1977–78 Watford F.C. season

Watford
1977–78 season
Chairman Elton John
Manager Graham Taylor
Stadium Vicarage Road
Fourth Division 1st (promoted)
FA Cup Third Round (eliminated by West Ham United)
League Cup Third Round (eliminated by West Bromwich Albion)
Top goalscorer League: Ross Jenkins (16)
All: Ross Jenkins (18)
Highest home attendance 18,947 (vs Southend United, 15 April 1978)
Lowest home attendance League: 6,850 (vs Grimsby Town, 6 September 1977)
Cup: 5,722 (vs Reading, 13 August 1977)
← 1976–77
1978–79 →

Watford Football Club is an English football team, based in Watford, Hertfordshire. 1977–78 was the club's first season under the management of Graham Taylor, and as of 2011, its most recent in the fourth tier of English football. Watford ended the season as champions of the Football League Fourth Division with 71 points, the club's highest Football League total under the system of two points for a win, and three points short of the all-time Football League record set by Graham Taylor's Lincoln City side in 1975–76. The season also marked new club records for the most league wins in a season (30), most home wins (18), most away wins (12), and most away goals scored (42).[1]

Ross Jenkins finished at the club's top scorer for the third time in four campaigns, with 18 goals in all competitions. He was followed by Alan Mayes and Keith Mercer with 16 and 13 goals respectively; both men also scored hat-tricks for the team. Bobby Downes and Alan Garner made the most appearances, playing some part in all 54 competitive fixtures. Garner went on to receive the Watford F.C. Player of the Season award for his efforts. Other player milestones included the arrival of future club captain Ian Bolton, and the breakthrough into the first team of young striker Luther Blissett, who went on to become the club's all-time leading appearance maker and goalscorer.[2]


Results

Watford's score listed first

Legend

Win Draw Loss

Football League Fourth Division

Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Watford scorers
20 August 1977 Stockport County A 3–13,056 Jenkins (2), Ellis (pen)
27 August 1977 York City H 1–37,620 Mayes
3 September 1977 Doncaster Rovers A 1–02,963 Jenkins
6 September 1977 Grimsby Town H1–06,850 Blissett
10 September 1977 Huddersfield Town H2–07,852Jenkins (2)
14 September 1977 Reading A 3–14,862 Mayes (2), Blissett
17 September 1977 Barnsley A0–16,443
24 September 1977 Darlington H2–17,632 Blissett, Ellis (pen)
27 September 1977 A.F.C. BournemouthH2–18,191 Bolton, Coffill
1 October 1977 Rochdale A3–21,278 Joslyn, Mayes, Mercer
3 October 1977 Brentford A3–014,500 Ellis, Jenkins, Mayes
8 October 1977 Swansea City H2–110,232 Downes, Mercer
15 October 1977 Aldershot A0–18,059
22 October 1977 Newport County H2–010,749 Downes, Mercer
29 October 1977 Crewe Alexandra H5–210,871Mercer (3), Downes, Garner
5 November 1977 Hartlepool United A2–13,121 Garner, Mercer
12 November 1977 Scunthorpe United H4–110,565 Jenkins (2), Mercer (2)
19 November 1977 Southend United A0–110,919
3 December 1977 Halifax Town H1–19,329 Garner
10 December 1977 Southport A2–21,727 Jenkins, Pollard
26 December 1977 Northampton Town H3–015,056 Downes, Mayes, Pollard
27 December 1977 Torquay United A3–26,228 Mayes (2), Bolton
31 December 1977 Wimbledon A3–17,324 Downes, Jenkins, Mayes
2 January 1978 Hartlepool United H1–016,866 Bolton
13 January 1978 Stockport County H1–012,754 Garner
21 January 1978 York City A4–03,831 Mayes (3), Blissett
28 January 1978 Doncaster Rovers H6–011,816 Joslyn (2), Bolton, Downes, Garner, Jenkins
11 February 1978 Barnsley H0–013,216
25 February 1978 Rochdale H1–010,139 Jenkins
3 March 1978 Swansea City A3–315,000 Bolton, Jenkins, Mayes
7 March 1978 ReadingH1–011,439 Garner
11 March 1978 AldershotH1–012,641 Downes
14 March 1978 Huddersfield Town A0–16,603
17 March 1978 Newport County A2–28,409 Downes, Jenkins
24 March 1978 Crewe Alexandra A2–24,652 Ellis (pen), Jenkins
25 March 1978 Torquay United H1–010,491 Garner
28 March 1978 Northampton Town A2–08,041 Bolton, Mayes
1 April 1978 Wimbledon H2–011,212 Mayes, Pritchett
4 April 1978 A.F.C. Bournemouth A2–16,532 Downes, Pollard
8 April 1978 Scunthorpe United A1–05,202 Joslyn
11 April 1978 Grimsby Town A1–17,189 Pritchett
15 April 1978 Southend United H1–118,947 Jenkins
18 April 1978 Darlington A0–02,407
22 April 1978 Halifax Town A1–13,542 How
25 April 1978 Brentford H1–116,544 Blissett
29 April 1978 Southport H3–210,089 Pritchett (2 pens), Blissett

FA Cup

Main article: 1977–78 FA Cup
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Watford scorers
R126 November 1977 HendonH2–011,825 Garner, Mercer
R217 December 1977 Colchester UnitedH2–011,907 Jenkins, Mercer
R37 January 1978 West Ham UnitedA0–136,475

League Cup

Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Watford scorers
R1 1st Leg13 August 1977 ReadingH2–15,722 Mercer (2)
R1 2nd Leg17 August 1977 ReadingA0–14,533
R1 Replay23 August 1977 ReadingH5–07,082 Downes, Ellis (pen), Joslyn, Mayes, Pritchett
R230 August 1977 Grimsby TownA2–14,345 Bolton, Jenkins
R325 October 1977 West Bromwich AlbionA0–122,140

League table

P WDLFAGDPts
1Watford46301158538+4771
2Southend United462510116639+2760
3Swansea City462310138747+4056
4Brentford462114118654+3256
5Aldershot461916116747+2054
6Grimsby Town462111145751+653
7Barnsley461814146149+1250
8Reading461814145552+350
9Torquay United461615155756+147
10Northampton Town461713166368-547
11Huddersfield Town461515166355+845
12Doncaster Rovers461417155265-1345
13Wimbledon461416166667-144
14Scunthorpe United461416165055-544
15Crewe Alexandra461514175069-1944
16Newport County461611196573-843
17Bournemouth461415174151-1043
18Stockport County461610205656+042
19Darlington461413195259-741
20Halifax Town461021155262-1041
21Hartlepool United46157245184-3337
22York City461212225069-1936
23Southport46619215276-2431
24Rochdale4688304385-4224

P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points


References

General
Specific
  1. ↑ Jones, Watford Season by Season pp. 247–248
  2. ↑ Jones, Watford Season by Season pp. 164–165