Our search of 100 Objects that define Watford Football Club continues with another 80’s object. Remember if you have a suggestion to go into our list then please send them to podcast@fromtherookeryend.com. Read the list so far on our Watford in 100 Objects page. This is only the 7th object so we’ve got plenty of space.

Objects – #7 Square programmes 

If you pick up a matchday programme this season and go to pages 60-70 you’ll find our From The Rookery End column. We’re very proud of them, but we would have loved for it to be in a square programme from the 1980’s. We had the idea of putting a square programme into the list almost instantly when we thought up this idea, but we wanted it to be a special square programme. So when we got this email from Anthony Packer we knew we’d found the programme that needed to go in.

Dear Boys


My suggestion for inclusion is the square programme for the Watford v Arsenal game dated 30 April 1983. The reasoning for this isn’t because we won 2-1, with Barnes and Blissett scoring, but it was the day my sister was born next door to Vicarage Road in Shrodells Hospital. Zoe Louise Packer was not only born weighing 8lb 1oz with brown eyes, but she came into the world the instant Vicarage Road erupted as Watford scored. I managed to track down a programme from that day and bought it for her for Christmas recently.


Cheers


Anthony

What a clash of events – the magnificent moment of a baby being born and the jubilation of fans as a goal goes in. I asked Anthony what time Zoe was born, 4:30pm. With a bit of research on the Watford Observer website found out that it was a Luther Blissett penalty that occurred as Zoe was born. Here’s Zoe and Anthony with the programme.

If you’ve got any old square programme, do get it out and have a read. If there are any interesting features or if memories and objects come back to you then please comment below or email us podcast@fromtherookeryend.com. And make sure to pick up a matchday programme this season and have a read of the FTRE page.

Jon