Wednesday, January 13, 1988

Watford appointed Steve Harrison as manager in succession to Dave Bassett, sacked two days earlier.

Previously both a player and reserve-team coach at the club, Harrison had departed as Bassett brought in his own team the previous summer and joined Graham Taylor's coaching team at Aston Villa.

However, whilst Watford had not demanded a compensation fee for the under-contract Taylor, chairman Elton John was forced to stump up £25,000 to secure the release of Harrison.

Reproduced by kind permission of Matt Rowson from his book, Watford FC On This Day