In 1977 Graham Taylor and Elton John drew up a ten-year plan to steer Watford Football Club from the depths of the Fourth Division to the top flight.
They did it in five.
The Hornets took on and defeated the giants of English football in the Eighties. They were runners-up to Liverpool in the Football League, they played in Europe, and reached the FA Cup final at Wembley for the first time.
Enjoy the Game by Lionel Birnie, published in 2010, is a book that tells the story of that incredible decade based on dozens of interviews with the players and management who made it happen.
Now, for the first time, it's available as an audio series, read by Watford supporter, actor and voice artist Colin Mace.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In 1977 Graham Taylor and Elton John drew up a ten-year plan to steer Watford Football Club from the depths of the Fourth Division to the top flight.
They did it in five.
The Hornets took on and defeated the giants of English football in the Eighties. They were runners-up to Liverpool in the Football League, they played in Europe, and reached the FA Cup final at Wembley for the first time.
Enjoy the Game by Lionel Birnie, published in 2010, is a book that tells the story of that incredible decade based on dozens of interviews with the players and management who made it happen.
Now, for the first time, it's available as an audio series, read by Watford supporter, actor and voice artist Colin Mace.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
'No one got Elton and I together and asked if this was what we wanted' – Graham Taylor
Just after the season had ended, with the disappointment of the FA Cup semi-final defeat to Tottenham still fresh in everyone's minds, the unthinkable happens.
Graham Taylor announced he had the chance to go to Aston Villa. He half-expected Elton, or one of the directors, to implore him to stay. But no one stepped in.
Did Taylor feel he'd taken Watford as far as he could? Was Elton's interest in the club waning? Did the other directors feel the manager wielded too much power?
As with most of these things, there was no decisive answer but here is the story of how Watford's incredible decade of success came to an end, as told by the people who were involved at the time.
Enjoy the game by Lionel Birnie. Read by Colin Mace. Produced by Jon Moonie.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.