Tony Coton says Watford's 'special crowd' helped him produce his best

8:00am Thursday 31st January 2013 in Sport

Picture: Action Images Picture: Action Images

Hornets legend Tony Coton believes the patience of Watford's supporters was one of the main reasons he played his best football during his time at Vicarage Road.

Coton joined Watford in 1984 and made almost 300 appearances during his six-year spell, before he became the first Hornets player to be sold for £1m when he joined Manchester City in 1990.

The 51-year-old received the club's Player of the Year award three times during his spell with the Golden Boys.

Speaking to www.watfordlegends.com in what was the website's 100th interview, Coton said: "Watford have a special crowd. Compared to most fans they are very patient with their players. That meant I could go in goal in front of them every week knowing I could relax. That’s why I think I played my best football in my career at Watford."

"I’m very proud to have won Player of the Year three times. The awards are all on display in my house. Make no mistake, I’m immensely proud of them."

The full interview with Coton will be uploaded here on Friday evening.

Comments(38)

AMP4WATFORD4EVER says...
8:20am Thu 31 Jan 13

True legend and one of the best goalkeepers for a long time.

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Hornets number 12 fan says...
8:25am Thu 31 Jan 13

I thought Luther Blissett was the first player to be sold for £1m? Nice one Tony you're a true Legend

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a1derek says...
8:29am Thu 31 Jan 13

Watford hero and true legend!

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jasonwatford says...
8:35am Thu 31 Jan 13

TC cared about every goal that went in past him. He was just as annoyed as us fans thats why we liked him. Plus he was the best around at that time.

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jimbowfc says...
8:40am Thu 31 Jan 13

The best Goal Keeper never to play for England, and it's an absolute disgrace that he didn't IMO!!!

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watford1881 says...
8:57am Thu 31 Jan 13

Watfords best ever GK.. No one else comes close.. Top Man....

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SirHugo says...
8:59am Thu 31 Jan 13

"Watford have a special crowd"
Yep totally agree Tone.
A good few of them post on here and travel about on the sunshine bus licking windows.

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northofwatfordpete says...
9:01am Thu 31 Jan 13

Not sure that Scott Loach would agree with Tony on this one.

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RookeryHorn says...
9:12am Thu 31 Jan 13

Make sure you visit www.watfordlegends.c
om tomorrow for the full interview, #100!

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Wimbledonhorn says...
9:21am Thu 31 Jan 13

Will never forget his debut against Everton which ended 5-4!

By far the best goalkeeper i've had the privilege of watching in 32 years of following the golden boys....

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mellow yellow says...
9:30am Thu 31 Jan 13

Yeah, Wimbledon... Neither will I. It was my sixteenth birthday, a cracker of a game, and not one of those goals was TC's fault! Still my favourite keeper of all time at the Vic, though Ben Foster might have run him close if he had stayed longer, and Alec Chamberlain will always have a place in my football heart for Birmingham 99!

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Harrydownunder says...
9:40am Thu 31 Jan 13

We're going down the pub! WITH TONY COTON!

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Harry's Bar says...
9:56am Thu 31 Jan 13

Hornets number 12 fan wrote:
I thought Luther Blissett was the first player to be sold for £1m? Nice one Tony you're a true Legend
Yes, he went to AC Milan for £1m. Couldn't get back quick enough.

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AMP4WATFORD4EVER says...
9:58am Thu 31 Jan 13

northofwatfordpete wrote:
Not sure that Scott Loach would agree with Tony on this one.
LOL

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AMP4WATFORD4EVER says...
10:01am Thu 31 Jan 13

northofwatfordpete wrote:
Not sure that Scott Loach would agree with Tony on this one.
LOL

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Mohandas says...
10:24am Thu 31 Jan 13

a1derek wrote:
Watford hero and true legend!
100% The old days when loyalty really mattered and TC was old school.We need lashings of that in today's world. In all walks of life far too many of the best hard workers get shafted and seen as a soft touch.

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Bucks:Hornet says...
11:01am Thu 31 Jan 13

TC, true Watford Legend.

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londomollari says...
11:08am Thu 31 Jan 13

watford1881 wrote:
Watfords best ever GK.. No one else comes close.. Top Man....
Mind you, Pat Jennings played for Watford for one season, and showed why he was to become the world's best keeper. In my fifty years at Watford, TC was up there with the best. Disgrace he never played for England. (I believe he was sheduled to play in one game, but the game was cancelled)

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Only 2 Ross Jenkins says...
11:33am Thu 31 Jan 13

The best keeper I ever saw at VR without a doubt, and that includes David James and Ben Foster. Not old enough to have seen Pat Jennings.

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Johnny Ryden says...
11:45am Thu 31 Jan 13

TC so rarely made errors, the whole time he played for us you could probably count the mistakes on the fingers of one hand.

As for patience, didn't Viallii claim we were too supportive and actually urged the fans to boo the team! We knew who to boo Luca!!

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Colin West's mullet says...
11:46am Thu 31 Jan 13

I seem to remember him letting in 5 on his debut and thinking 'we dropped sherwood for this?'.

He quickly went on to become the best Watford keeper I expect to see in my lifetime and I remember writing to Jimmy Greaves column in Shoot!, demanding to know why TC wasn't getting a sniff at the England team.

Great days.

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Wembley84 says...
12:09pm Thu 31 Jan 13

I remember him shifting 5 on his debut - and we all left thinking, he's gonna do well for us.........I also remember his ability to wind up the fans of any Midlands team that visited the Vic - especially WBA.....

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lutondown says...
12:12pm Thu 31 Jan 13

SirHugo wrote:
"Watford have a special crowd"
Yep totally agree Tone.
A good few of them post on here and travel about on the sunshine bus licking windows.
He he he

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Bringe says...
12:51pm Thu 31 Jan 13

What a keeper he was - brillant does cover it.

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Nordin's Hooter says...
12:56pm Thu 31 Jan 13

Will always remember his friendly gesture's to the linesman (assistant referee) when he felt the correct decision wasn't given.....Great Keeper!

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PhilippineOrn says...
12:57pm Thu 31 Jan 13

Watford have a special crowd. No, Watford HAD a special crowd in Sherwood's/Steele's/
Coton's day. We were massively successful but we didn't demand or even expect success then. Zola does what he thinks best as our manager and I never once heard so much vitriol towards Taylor then as I am hearing now. Taylor never even had a squad to rotate but he did lose on occassion btw. Watford fans...just do what you want, say what you want - I support Watford but that's about all I have in comon with you

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Bush Hornet says...
1:20pm Thu 31 Jan 13

lutondown wrote:
SirHugo wrote:
"Watford have a special crowd"
Yep totally agree Tone.
A good few of them post on here and travel about on the sunshine bus licking windows.
He he he
if you're all feeling special clap your hands
if you're all feeling special clap your hands
if you're all feeling special
all feeling special
all feeling special clap your hands

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bushey tales says...
2:45pm Thu 31 Jan 13

I did see Pat Jennings and although it would be unfair to judge as he was still in his teens when he had that one season at The Vic, TC was definitely the best for me. Except possibly for Perry Digweed............

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north carolina horn says...
3:05pm Thu 31 Jan 13

@ Bushey Tales
Except for Perry Digweed lol
what about Malcolm Dalrymple, Dennis McCrystal, Dave Underwood, Peter Goy to name just a few

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bushey tales says...
3:12pm Thu 31 Jan 13

Peter Goy - bloody hell, there's a name I've never seen mentioned on here before! I seem to recall that quite apart from a basic inability to hold onto crosses, there was something strange about his eyebrows. Mind you, replacing Jennings was never going to be easy. (I've an uneasy feeling we'll just have terminated active participation in this thread!)

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HunsburyHornet says...
7:15pm Thu 31 Jan 13

Anyone remember Jimmy Gooch?

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Mangoputney says...
7:25pm Thu 31 Jan 13

The Manchester Evening News once responded to claims that 'Schmeichael was best keeper in the world' with 'He's not even the best keeper in Manchester' ! This was also supported by Fergie's long admiration for TC who quickly instated him as GK coach.

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Bush Hornet says...
11:14pm Thu 31 Jan 13

Bush Hornet wrote:
lutondown wrote:
SirHugo wrote:
"Watford have a special crowd"
Yep totally agree Tone.
A good few of them post on here and travel about on the sunshine bus licking windows.
He he he
if you're all feeling special clap your hands
if you're all feeling special clap your hands
if you're all feeling special
all feeling special
all feeling special clap your hands
I guess I'm the only special one then. I gave you lot several hours to get on my special bus but I'm leaving now xxx

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micksolly says...
11:17pm Thu 31 Jan 13

What about Eddie Plummleys lad who played against Spurs in the FA Cup semi final :-)

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Bush Hornet says...
11:29pm Thu 31 Jan 13

Super super Gaz
Super super Gaz
Super super Gaz
Super Gary Plumley

(he has a SPECIAL place in our history)

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Sammy Chung says...
12:01am Fri 1 Feb 13

There is some real rubbish entered on to a site like this
Different opinions are OK but personel attacks seem to be the norm...

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lovestospouge says...
4:10am Fri 1 Feb 13

Luther was sold for 950K not quite a million

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allgood says...
9:29am Fri 1 Feb 13

I have seen every keeper since Bert Slater and Coton Was easily the best.
I remember him playing for Birmingham at the Vic, We battered them but he kept the score down to one. I thought there is England's next keeper. Must be the best never to get a cap. Would be a regular international if around today.

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