The end of the season gives the opportunity for a host of maintenance jobs to be carried out around a professional football club – including some that require a head for heights.

Eleven days after Watford had ended the 1989/90 season with a 3-1 victory over Hull City at Vicarage Road to secure a 15th-place finish in the old Division Two, workmen armed with pots, rollers and brushes scaled the floodlight pylons to give them a fresh lick of paint.

They were joined by an intrepid Watford Observer photographer and the outcome were these fantastic photos, featuring views of the ground and the surrounding area usually only enjoyed by passing birds.

Watford Observer: It was a bit of a balancing act at timesIt was a bit of a balancing act at times (Image: Watford Observer)

We hope you enjoy seeing these pictures from our archive that were captured on May 16, 1990 when both ends of the ground were still terracing.

Watford Observer: How Vicarage Road looked from the top of a floodlight pylon in May 1990How Vicarage Road looked from the top of a floodlight pylon in May 1990 (Image: Watford Observer)

Watford Observer: Getting to work with a rollerGetting to work with a roller (Image: Watford Observer)

Watford Observer: Looking towards the town centreLooking towards the town centre (Image: Watford Observer)

Watford Observer: Hold on tight...Hold on tight... (Image: Watford Observer)

Watford Observer: Looking out over the allotments to the Cardiff Road areaLooking out over the allotments to the Cardiff Road area (Image: Watford Observer)

Watford Observer: It was messy work...It was messy work... (Image: Watford Observer)

Watford Observer: Don't look down...Don't look down... (Image: Watford Observer)

Watford Observer: This image shows the size of the individual lampsThis image shows the size of the individual lamps (Image: Watford Observer)

Watford Observer: The hospital car park was busy that dayThe hospital car park was busy that day (Image: Watford Observer)

Watford Observer: Being careful not to drop his brushBeing careful not to drop his brush (Image: Watford Observer)

Watford Observer: Concentrating on the job in hand rather than the viewsConcentrating on the job in hand rather than the views (Image: Watford Observer)