Greatest Watford Players Ever – Top 10 Legends
2. John Barnes
Barnes was arguably the most gifted player to ever wear the yellow of Watford. He cost the club a full set of kit when signed from Sudbury Court in 1981. It soon became apparent that the Hornets had unearthed a real gem in the Jamaican born skilful winger.
One of the greatest Watford players ever, Barnes just 17 when he made his debut, and helped Graham Taylor’s side in promotion in his first season. They finished their maiden top-flight campaign as runners-up with Barnes contributing 10 league goals.
His glittering form resulted in an England call-up at the age of 19, and he scored a famous solo goal in Brazil while on Watford’s books.
During six seasons he scored 83 goals in nearly 300 outings and earned a £900,000 transfer to Liverpool in 1987. In 2016, he was voted England’s greatest ever left-footed player by readers of The Times.
1. Luther Blissett
Luther Blissett is all-time record appearance maker and goal scorer for Watford. The centre forward scored 186 goals in 503 matches over three separate spells at Vicarage Road after making his initial debut in the 1975/76 season.
He was a key part of Watford’s rise from the Fourth Division to a second-placed top-flight finish in 1982/83.
Blissett was capped 14 times by England, scoring a hat-trick on his debut. Blissett’s other clubs included A.C. Milan, who paid £1m for him in 1983 before selling him back to Watford for £550,000 in 1984, and A.F.C. Bournemouth, for whom he had a goals-to-games ratio of nearly one goal in every two appearances.
He rejoined Watford as a coach in February 1996, coming in with returning manager Graham Taylor. He left the club in June 2001, following the appointment of Gianluca Vialli as manager.
Having been a Watford season ticket holder for 25 years personally I’d rank Troy 3rd only behind John Barnes and of course Luther. The guy deserves far more credit than the ranking given on here not only for stuff on the pitch but off it too, not to mention his loyalty and his amazing captaincy. Captain Fantastic. All that being said, of course not a player but on or off field Graham Taylor ranks number one in any listings. The guy was a legend both on and off the pitch and having been lucky enough to have met him a few times, what a true gentleman and a thoroughly decent man as well. ❤️