I would like to remind everyone that this most excellent defender and servant to the club plays his 300th game for Watford today Well done LLoyd with thanks!!! Would be cool if he celebrates it with his 2nd goal!
Doyley gained legend status a while back. I think it's regrettable the reason for it is more due to his trademark comedy moments than outstanding performances......but he's been a long standing servant (and probably for many years to come) so fair play to him.
Lets not forget he is a very solid full back who has played as first choice for five managers- there are some on here who denigrate him because they havent watched games consistently for five years but i expect they would rather talk about polotics
I've seen him consistently for many years now....and at times I've felt like he's been our worst player.....and sometimes he's been fantastic. That's all part and parcel with Lloyd.....and part of the legend!
... and there are some on here who have watched Watford since long before you were born and know more about the club than some little 29 year olds. As someone who falls into the category of watching Watford every year from 1963 to 2010 when I moved to Wales (- and this season only once at Swansea unfortunately) I feel very qualified to talk about a player who I watched dozens of times. My opinion - and that of most of the people who sat around me at games and many I have spoken to outside of games and many on here who still attend games is that Doyley is a great guy and a good servant of the club. He is not however a very good full back and makes a lot of costly errors. His penchant for going forward at the expense of his defensive duties has cost us lots of goals over the years. Your 5 managers is a bit irrelevant. Aidy was the first to use him consistently and clearly rated him highly - since then BR and MM would have had little choice as finances have not let us replace him. So praise him if you like but don't suggest that those of us who do not praise him are somehow inferior to you.
Fair enough Lenny, but I dispute the idea that Doyley has played by default. That has only been true since the start of this year. Both Rodgers and Mackay had Harley and Sadler available in 2009 and 2010. And Mackay (for reasons I don't fully understand) went out of his way to say that there were no payments due to Sadler's former club if we decided to pick him, so technically he was available this season as well. This season we had Andrew Taylor, and while they clearly played through financial necessity, both Adam Thompson and Lee Hodson have shown in bursts that they are worthy of consideration for a semi-regular place on merit; while neither is the finished article, if Doyley is as bad as you say, they would surely give him a good run for his money.
Lloyd is what Watford is all about, might not be the most skillful ,but gives his all and more ,on and off the field, the guy is honest and loyal and at the end of the day a half decent defender ,that will take one for the team ,lets face it if he was technically gifted as well he wouldnt be at watford now! we are lucky to have him in my book! Would urge all you local hornets to support his testimonial when it comes around!
