Football Memories (I) – Watford vs Gillingham 1955!

One of the first football matches I went to was on 5^th March 1955.  I was eight years old and my grandfather took me to see Watford play Gillingham (he was a “Gills” fan) in the Third Division South.  

This league ran in parallel with the Third Division North with only one team from each division being promoted at the end of the season to Division Two.

In those days Watford played in blue and white! They changed to more recognisable old gold and black in 1958 when they then became known as “The Hornets”.  

My grandad and I stood by the halfway line in front of the wooden Shrodells Stand.  Apparently, this was also very close to where Elton John stood growing up as a young Watford supporter when he was still known as Reg Dwight.

At this time the pre-match and half-time entertainment was a brass band that used to march around the pitch playing popular tunes of the day.  

At the end of half-time four people, holding a sheet, would go around the touch line and people would throw coins into it to show their appreciation.

As the second half started Watford had a throw-in right in front of us.  This was to be taken by Roy Brown, who was the first black player to play for Watford.  As he went to pick up the ball he noticed a penny on the ground which had missed the sheet for the band.  

He picked it up and gave it to me – It was a 1944 penny, which I still have, although it has somehow found its’ way into the bottom of a music box left to me by my grandad.

The game ended 1-1, so we both went home happy !!!