THE appeal for south-west based Watford fans to join together to form a supporters' branch has been successful.

Thirty-five fans got in touch and 13 paid-up members have joined the branch. Their next meeting is on Wednesday August 19 at The Plough, Easton Road, Bristol, at 8.00.

Anyone interested in getting in touch, sharing lifts and Watford experiences, contact Craig and Michele on 0117-939-5025.

Now Steve Brister, based in Kings Lynn, for whom Worrell Sterling has just signed incidentally, is keen to organise a similar branch for the East Anglian, Norfolk-based Watford fans.

"We have up to 20 fans in this neck of the woods and we are hoping to get together to arrange lifts, etc."

Another exiled Hornet, and away-fan regular from the late 1960's and 1970's is Jim Simmons, who is also Norfolk-based on 01603-470032 and is helping to form the branch.

Tony Coton has sued Sunderland just a few months after steering their reserve side to the Pontins Division I in his first season as their coach. "All good for my CV," Coton said at the time, adding his delight at seeing his old club and boss back in Division I.

Now he is dispute with his club over the insurance relating to the broken leg which resulted in the end of his playing career.

Linesman Edward Martin from Somerset, was the subject of a presentation on Saturday. He was the official felled by a Sheffield fan last season and was returning to Fratton Park for the first time to officiate since then.

He was presented with a commemorative plaque for an incident he would probably want to forget.

I didn't get to see the plaque or the wording. I have this vision of a silver-plated fist mounted on a walnut plinth.

You can imagine the linesmen telling curious visitors to his house: "I got that for getting thumped at Fratton Park."

Either way, it was a nicer touch than the last time he was at the ground.

A sign of the times. Bradford City, tomorrow's visitors had a distinctly Third Division North image years ago and you pictured them living hand to mouth.

It is sobering you recall those previous cloth-cap, whippet-racing images and note that Bradford City have paid Port Vale £1m for a player this summer. Who'd-a-thought-it?

The latest issue of Clap Your Hands Stamp Your Feet is on sale £1, containing many reflections on last season and the day Watford clinched the title.

A cartoon on Agent Verjee and the CYHSYF Awards of the Season are among the highlights.

Blackpool's Brabin was voted dirtiest opponent; Gillingham the dirtiest team and the best foul by a Watford player, was awarded to "any by Robinson". Robbo also featured in the best quote of the season list - which also features several by Chris Waddle.

Only mad men go out in the midday sun

THE arrival of summer has coincided with the commencement of the football season and Saturday's heat served as a reminder of Glenn Roeder's credible suggestion that teams should have the option at this time of year of opting for a Saturday evening kick off as they do on the continent.

When the grandchildren are questioning things like: they did not really send people off for conceding penalties when they were allowed to stay on for conceding free kicks just outside the box? Or, did referee's really stop players from celebrating goals too enthusiastically in front of their own fans? Or, did they really make players stay off the field for 30 seconds after being injured by a foul tackle, so forcing their side to play a man short through no fault of their own?

Perhaps when that day comes, when so many of today's stupidities are realised to be just that, they will allow Saturday night football. By which time people will be asking who was Glenn Roeder, anyway?

Former cult hero Jamie Moralee is appearing at Brighton. Not the Pavilion, I hasten to add, but having a month's trial with the club.

Magazine Four-Four-Two contains a story about a Brazilian Second Division club, whose keeper is called Elton John Borges. He dreams of playing for Watford.

It is a pity Pele didn't harbour the same ambitions as a youngster. Back in 1960, he would have worked well alongside Big Cliff and we might had wrapped up promotion from Division 4 a couple of weeks earlier than proved to be the case.

Match of the Day magazine named Watford's theme tune as Z-Cars and it was this month's publication.

Total Football magazine, reviewing the Hornets, named Tommy Mooney as the "player to get shot of", plainly well in touch with feeling on the "terraces".

Anyone see the Sunday Times report on Watford's game at Portsmouth? It seemed to be a thinly-disguised dismissal of the Taylor-ethic and bemoaned the presence of "robust" teams like Watford and worried about the future of the First Division if such sides succeed.

Apparently Portsmouth were in control throughout and Watford did not dominate the second half, nor did they adopt anything but a robust approach, according to the report.

It reminded me of a national pressman who remarked not so long ago: "Watford will get slagged because of their manager. That's something the place will have to learn to live with."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.