Funeral of former Watford player held (From Watford Observer)
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Former Watford and Tranmere Rovers player Roy Sinclair has died
11:51am Thursday 24th January 2013 in Sport By Anthony Matthews, Group Sports Editor
The funeral of former Watford player Roy Sinclair was held yesterday following his death at the age of 68.
The midfielder was at Vicarage Road from 1969 to 1972 and the Watford Observer’s former assistant editor Oliver Phillips, who was Hornets correspondent at the time, recalls: “Roy was an £11,000 buy from Tranmere Rovers in 1969, as manager Ken Furphy sought to push home Watford’s successful and first-ever promotion to the second tier. It was his highest transfer investment up to that time and not a very successful one.
“Roy had skill and could work hard, but he was not as mobile as the man he was bought to replace, Dixie Hale, who as the supporters had it, was ‘here there and *!#@!!!!* everywhere’.
“Roy made only 50 appearances for Watford despite participating in four seasons. He failed to make a real impression in midfield under Furphy and was injured, loaned and generally out of favour under George Kirby in the infamous 1971/72 campaign after which he was given a free transfer.
“An engaging individual, his claim to Watford fame is that in his second appearance for the Hornets he hit the winning goal to clinch promotion, the shot coming down off the bar. After the pitch invasion, presentation of the champagne-swigging players in the directors’ box, Plymouth claimed the ball did not cross the line, but who the hell was listening.
“Sadly for the player, it was downhill all the way and he also missed out on the subsequent FA Cup run to the semi-final in 1970, mainly through injury, after which he never made an impact.”
The Liverpool-born player joined Tranmere as a teenager in 1962 and helped the club to win promotion from the fourth division to the third in the 1966/67 season. A favourite with the Prenton Park fans, he scored 18 goals in 166 appearances before moving to Vicarage Road.
Following his departure from Vicarage Road, Sinclair moved to America and played for a number of clubs before retiring from the game in 1981.
He went on to become head coach of Seattle University but after returning to this country, was a regular guest at the club where he first made his name.
Comments(15)
laddie hornets
says...
12:15pm Thu 24 Jan 13
Sahorn
says...
12:32pm Thu 24 Jan 13
laddie hornets wrote:Agree with that.
He scored the goal which took Watford into the Second Division for the first time in 1969, and for that moment he is part of Watford's history!
68 is too young and I trust our 'Family Club' was represented in some way.
Is there any news on the health of Ken Furphy? I'm sure it would be appreciated by the many fans who witnessed that successful era.
Eastsussexhornet
says...
1:09pm Thu 24 Jan 13
craig239
says...
2:29pm Thu 24 Jan 13
God speed thanks for being responsible for putting this amazing football club in the second tier of the football league for the first time in its history!
God Bless
JonBoy
says...
2:43pm Thu 24 Jan 13
3Lions4Ever
says...
3:16pm Thu 24 Jan 13
Eastsussexhornet wrote:Totally agree. This is not a time to focus on the negative aspects of a career that had a positive influence, however small, on the fortunes of Watford Football (i.e. scoring the goal that got us promotion!).
A fairly negative obituary. Shame. One would have thought that they could have made it a little more upbeat.
RIP Roy. You were a true 'Orn.
My thoughts are with Roy's family
andyhooked
says...
3:41pm Thu 24 Jan 13
2:29pm Thu 24 Jan 13
When he hit that shot he became a Watford Legend. He was not a failure. Thank you Roy for making 20 odd thousand people so happy! and yes it was over the line!
God speed thanks for being responsible for putting this amazing football club in the second tier of the football league for the first time in its history!
God Bless”
Thanks Craig! I was there but did not dance in the pond as some did. Bless you Roy and you have left some of us so happy with that important goal V
micksolly
says...
4:04pm Thu 24 Jan 13
craig239
says...
4:26pm Thu 24 Jan 13
Its abit tough, Not many people when they die get an Obitaury Very Injury prone didn't play much. Probably a waste of money for the size of the Fee!!!!
Shame on you Watford Observer.
Roy Rest in Peace Mate ( was that shot 35 yards Outside the box)
CARDIFFHORN
says...
6:39pm Thu 24 Jan 13
JonBoy wrote:I was on the pitch and the Pond!!!
RIP Roy Sinclair. I was on the pitch that day we won promotion.
londomollari
says...
11:28pm Thu 24 Jan 13
londomollari wrote:Looked back at my posting and realised it was, unintentionally, negative, for which I apologise. He will always be remembered for the 'promotion' goal, which I remember him scoring. He will always be a Watford legend for that.
The highlight of his Watford career was his first handfull of games. Furphy was brilliant at forming a good team from free transfers and rejects but Sinclair, a big investment at the time, sadly failed.
My sympathy to his family and friends.
I, too, was on the pitch that evening.
northofwatfordpete
says...
8:10am Fri 25 Jan 13
http://en.wikipedia.
org/wiki/Roy_Sinclai
r
northofwatfordpete
says...
8:33am Fri 25 Jan 13
ererovers.co.uk/news
/article/roy-sinclai
r-150113-598890.aspx
JonBoy
says...
11:44am Fri 25 Jan 13
londomollari says...
12:09pm Thu 24 Jan 13
My sympathy to his family and friends.