Liverpool's Andy Robertson recalls stare-off with Watford FC mascot

The Scottish full back criticised how Watford’s mascot celebrated in the aftermath of Watford’s memorable victory in his book Robbo: Now You're Gonna Believe Us.

The champions-elect were torn apart at Vicarage Road on February 29 and although the title was pretty much wrapped up, it was a painful visit for Liverpool because it was their first defeat of the Premier League season.

Robertson accepts Watford were the better team on the day but a passage in his book suggests he was more riled up by what happened off the pitch rather than on it.

Robertson after the 3-0 defeat at Vicarage Road. Credit: Action Images

In his book, he writes: “The result had stung enough without Watford’s club mascot getting in on the act but there he was celebrating in front of our fans and gesturing to them as we were applauding them for their support.

“I didn’t say anything. What would you say to an adult dressed as an insect anyway? I just stared him down.

”Besides, I had gone out of my way to be respectful to the Watford lads, telling them that with performances like that they were definitely staying up and there was a fair bit of mutual respect going on.

“So I didn’t want to spoil that by falling out with a six-foot tall hornet.

“We lost to a team that deserved to win that day, 100 percent. They had whipped their crowd up, so good luck to them.

“I definitely could have locked horns with their mascot but next time I see him I’ll shake his wing and we’ll kiss and make up!”

February was not the first time Harry the Hornet got involved in celebrations against Liverpool at Vicarage Road.

In 2015, he replicated Odion Ighalo’s celebration in another 3-0 victory for the Golden Boys.

Harry celebrates with Ighalo. Credit: Action Images

Harry was also in the headlines when Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson accused the mascot of “mocking” Wilfried Zaha.

Hodgson did not hold back when he was asked about Harry's "dive" at Vicarage Road in 2016 – a game in which Zaha was booked for diving.

Speaking in 2018, Hodgson said: "If you’re asking me whether Harry the Hornet, who I presume is the mascot, should dive in that way, I think it’s disgraceful.

"Because that’s not what football matches are about. If it’s provoking the crowd into looking for something that’s not there, it should be stopped.

"Wilf Zaha does not dive for penalties. He gets knocked over sometimes – sometimes he gets knocked over or unbalanced without it being a penalty or a foul – because he runs at such speed and has such agility with the ball. But he certainly doesn’t dive.

"But of course teams try to take every advantage they can. I would be very disappointed if the Palace mascot was doing something like that to provoke the crowd against an opponent. And if I found out about it, I would stop it."

Zaha is booked for simulation in April 2018. Credit: Action Images

In an edited extract from Dance Like Everybody’s Watching: The Weird and Wonderful World Of Sporting Mascots’ by Nick Miller, Harry said on the Zaha incident: "First and foremost, I dived about six metres behind him, not at his feet.

"Zaha is a fantastic footballer, no doubt about it. He’s gone past me as he’s walking down the tunnel, the fans are calling him diver, so I’ve just dived on the ground. Nothing more, nothing less. I’ve walked away, and got a reaction from the Palace fans, so I did it again – why wouldn’t I?"

Harry the Hornet celebrates the 3-0 victory in February. Credit: Action Images

He continued: "I didn’t understand what would happen the next day, with all these newspapers saying I’d dived at his feet. I contacted someone at the club saying I hadn’t, and they said “We know.”

"I sent a message to Troy Deeney and said 'You scored your 100th goal for the club and I’m getting the attention – I’m so sorry'.

"If I had thrown myself at a professional footballer’s feet, I would deserve to be banned. But I didn’t do that. The whole thing got totally blown out of proportion."