American defender Jay DeMerit spent six seasons at Watford from 2004 to 2010 after impressing in a preseason friendly with Northwood. He became club captain and played for the USA at the 2010 World Cup.
Locally born midfielder Ross was at Watford from the age of nine, breaking into the first team while still a scholar. He became a regular in the side under Brendan Rodgers but after the Pozzo takeover he found opportunities harder to come by.
Arguably the finest player ever to play for Watford, John joined Watford at the age of 17 after being spotted playing for non-league Sudbury Court. He went on to make nearly 300 appearances for the club over six seasons, before joining Liverpool in 1987.
Goalkeeper Alec signed in the summer of 1996 for just £40,000 from Sunderland. He went on to enjoy more than 20 years at the club as a player and then coach.
Goalkeeper Gary played just the one game for Watford, the 1987 FA Cup Semi-Final against Tottenham Hotspur, covering for the injured Tony Coton and Steve Sherwood.
Goalkeeper Steve signed for Watford from Notts County as cover for Kevin Miller in 1995. He played only four games for the club before rejoining his former club, Plymouth Argyle and helped them gain promotion.
Ross Jenkins is one of the four players who symbolises Watford’s rise through the divisions. He was the only one who had played for the first team when they were 92nd (bottom of the Fourth Division) under Mike Keen, and 1st (top of the First Division) six years later. He was the final Watford player I interviewed for Enjoy the Game.
Richard Hill was Graham Taylor’s last signing for the club before leaving for Aston Villa. His Watford career was brief. As the fourth interview for Enjoy The Game, it is often the bit-part players who have the clearest view of the drama taking place centre stage.
Les Taylor was the first person interviewed for Enjoy the Game, in January 2009 at the Kassam Stadium in Oxford, before Lionel was even certain the book would go ahead.
I met Pat Rice in the café area Arsenal’s training ground in London Colney; he was still Arsene Wenger’s assistant manager at the time. A one-club man until he joined Watford, Rice was a bona fide Arsenal legend, racking up more than 400 first team appearances before joining Watford. He captained Watford to promotion and during their first season in the top flight.
The fifth interviewee Luther Blissett already knew what I was going to ask, Nigel Gibbs had tipped him off. Luther had three spells at Watford as a player and served as a coach, so there was a lot of ground to cover.
