Those interested in football will know that last weekend [February 14 and 15] was F.A.Cup weekend and while this year Watford may no longer be in the competition, back in February 1970, there was much celebrating as the Hornets beat Liverpool 1-0 to go through to the semi-final.

Sadly, the team was to go no further, meeting eventual winners Chelsea in the semi-final. But there was much rejoicing at the Liverpool win (a cracking diving header by Barry Endean, as many a Watford fan will tell you).

Anyway, the Watford Observer of February 27, 1970, published a poem from a reader about the occasion. Now the vast majority of poems sent into local newspapers aren’t half as good as their authors think they are. This one, however, I thought was rather excellent and well worth repeating all these years later. The whole letter reads:

“After having returned from a most enjoyable weekend in Watford, particularly so because ‘my’ team gained a place in the semi-final of the F.A.Cup, I thought other fans might be interested in the following verse:

Here lie the hopes of Liverpool

Who on their way to Wembley

Did pause to play a game here

Before a great assembly.

 

They played the mighty Watford

The F.A. Cup sensation

The team without a single “star”

But what a constellation.

 

The Liverpool lads fought very hard

As well we knew they would

But like the rest who’ve tried, they

Found the Watford boys too good

 


So shed a tear for Merseyside

Who to Wembley thought they’d “pad it”

For Watford were the better side

And Liverpool have had it!

 

—  Barbara Murray, Colne, Lancashire