1977–78 Watford F.C. season

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 its last 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]

Watford
1977–78 season
ChairmanElton John
ManagerGraham Taylor
StadiumVicarage Road
Fourth Division1st (promoted)
FA CupThird Round (eliminated by West Ham United)
League CupThird Round (eliminated by West Bromwich Albion)
Top goalscorerLeague: Ross Jenkins (16)
All: Ross Jenkins (18)
Highest home attendance18,947 (vs Southend United, 15 April 1978)
Lowest home attendanceLeague: 6,850 (vs Grimsby Town, 6 September 1977)
Cup: 5,722 (vs Reading, 13 August 1977)

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 1977Stockport CountyA3–13,056Jenkins (2), Ellis (pen)
27 August 1977York CityH1–37,620Mayes
3 September 1977Doncaster RoversA1–02,963Jenkins
6 September 1977Grimsby TownH1–06,850Blissett
10 September 1977Huddersfield TownH2–07,852Jenkins (2)
14 September 1977ReadingA3–14,862Mayes (2), Blissett
17 September 1977BarnsleyA0–16,443
24 September 1977DarlingtonH2–17,632Blissett, Ellis (pen)
27 September 1977A.F.C. BournemouthH2–18,191Bolton, Coffill
1 October 1977RochdaleA3–21,278Joslyn, Mayes, Mercer
3 October 1977BrentfordA3–014,500Ellis, Jenkins, Mayes
8 October 1977Swansea CityH2–110,232Downes, Mercer
15 October 1977AldershotA0–18,059
22 October 1977Newport CountyH2–010,749Downes, Mercer
29 October 1977Crewe AlexandraH5–210,871Mercer (3), Downes, Garner
5 November 1977Hartlepool UnitedA2–13,121Garner, Mercer
12 November 1977Scunthorpe UnitedH4–110,565Jenkins (2), Mercer (2)
19 November 1977Southend UnitedA0–110,919
3 December 1977Halifax TownH1–19,329Garner
10 December 1977SouthportA2–21,727Jenkins, Pollard
26 December 1977Northampton TownH3–015,056Downes, Mayes, Pollard
27 December 1977Torquay UnitedA3–26,228Mayes (2), Bolton
31 December 1977WimbledonA3–17,324Downes, Jenkins, Mayes
2 January 1978Hartlepool UnitedH1–016,866Bolton
13 January 1978Stockport CountyH1–012,754Garner
21 January 1978York CityA4–03,831Mayes (3), Blissett
28 January 1978Doncaster RoversH6–011,816Joslyn (2), Bolton, Downes, Garner, Jenkins
11 February 1978BarnsleyH0–013,216
25 February 1978RochdaleH1–010,139Jenkins
3 March 1978Swansea CityA3–315,000Bolton, Jenkins, Mayes
7 March 1978ReadingH1–011,439Garner
11 March 1978AldershotH1–012,641Downes
14 March 1978Huddersfield TownA0–16,603
17 March 1978Newport CountyA2–28,409Downes, Jenkins
24 March 1978Crewe AlexandraA2–24,652Ellis (pen), Jenkins
25 March 1978Torquay UnitedH1–010,491Garner
28 March 1978Northampton TownA2–08,041Bolton, Mayes
1 April 1978WimbledonH2–011,212Mayes, Pritchett
4 April 1978A.F.C. BournemouthA2–16,532Downes, Pollard
8 April 1978Scunthorpe UnitedA1–05,202Joslyn
11 April 1978Grimsby TownA1–17,189Pritchett
15 April 1978Southend UnitedH1–118,947Jenkins
18 April 1978DarlingtonA0–02,407
22 April 1978Halifax TownA1–13,542How
25 April 1978BrentfordH1–116,544Blissett
29 April 1978SouthportH3–210,089Pritchett (2 pens), Blissett

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

League Cup
Main article: 1977–78 Football League Cup
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Watford scorers
R1 1st Leg13 August 1977ReadingH2–15,722Mercer (2)
R1 2nd Leg17 August 1977ReadingA0–14,533
R1 Replay23 August 1977ReadingH5–07,082Downes, Ellis (pen), Joslyn, Mayes, Pritchett
R230 August 1977Grimsby TownA2–14,345Bolton, Jenkins
R325 October 1977West Bromwich AlbionA0–122,140

League table
Main article: 1977–78 Football League § Fourth Division
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Watford 46 30 11 5 85 38 +47 71 Division Champions, promoted
2 Southend United 46 25 10 11 66 39 +27 60 Promoted
3 Swansea City 46 23 10 13 87 47 +40 56
4 Brentford 46 21 14 11 86 54 +32 56
5 Aldershot 46 19 16 11 67 47 +20 54
Source:

References
General
  • Watford Football Club official site
  • Phillips, Oliver (1991). The Official Centenary History of Watford FC 1881–1991. Watford Football Club. ISBN 0-9509601-6-0.
  • Jones, Trefor (1996). Watford Football Club Illustrated Who's Who. ISBN 0-9527458-0-1.
  • Jones, Trefor (1998). Watford Season by Season. ISBN 0-9527458-1-X.
Specific
  1. Jones, Watford Season by Season pp. 247–248
  2. Jones, Watford Season by Season pp. 164–165
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