Have just been reading comments on the game at the weekend on the Watford Observer site and some were making comparisons of the current crop to players past and the one which interested me the most was the one on goalkeepers. Who in your humble opinions is; a) the best keeper to have played for Watford? AND b) which is the best you have actually seen play?
I will say Pat Jennings turned out to be the best keeper, although he was very young when I watched him at Watford. Think Tony Coton was the best experienced keeper though.
I would say Pat Jennings (obviously a little younger than you oldfrenchhorn as I didn't get to see Pat at Watford) / Tony Coton. Worst probably GP although a little unfair on him as he was dragged in to do a job (not very well though I may add, bad day in my life that day and not just the game result). Most memorable moment, Almunia will win that hands down!!
Depends on your definition of a moment, it started with the dive for a penalty and didn't end until GFZ was knocked over racing up the pitch after Troy's thunderbolt!
Would have to go with most on Pat Jennings as the best I never saw play and Tony Coton as the best I did see play - but it was a tough call picking him over Ben Foster.. Less said about against The Spuds in the semi-final at Villa the better!
Tony Coton and Tony Coton (although I can see why Pat Jennings name comes up a lot). In my opinion, Ben Foster is nowhere near as good as Tony Coton was. In fact, I would say Any Rankin was probably above Ben Foster, although I know others may have different views!
I'm going to vote for Andy Rankin as well - although I really liked Micky Walker (although never at the level of the others)
Same here OFH. Just managed to catch PJ for part of a season before he left. Was always proud of what he went on to do.
GT was brave to bring one of "Birmingham bad boys" to the family club in the first place. Also, given that we conceded 5 in TCs debut, he turned it around brilliantly. When he was keeping at the Vic Rd end, I could always hear him from my seat in the Family Enclosure and I'm not too sure many Watford keepers have been that vocal since, even experienced ones. Almunia seems to organise his defence at set pieces by nudging them, but that might be due to language issues.
How about the first (and only?) Watford goalkeeper to have played in a European Cup semi final? Actually, that could be a good quiz question - which Watford goalkeeper played on the wing in a European Cup tie? Seriously though - as immense as he was for us, Pat Jennings was little more than a raw schoolkid when he signed for us, and didn't really achieve the heights until after he left. So on that basis, it has to be Tony Coton.
I also agree with you OFH. I will never forget the way Pat plucked the ball one handed out of the air.
David James first full season was utterly sensational. People seem to forget just how good he was then, and a mere boy let alone in goalkeeping terms. He knew he was destined for bigger things and that turned his head slightly the second season. Tony Coton was the most consistent over the seasons. My favourite. We have been blessed with quality keepers for a club our size.
There used to be a small cafe up by the pond in Watford that was used by the team players in the early mid 1960s. Pat had a party piece where he would pick up a full size dinner plate across it's diameter with one hand. He had huge hands as well as ears. Mme was very pleased when it was fashionable to have longer hair so that he could hide his handles.
Not the best goalkeepers but the most amazing saves I ever saw were from Andy Rankin at Old Trafford and Micky Walker at Oxford. Walker's save was similar to, but better than, Gordon Banks's save against Brazil. We have been blessed with some very good goalkeepers over the years (and some not so good).
I believe Jennings was picked for his country whilst playing for Watford at the age of 18 so he couldn't have been doing too badly (but as I said before my time).
From memory his first two home games were a 5-4 loss to Everton and a 4-4 draw with Newcastle. With respect to noise created at the Vic the noise was deafening at that Newcastle game when stirling got injured at the Vic road end in the penalty area with everyone singing his name. Ahh the meories standing under the scoreboard!!
