vicarage Road a safe place to visit and encouraged families to attend.  Many of the young fans that attended games in those days still remember her with great fondness and they are now bringing their own children to games.  Ann said that she will be travelling to Southampton with a group of Junior Hornets, just like old times.  At the end of the interview with Tim, he told her (and us) that the Family Stand would now be known as the Ann Swanson Family Stand.  She was visibly moved and quite emotional about it, as was I.  I don’t think that there was a dry eye in the place.