1977–78 Watford F.C. season

English football team season March 2015 March 2015 Watford 1977–78 Elton John Graham Taylor Vicarage Road Fourth Division 1st (promoted) FA Cup Third Round (eliminated by West Ham United) League Cup Third Round (eliminated by West Bromwich Albion) 18,947 (vs Southend United, 15 April 1978) Ross Jenkins (16) Ross Jenkins (18) 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 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).Jones, Watford Season by Season pp. 247–248 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.Jones, Watford Season by Season pp. 164–165 Results Watford's score listed first Legend WinDrawLoss Football League Fourth Division DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceWatford 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 1977–78 FA Cup RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceWatford scorersR126 November 1977 HendonH2–011,825 Garner, MercerR217 December 1977 Colchester UnitedH2–011,907 Jenkins, MercerR37 January 1978 West Ham UnitedA0–136,475 League Cup 1977–78 Football League Cup RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceWatford scorersR1 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, PritchettR230 August 1977 Grimsby TownA2–14,345 Bolton, JenkinsR325 October 1977 West Bromwich AlbionA0–122,140 League table 1977–78 Football League#Fourth Division Fourth Division WAT y References General Watford Football Club official site Phillips Oliver The Official Centenary History of Watford FC 1881–1991 Watford Football Club 1991 0-9509601-6-0 Jones Trefor 1996 Watford Football Club Illustrated Who's Who 0-9527458-0-1 Jones Trefor 1998 Watford Season by Season 0-9527458-1-X Specific Watford Category:Watford F.C. seasons