An eight-year-old Watford mascot will follow in his father’s footsteps when he leads the team out onto the pitch against Everton on Saturday.
Joe Walters’ dad Daniel was also just eight-years-old when he was chosen to be the mascot when the Hornets took on the Toffees 31 years ago.
After the 1984 “friendly” cup final at Wembley, Everton officials invited Ann Swanson, head of the family enclosure at Vicarage Road, to nominate a Watford FC mascot for the away fixture at Goodison Park on February 2, 1985.
Daniel with his Everton counterpart before the match in 1984
That lucky boy was Daniel Walters who got to pose for a photograph with the FA Cup match and led the teams out onto the pitch before the match.
A crowd of 34,000 saw Everton coast to a 4-0 win but even that did not spoil Daniel’s day out.
Joe and Daniel, who celebrated his 40th birthday last month, were both born at Watford General Hospital – a stone’s throw from the Vicarage Road ground – as were Joe’s sisters Jessica and Zoe.
Proud mum Katie will be there to cheer on her son with grandparents Clive and Susie Walters, Reg and Carole Edward, and 89-year-old great-grandmother Betty Marks – all devoted Watford fans.
Jessica has already been a Hornets mascot, walking out onto the pitch before last season’s 6-1 home victory over Bournemouth, so now it is up to four-year-old Zoe to carry on the family tradition.
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