The club had been relegated back to the fourth division and started the season badly and were the bottom club in the league. There were the usual money problems and Bonsor did not have the funds to do much about it. There was a feeling at the time that he lacked ambition for the club. I think that he may have been treated a little unfairly, but he did sell out to the right person.
Aidy worst Watford manager? Did you bang your head? Yeah we played some unattractive football but he gave us some good times. I bet you were not thinking he was our worse manager ever when we lifted the play off trophy at the Millennium Stadium! One of my most fondest days of my life that was.
The protests (and I admit that I was one of the more vociferous fans urging "Bonser out") were pretty well all to do with finance. Bonser had rescued the club back in the early 50s, become effectively the owner and chairman in the early 60s and ran the club virtually single-handed after that. So in the early days he was 'a good guy' and his popularity reached a peak in 1969 with our promotion to Div. 2 for the first time. Unfortunately he became ultra-conservative in his approach to investment in the club (Furphy achieved the near impossible of promotion on the proverbial shoestring) and refused to bankroll further investment in the team in the 3 Div. 2 seasons (69-72), continuing to sell the best players virtually yearly in the close-season to finance the following season. Popular belief was that Bonser would rather make a profit in Div. 3 than a loss in Div. 2! Inevitably, Furphy left and the depredations on the quality of the squad told and we fell (literally) out of Div. 2 with the lowest number of points (19!) and goals for (25!) in that division's history - albeit 2 points for a win in those days. During this remorseless slide, a number of would-be investors (of varying credibility) were continually rebuffed by Bonser who would not relinquish control - Leslie Wise being one. The rumblings of discontent became a torrent of protest - fans action groups were set up etc. etc. After Billy Jennings (our leading scorer in 73-74) was sold to West Ham and not replaced, we were relegated the following season to Div. 4. In the first season back in Div. 4 (since 1960) the "Bonser out" protests intensified culminating in a Watford fan being the subject of a citizen's arrest at Brentford, thrown out of the ground and making the evening BBC national news. (It was not me!). For most of that season the protest continued with badges, scarves, posters etc. employed at every game (home or away). Oli Phillips quoted Bonser as stating that one fan attended away games simply to chant "Bonser out" at him.......(as if!) Eventually, of course, Bonser did sell the club to SEJ in 1976 (after SEJ had demonstrated his fitness to own the club by serving his 'apprenticeship' - 3 years as Vice-President, then 3 years as a Director under Bonser). Incidentally, Bonser was from the Black Country originally and supported Walsall - I believe that his son or maybe grandson is currently chairman of the Saddlers - maybe folks on here can confirm or correct this. I hope this helps put a little more flesh on the bones.
Didn't just make the national news - I was enjoying a post-training coldie in my local in Oz when that flashed up on the TV. I nearly fell off my bar stool when I recognised my mate's face on the screen!
Me too. Surprised on reading through this (brilliant) thread that Lewington only gets this one mention. Apart from that, just have to echo the consensus: Gods = Furphy (and as someone else said, was really too young to know better, but he WAS great for the club) and of course GT Sods = Basset and Vialli. And finally: didn't Ray Lugg nutmeg someone on the way to crossing for Endean v Liverpool? I treasure the Wobby pic of Endean rising to head past Fatty Lawrence, and in the Rookery behind you can see me, my sister and my mate, mouths open in anticipation. We then had one of those tumbling down the terrace steps episodes that you normally only ever saw on TV in the Kop or the North Bank. Nice memory to start the day.
My knowledge is limited so for me SD is the best. The two before him have been let down on the ability side by integrity BR and the desire to steal his former employers assets MM. I saw the end of AB and that was not pretty but his effort to get the club promoted to the top division was special. GT must be the all time best for all his achievements financed by EJ and his second period, two promtions to the top division one cup final and european football and he signed Heiðar the first time!
Worst, as already said, Bassett and Vialli Favourite obviously GT, but much respect goes to Lewington what he did for us, and although not a manager, Burkinshaw for helping Aidy as No.2, and a big reason we did so well
I am at a disadvantage as i have only seen MM x2, AB, BR and SD. Therefore my decision has to be based on several different things. If i base it solely on performance then it has to be Rogers as his win% is the highest with 41%. However, if you add the fact that AB was in the premiership then that gives him extra points, however he overspent massively and it was very hit and miss. Then you have to consider that Dyche has his 33% win% having re-built the team almost completely, but also with a new back room too and on less money. So i guess my point is there is no way of saying who was best. But my favourite has to be Sean Dyche, his voice makes me laugh every time i hear it, but he also speaks the truth.
GT is obviously the best. Sean Dyche is currently the club's second greatest manager. When he leaves, we will no doubt temporarily put him just above Bassett and Vialli until we have had time to look back on his reign objectively.
Can't argue with what's been set about GT, Lewington, Bassett, Vialli. More recent managers, often only with us a short while, are harder to judge. Both Aidy and MM impressed at first, only to disappoint later. SD has done a grand job...so far. It's interesting that some managers get no mention at all...Glenn Roeder anyone?
Thanks for the comment GG this is the first Thread i've started, what has amazed me is how many people on here were there and experienced the same emotions as I did and have also helped to refresh other memories.
Fav - A Boothroyd on the up and promotion. Least fav - A Boothroyd who couldn't see any faults in his work on the way down. Most hated - Vialli, train crash all round, no love for the club. I still ask why??????????? Most cherished - Any current manager of our club who works hard.
I won't mind - as long as you get me a bottle too. It's Australia's favourite brand of salad cream and one that I miss. Welcome by the way.
Got to be GT as our greatest - although I have a lot of time for Betty in his early days before he discovered his ego and Lewington who took over at a very dark time for us - which leads me to the cause of those dark days - yes, Vialli I actually hate that man for what he did at Watford, all those crap players and Wilkins and the diet specialists and Wilkins and his ridiculous salary and bonus and Wilkens...Bassett was a total cock...You know who I have not seen mentioned who I have a lot of time for? - Steve Perryman
As the GTs first spell corresponded with me being in the Family Enclosure, I met him every year at the Junior Hornets Christmas party. He would never stay on any of the tables with the children - there was always 2 players per table but he would stay for the whole party and give out the prizes at the end. If memory serves, a couple of years his daughters were there as well. He was proud of the family club tag we had and still have to this day. The first time I met GT though, I was a mascot and at the first party he actually remembered me. My boys were mascots for one of the matches in the promotion season under AB and we saw my brother-in-law there who did pre-match catering for the executive boxes. One of the boys said to AB "we've just seen our Uncle Stephen" and AB asked who that was and I explained and that we wondered if we'd see him. His comment was "that was good that you did as the boys obviously like him". I have time for both of them as people but in terms of football, GT is in a league of his own as WFC manager since I've been supporting them. By the way, it must be something about my family and I being mascots as we won both games!
I have to admit, I was going to mention Perryman but don't really remember a great deal about his tenure other than his first season in charge where he saved us from relegation, with a really good run end of season... and the song for him sung to Blue Moon!
I hear a lot of negative talk about the managers we had between 87 and 97, but only Bassett did the team harm without doing anything noticeably good in mitigation. Even Glenn Roeder can take some credit for bringing in some quality players. Ramage, Miller and Phillips to name a few. And a lot of players who made their first appearances under Roeder went on to play significant parts in one or both of GT's promotion sides. Gifton, Mooney, Palmer, Page, Robinson are the ones that spring to mind, although I'm sure there were one or two more. Not to mention young or injury prone players who could easily have left the club if Roeder hadn't rated them, like Johnson and Gibbs.
I really started watching Watford in 1979/80, so was a good time to support Watford, so all I really ever knew till 88/89 was success, winning against Wrexham, jumping over the wall running on to the pitch celebrating promotion to the top flight for the first time, finishing 2nd in English football, Wembley,FA cup final, semi finals, europe, full stadium, beating the cream of English football IE: Liverpool, Arsenal, spurs on a regular basis. All done under GT, and has not been done since, so GT has to be and is 'God'. Then as been mentioned.......in the 10 years it took GT to build Watford, it took 'dopey draws' Basset 6 months to destroy....What a utter C**! With what he had at he desposal, how the hell could he do what he did!! So... greatest = GT Muppet = Basset
