We have an impressive record against Watford in our history, and we’ve won more than we’ve lost. This tie usually guarantees goals, in fact out of the 43 matches we’ve had against Watford none of them have ended in a goalless 0-0 draw…
SUNDERLAND 5-0 WATFORD - LEAGUE DIVISION TWO - 17.04.1972
We had seemingly squandered our promotion hopes meanwhile our guests had been sitting in the relegation zone for the entire season. Two weeks before they came to Roker Park they had already been relegated, so for them the game meant nothing but to us we could still try and hope for promotion. The game handed a 17 year old Joe Bolton his debut. We actually didn’t start the game very well, but we still went ahead five minutes before the interval, albeit against the run of play. From then we dominated but it wasn’t until the 72nd minute we got our second, then the floodgates opened and by the 87th minute we were five to the good. Our biggest win of the 71-72 season, in front of our lowest attendance of the season at Roker. Who says lightning doesn’t strike twice? In this case it did, suppose Watford should do their best to avoid playing us at home in April. We would beat them again 5-0 in 1980, in the Second Division again.
WATFORD 8-0 SUNDERLAND - LEAGUE DIVISION ONE - 25.09.1982
Well, after two 5-0 defeats we were due some payback, and back in the top flight the Hornets stung us. In the first ten minutes our record signing at the time, Ally McCoist, missed two sitters and that set the tone for the remainder of the game. Nigel Callaghan scored after twelve minutes and then ten minutes later he doubled his tally and Watford’s lead. Three minutes later they had another and before half time we were four down. By the end of the game Luther Blissett had four goals to his name. Watford were quickly cementing themselves as a Division One side with no worries of going back down, and to everyone’s surprise they finished as runners up to Liverpool.
WATFORD 2-3 SUNDERLAND - PREMIER LEAGUE - 27.11.1999
Kevin Phillips was returning to his old stomping ground, Vicarage Road, and he showed them exactly what they were missing out on as he bagged a brace to grab all three points for the Lads. In nets for them was former Sunderland keeper Alec Chamberlain. Watford went ahead after only four minutes with a decent shot on the edge of the area. Twenty minutes later Phillips would try his luck and in the form he was in, everything he touched made it’s way in the net. And once again it did, a deflected effort wrong footing Chamberlain. He followed it up with a headed goal to put us in front but four minutes after the break Watford were level through a penalty. Then with twenty left on the clock Gavin McCann netted the winner from a tight angle in the six yard box. We ended the night third in the Prem, and a few days later Kevin Ball would leave to join Fulham. Making this Watford game his last appearance in the famous Red and White stripes.
SUNDERLAND 4-2 WATFORD - CHAMPIONSHIP - 12.02.2005
This particular match was grabbed by the scruff of its neck by Marcus Stewart, who we are all thinking of at this time. His hat trick won us the game. By the 35th minute we were in front by two, a brace from Stewart had us sailing to victory. Early into the second half Marcus completed the hattrick and we were 3-0 up. Stewart was taken off midway through the second half but that was no surprise, it happened frequently and he deserved his early rest after putting the game to bed. He was replaced by Chris Brown who scored our fourth of the day just minutes after coming on. The Hornets decided to put up somewhat of a fight too late into the game, they pulled one back three minutes after our fourth but by then the damage was done. Just before the end of play they managed to get another but it was a mere consolation goal, Watford didn’t do enough to warrant much panic of us capitulating in good old Sunderland fashion.
On Saturday, I think it's fair to say that it will be another game full of goals. Our striker-less performance against Reading showed the attacking flair of the likes of Roberts, Clarke and Pritch. But Watford are recently relegated from the Premier League and will be hoping to prove a point to their fans after a disappointing 2-0 loss to Blackburn midweek, in which their gaffer labelled the performance as "not good enough". Despite our lack of a proper number nine, I reckon we'll be able to grind out a well-fought point away from home...
