Footiefun's Blog

 Just over ten years ago, I enjoyed my favourite sporting moments. It was 31st May 1999 and Watford were facing Bolton at Wembley for the Play-Off final. Rewind eight games and Watford were sat in 8^th position looking dead and buried, but after picking up 22 points out of a possible 24 I found myself on my way to Wembley.

 As soon as we got off the train all I could see was a sea of yellow shirts; there were Watford fans everywhere. The walk along Wembley Way was incredible, there was a fantastic atmosphere. There was a feeling of excitement and joy as well as a lot of nervous energy.

 I couldn’t believe that Watford were 90 minutes away from playing top flight football, it was a dream, especially as we were one of the favourites to get relegated. The two sets of players warmed up at their respective ends. The Watford team were jogging from one side of the pitch to the other, each time the players approached the fans they were greeted with chants of “You Horns” and thousands of yellow flags being waved. It was the first time I had experienced anything like it, having been too young to remember our only previous trip to Wembley back in 1984 bar video footage.  Fireworks were set off; there were lots of bangs going off all around us. I had never felt so tense at the start of a match, the adrenalin was pumping, I was really nervous. For the first 43 minutes I watched with gritted teeth as the ball went from one end to the other both teams pushing for a goal. Watford got a corner, the ball was cleared to the edge of the penalty box where Nicky Wright threw himself into the air and connected with it perfectly and the ball floated into the top right hand corner. The Watford fans went crazy; we were in shock. The lady in front of us leant over and kissed my dad but I hardly noticed, the only thing that mattered was that we were 1-0 up.

 The second 45 minutes was worse on my nerves, I just kept thinking we’re Watford; we won’t be able to hold on. With five minutes to go and no nails left Peter Kennedy a talented young Northern Irishman broke down the left, he crossed the ball to an unmarked Allan Smart who drove the ball into the bottom right-hand corner of the net. As the ball hit the net Allan ran to the Watford fans sliding across the grass on his knees with tears running down his cheeks, we all felt his joy. Watford were going to be playing top flight football for the first time in over a decade.

 It was wonderful 90 minutes but my blood pressure didn‘t know what was happening it had gone up and down so many times. After the game we headed back along Wembley Way singing as one, ready for a night of celebration. It was an incredible day.