Chris Davis

Position – Full Back
DOB – TBC
Debut v Preston B – Nov 2009
Nicknames – CD

Former team manager Chris is one half of the first father-son duo to appear for WIFC since Mike and Keith Scofield in the early years of the club. Coaxed out of retirement for a few cameo appearances since Jimmy joined, Chris rolled back the years to star for the Vets team at Worldnet in 2010. Since then, a call-to-arms sub appearance in a close win at Coventry and a brace at home to Dulwich have been highlights. Chris’ tactical knowledge and motivation came to the fore during his successful spell as manager between 2011-14. He led the club to two London Cup Finals in 2012 & 2013, with WIFC securing the silverware second time round. His final season saw another London Cup Final and a club record for least amount of goals conceded in a season, and he was deservedly inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2014.

CD with cup

Chris Q and A

Describe yourself in a sentence
I’m a dad first and everything else comes second

What was the first WFC game you went to and what can you remember about it?
York at home in 1972, remember not a lot other than my dad sat me on a high(ish) wall in the rookery so I could see and he could stand with mates and smoke his ciggies.

Finest ever WFC memory
The Bolton play off 1999 was great but the run from Div 4 to runners up in Div 1 and FA cup final under GT was 8 years of footie which we will never see again. I could select a dozen games and still leave some highlights out.

Worst away trip and why
December 2001 away to Sheffield Wed in League Cup Quarter Final under Vialli. One of the few times I have left early due to complete lack of effort from the team, lost 0-4 then drove home getting back at silly o’clock. Hope we never get another Italian manager, ah!!

WIFC playing highlight
Coming on and changing the game against Dulwich with 2 long range goals. Up to then Dulwich had looked the better team and in my humble opinion I made the difference between winning and losing. I don’t like to talk about it though.

Favourite WIFC moment
Every game I get to see Jimmy playing.

All-time favourite Watford player
Keith Pritchett (look him up kids)

All-time favourite Watford XI (not the best players – your favourites)
Tony Coton, Nigel Gibbs, John McClelland, Steve Terry, Keith Pritchett, Tommy Mooney, Martin Patching, Jan Lohman, Keith Mercer, Ross Jenkins (the real one), Heidar Helguson,

Red shorts or black?
Black

Which actor would play you in ‘WIFC – The Movie’
Ricky Tomlinson

Ben Clarke

Position – Goalkeeper
DOB – 19/1/1991
Debut v QPR – June 2009
Nicknames – Clarkey

Ben was drafted in to play in goal at Worldnet in 2009, making his club bow a few weeks before that in a fine win at QPR. Also a more than handy player out on pitch, Ben grabbed his first goal for the club while playing up front against MK Dons later that year, and gave a great display in central midfield against West Ham in 2010. Since then he became a Worldnet specialist, appearing for the A team in 3 consecutive tournaments before his burgeoning career in Footgolf took off.

Neil Hall

Position – Goalkeeper
DOB – 7/4/1982
Debut v Hull – March 2008
Nicknames – Helpdesk

Neil’s short but memorable WIFC career started in 2008, and he announced his arrival with a superb performance on his debut at Hull during the infamous funbus trip of 2008. He followed that up with a penalty save in a 1-0 win at Northampton in his second game and a superb Worldnet that summer, all of which helped Neil earn the best newcomer award that season. Injuries and Sunday football limited Neil’s appearances, and he was memorably sandwiched between Luther Blissett and Mathers during the 2009 legends game and missed six months of football.

John Akers

Position – Left Back
DOB – 15/9/1976
Debut v Glory Horns – Aug 2006
Nicknames – Spud, Mr Brightside

John joined the club in 2006, and scored his first goal for from the penalty spot at West Brom in 2009. John was also involved with the management team and showed a Soloway-esque passion for running the line.. never before has your profile writer seen someone volunteer for internet football’s most glamorous role with such spectacular regularity. A regular attendee on WIFC trips, John capped his first Worldnet by going absolutely mental to his signature tune, Mr Brightside, in Leeds’ Walkabout on the Sunday night.

Tim Down

Position – Left Midfield
DOB – 29/4/1975
Debut v The Bantam – Oct 2004
Nicknames – Down, down, down, down, Screech

One of only two WIFCers with his own song, Ian Lay and Screech look-a-like Tim originally joined the club in 2004 through the traditional method of replying to an advert on the Watford Mailing List. Since scoring on his debut, Tim has gone on to produce some good displays on the left of midfield and showed a fondness for Sambuca on his first WIFC trip, which is equal only to his lack of fondness for the barber shops in his Leamington home-town if his former mop is anything to go by.

Tim’s Q and A

Describe yourself in a sentence
Guy who shows up occasionally, sometimes with ridiculous hair.

What was the first WFC game you went to and what can you remember about it?
I can’t remember. It was some time during the 82-83 season and we won. I assumed for ages that that was what always happened.

Finest ever WFC memory
1999 play-off final. Shamefully, I wasn’t even there, I was just embarrassingly over-excited in a pub.

Worst away trip and why
I haven’t done that many. One that sticks in the mind is Coventry away early in the Boothroyd promotion season. The stadium wasn’t finished, there were two delays for blackouts, we got stuffed by a not particularly good team.

WIFC playing highlight
Scoring on debut, possibly setting expectations that I haven’t lived up to.

Favourite WIFC moment
The over-the-top celebration that followed Steve Eustice scoring the B team’s first ever goal at WorldNET in 2005.

All-time favourite Watford player
John Barnes. Just quality.

All-time favourite Watford XI (not the best players – your favourites)
Chamberlain; Robinson, McClelland, Palmer, Gibbs; Barnes, Nielsen, Jackett, Young; Helguson, Blissett.

Red shorts or black?
Black, obviously. Anyone who disagrees is a moron.

Which actor would play you in ‘WIFC – The Movie’
Dustin Diamond. Look him up.

Ian Grinstead

Position – Centre Back
DOB – 17/2/1966
Debut – Unknown – 2001
Nicknames – Grino

Experienced centre back Grino is now exiled in Spain, but gave sterling service to the club in 9 years as a player. Grino had a stint as team manager for the 2003/04 season, having managed the B team at Worldnet in 2003. His most memorable WIFC moments include being subbed to take his then 5 year old son for a poo during a game, and a stand-out comeback performance against Barnet in 2009.

Martin Pollard

Position – Centre Half/Striker
DOB – 19/3/1971
Debut v QPR – Mar 2005
Nicknames – Polly, Poolard, Vicky

Martin joined the club during 2005 and quickly impressed with some strong line-leading displays, including a super performance in a win at Rotherham on the first funbus trip. He also collected nicknames very quickly, thanks in no part to Little Britain’s Vicky Pollard, and he’s also organised the WIFC Top Golf Days given his role as manager there. Now firmly in the veteran category, Polly actually retired in 2010 but made a comeback and went past 100 appearances following a switch to centre-half.

Martin’s Q and A

Describe yourself in a sentence
At the age where you know you should hang those boots up, but you know you’ll miss playing the game too much…. give me a season up front and I promise I’ll quit.

What was the first WFC game you went to and what can you remember about it?
First memory is of peering through iron fencing at the front of the old Shrodells Stand.. got to be mid late 70’s. Otherwise the first one I really remember was going on the pitch against Wrexham when we got promoted to Division 1.

Finest ever WFC memory
Has to be the 2-0 playoff win against Bolton at Wembley. Probably the drunkest I’ve been at the start of any Watford FC game.

Worst away trip and why
Hull away. For so many reasons became the longest away day ever, awful weather, speed limited funbus, Wellsy’s “beer banter”, awful WIFC result and shocking WFC game in the afternoon… followed by having to clear out the food fight from the back of the funbus on the Sunday morning.

WIFC playing highlight
Rotherham away (The Dundon nose game). Playing as a lone striker, but causing so many problems to their back four. Didn’t score but won pretty much everything I went for, one of those games where everything came off and we won 2-0 against a very strong Rotherham side.

Favourite WIFC moment
Playing for the Worldnet B side, bagging a load of goals on the Saturday despite being crippled… and finding the best goal got recorded on video.

All-time favourite Watford player
Rick Holden. Back in the days when I used to play down the wing… I’d love watching him tear up and down the line. Not the most gifted player, but one I really enjoyed watching.

All-time favourite Watford XI (not the best players – your favourites)
Tony Coton. Nigel Gibbs, John McClelland, David Holdsworth, Paul Robinson, Rick Holden, Craig Ramage, Richard Johnson, Nigel Callaghan, Luther Blissett, Ronnie Rosenthal.

Red shorts or black?
Red

Which actor would play you in ‘WIFC – The Movie’
Tim McInnerny