Listening to Talk Sport this afternoon, the presenters were talking about who they thought were the greatest signings that there team had bought. This got me thinking as to who I thought was Watford's greatest signing in my time in watching the Horns......John Barnes?....Luther Missit?....Tony Cotton?.....Paul Furlong.... I could go on, but my greatest signing would have to be John McClelland..Still one of the best defenders Watford ever had IMO! Strong, fast and worked his socks off for the course!!!! Whats is your greatest Watford Signing, and why??????
If the player doesn't have to be the best that has played for us I would argue that Steve Sims was the best signing. We were in Division Three and he was an England B player who was bought for a record fee. His signing alone showed that Watford were serious about improving but he was also very good.
I agree with John McClelland. Best player Watford have ever had, and so good to have watched him play. There are so many you could choose as well, but although he was on of our most expensive signings, Allan Nielson was also a great player to have. Covered every blade of grass and fully deserved what was probably the best send off I have ever seen for a player at Watford. The ground chanting his name for what must have been a solid 10 mins non stop.
I'd have to agree that John McClelland is certainly up there! To manage to sign him from Rangers was a real coup! I'd also put up a couple of players like Coton and Mooney! For me though, for what he did for the team, is Alec Chamberlain! Important in our successive promotions... that all important Birmingham save, and the shoot-out penalty! With us for 10/11 seasons, and still with us!
Are we counting academy players? I personally know someone who played a small number of games for the club, and am pretty sure that he would answer "me". The definitive answer is Cliff Holton, but he's a little bit before my time. I'll put Tommy Smith forward as a modern contender though, because without him in his last full season I'm pretty sure we'd have gone down.
It has to be Cliff Holton. He was a first division player who dropped down to the fourth division, and organized the team into winning promotion. He scored in one season a number of goals that will never be surpassed. Quite confident on that statement. He brought the buzz back into the fans with his shooting ability and that was with a football rather than a balloon.
For me, McClelland or Bolton (12.5k) and both CB's! Barnes was signed from non-league so that counts too. Many from that era could qualify but non from the current era I'm afraid although 1 or 2 are ok.
Since I've only been supporting Watford since 2006, I would say that Danny Graham was the best signing. or maybe resigning tommy smith. This season's best signing is either Yeates or Hogg.
I would agree with those who say Macker. Using what Chris said about non-league, Kevin Phillips was signed from Baldock Town and hasn't done too badly in his pro career.
Tommy Mooney and Alec Chamberlain are modern day (well still over 15 years ago) bargains when you considering the endless waste of money players we've had since. H was only 1.5 million too.
And when we sold him for the second time, we were given as part of the deal a certain Stewart Scullion. He brought back the buzz that had left when Big Cliff departed the first time - a buzz that remained for a good few years. He's my choice, equal of course, to Ian Bolton who was as excellent in defence as Scully was in attack.
Im going to cheat a bit (and as ive only been a regular for 12-14 years) id say the combined signings of spring, carlisle, malky, king on loan which yielded about 2000% on the initialninvestment
