Saturday, September 5, 1981

Goals from Gerry Armstrong and Roger Palmer within a minute provided a stalemate between Watford and Oldham Athletic at Vicarage Road in front of what was to be the last four-figure league gate at the ground for seven-and-a-half years.

The 17-year-old John Barnes, recruited from Sudbury Court the previous summer, made his league debut as a substitute for Malcolm Poskett in the second half, the only senior substitute appearance of his Watford career.

After his full debut in a 3-1 victory at Chelsea a week later, Graham Taylor was moved to suggest: "I think we may have unearthed a jewel."

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