9. Dave Soloway

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Position – Striker
DOB – 31/8/1979
Debut v Portsmouth – 2001
Nicknames – Leo Sayer, Lino

Speedy and big-nosed Soloway has proved to be a hugely versatile player for the club since his debut in 2001, appearing with distinction up front, in central midfield and on the wing. Dave’s sometimes straggly hair and uncanny ability to look like several famous people at once unsettles many an opponent, but let us not forget he is also a linesman beyond compare. Now one of the senior players, Dave is 3rd in the all-time scorers list, despite his penchant for hideous misses, and has also shown an eye for the big occasion, as he starred in the A team’s run to the Quarter Finals at Worldnet 2011, and scored a second half equaliser in the 2012 London Cup Final

Dave’s Q and A

Describe yourself in a sentence

Average skill, average pace, average talent, average size nose

What was the first WFC game you went to and what can you remember about it?

October 1990 – Watford vs Middlesbrough – I remember standing on the old Rookery terrace and struggling to see what was going on at the far end of the pitch – we lost 3-0!

Finest ever WFC memory

The 1999 Play-off final – Having queued overnight outside the Vic for a ticket I’m not sure I’ve ever anticipated a game as much

Worst away trip and why

Hull.  The game(s) in 2008 are a close second but I also went there for a pre-season friendly in the late 90’s (??) that finished 0-0 and I seem to recall being particularly abysmal

WIFC playing highlight

I enjoy the vast majority of our games, away matches especially but a personal highlight is the funbus trip to play away at Sheffield United.  I was captain for the game, scored twice from central midfield in a 3-1 win against a good team and would say that it has been my best all-round performance for the team

Favourite WIFC moment

Watching Bally getting lobbed on his line, over and over again

All-time favourite Watford player

Darren Bazeley, obviously

All-time favourite Watford XI (not the best players – your favourites)

Kevin Miller, Keith Dublin, Colin Foster, Jay DeMerit, Nigel Gibbs, Adam Johnson, Craig Ramage, Ronny Rosenthal, Darren Bazeley, Devon White, Kevin Philipps

Red shorts or black?

Don’t care

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

Grant Heslov

Lee Evans

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Position – Centre Midfield
DOB – 10/5/1972
Debut v CYHSYF FC – Feb 1998
Nicknames – Evo, Injury

One of the first inductees to the WIFC Hall of fame in 2003, and also manager for a spell, Evo’s contribution to WIFC on and off the pitch has been immense. As well as years of combative, all action midfield displays, WIFCers now refer to injuires as Evo’s, due to the number picked up by WIFC’s former number eight. The old warhorse is never far away when Worldnet comes round and he has been B Team and Vets Captain on many occasions.

7. Joel Moody

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Position – Left Midfield
DOB – 15/9/1987
Apps – 220
Goals – 71
Debut v West Ham – Oct 2005
Worldnets – 8
Nicknames – Moods, Mrs Pricko

Winger and talc enthusiast Joel was recruited in 2005, having been spotted playing against WIFC for the Glory Horns team. Joel quickly became a key player and went on to break Matt Wells’ dominance of the most improved player award in 2006. He is also blessed with a turn of speed, a few Murph-esque tricks and a growing collection of great goals for his scrapbook, including a great run and finish against Nigel Gibbs’ Watford Legends in 2009. In 2011/12, Joel completed a unique treble, as he crowned a season in which he was top appearance maker and top scorer by winning the Player of the Year award, too.

Joel’s Q and A

Describe yourself in a sentence
Skinny Pixie-like wing wizard with a penchant for his team-mates’ daughters/sisters. Lock ’em up quick!

What was the first WFC game you went to and what can you remember about it?
April ’97 at home to Crewe Alexandra. We lost 2-1. All I remember is asking my dad why someone kept shouting and swearing at the players. In hindsight, it was probably one of you mugs!

Finest ever WFC memory
Watching Allan Smart grab Watford’s second at Wembley and bursting into tears. Awesome.

Worst away trip and why
Hull away. Enough said.

WIFC playing highlight
Skinning Nigel Gibbs and Andy Hessenthaler to score past Rich Walker when we played a bunch of Watford Legends at the Met.

Favourite WIFC moment
Talcing the f*** out of Daz

All-time favourite Watford player
Leigh Harrington

All-time favourite Watford XI (not the best players – your favourites)
Alec Chamberlain; Paul Robinson , Steve Palmer, Clarke Carlisle, Darren Bazeley; Nordin Wooter, Allan Nielsen, Micah Hyde, Ashley Young; Michel Ngonge, Heidar Helguson

Red shorts or black?
Red

Which actor would play you in ‘WIFC – The Movie’
Russell Brand

Rob Sterry

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Position – Striker
DOB – 15/4/1984
Debut v Susies Salon – Jul 2000
Nicknames – Heeeed, Jimmy, Stez, Stereo, Bob, Pinky

Since his drug-addled debut on the Amsterdam trip in 2000, Rob has gone from teenage sensation all the way to “higher levels”, two player of the year awards in 2001 and 2006, and being voted into the WIFC hall of fame in 2006. The club’s all time leading scorer, and almost certainly it’s most big headed and worst dressed player, Rob holds the record for most goals in a season, 39 in 2002/03 and has been top scorer 6 times in total, most recently in 2012/13. Other highlights include a six-goal salvo against Luton in the IFA Cup in 2003, and beating his own club record in 2008 with seven against Dulwich Hamlet. Now exiled in the States, Rob’s race to 200 goals may take a little longer than planned.

Rob’s Q and A

Describe yourself in a sentence
Modest, all time top goalscorer and punching above my weight!

What was the first WFC game you went to and what can you remember about it?
Southend at home in the early 90s. No one was there and it was the ZDS cup

Finest ever WFC memory
1999 play-off final. Day to remember

Worst away trip and why
Fulham away on boxing day 2000 losing 5-0

WIFC playing highlight
6 goals against Luton

Favourite WIFC moment
6 goals against Luton

All-time favourite Watford player
Craig Ramage (not Lee Nogan ? – Ed)

All-time favourite Watford XI (not the best players – your favourites)
Kevin Miller, Peter Kennedy, Fillipo Galli, Robert Page, Neil Cox, Nordin Wooter, Craig Ramage, Andy Hessenthaler, Gary Porter, Tommy Mooney, Luther Blissett

Red shorts or black?
Don’t care

Which actor would play you in ‘WIFC – The Movie’
Warwick Davis

Peter Fincham

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Position – Centre Back
DOB – 16/12/1973
Debut v Arsenal – May 1997
Nicknames – Mincer, Mincing Finch, Flappy, Knob-Knob

Once described as the beating, bloody heart of WIFC, Hall of Famer Fincham has been at the very hub of the club since inception. Having captained the side for a number of years, the highlight of his WIFC career was scoring the winner in the IFA Cup Semi Final win over St Mirren in 2002, and his legendary streaks at Worldnet will never be forgotten by those unlucky enough to see them. Uncultured and utterly committed in his playing days, Pete’s all action style may have contributed to the back injury to which he finally succumbed to in early 2011.  Having retired, management was always on the cards and Pete took on the role of Veterans team manager in 2011, leading the team to the quarter finals in his first season and victory at the Amsterdam Vets tournament in 2013.

Pete’s Q and A

Describe yourself in a sentence
Hardened cynical old bastard who has spent a lifetime wanting to be Mowen

What was the first WFC game you went to and what can you remember about it? Same as Paula Bet, Cambridge 6/3/81 and it finished 0-0. My only memories were of Gerry Armstrong warming up. My dad didn’t seem to enjoy himself – he left shortly afterwards.

Finest ever WFC memory
Wembley in 99 with the entire WIFC squad at the time. We all used to sit together home and away back in those days and got the best tickets together at Wembley right by the royal box. From throwing Dons crutches into the trees after a pub-breakfast early that morning, to the last knockings around the pond, it was the day of all days.Although this is run close by the whole Amsterdam 2000 trip!

Worst away trip and why
WIFC played Stockport on the morning of our league match with them in November 98. For some reason, a number of us got absolutely hammered the night before in the Estcourt and although we had to leave around 6.30am, at around 7.15 I got a call from a perplexed Evo who was waiting for Alice and I at a garage in Hemel for what was supposed to be his away debut.

After Evo breaking all records to get us to Stockport, we ended up losing 7-2 and Alice had a decent run out, which shows how bad things were. I was still pissed and turning green, while Evo threatened never to do another away game again after a mix up with the definition of petrol money. There’s been many worse WFC days out, but this was my worst WIFC one by far.

WIFC playing highlight
Tie between scoring the winner in the Cup Semi Final v St Mirren (with my right foot!) and the game v the Legennds where I played on the Legends side for a few minutes.

But the repeat awards for Team of the Year are the thing which are most memorable. What started out as a bit of fun and a chance to represent Watford in something small, quickly turned into an ethos and a binding force for so many friendships because we’ve always tried to do things the right way.

Favourite WIFC moment
Between Daz rutting with Manzo in Southampton and being asked to be the 1st captain at Euronet 97 as it was back then.

All-time favourite Watford player
Nigel Gibbs

All-time favourite Watford XI (not the best players – your favourites)
Chamberlain, Gibbs, Robbo, Palmer, Terry, Barnes, Bonnot, Hessenthaler, Tommy Smith, Blissett, Helguson

Red shorts or black?
Black

Which actor would play you in ‘WIFC – The Movie’
Denis Leary

Julian Carrera

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Position – Left Back
DOB – 6/5/1972
Debut v Arsenal – May 1997
Nicknames – Jules, Lightning

Julian was a member of the original squad, and actually managed the feat of being WIFC’s first ever goalscorer in the inaugural IFC game against Arsenal. Not bad for a defender. Passionate and robust in the challenge as a player, Julian was a regular captain and also spent a spell as manager, leading WIFC to the Worldnet quarter finals in 2003. Julian also took the B team reigns the following year and was the first player to reach 250 appearances, before retiring from WIFC duty as the club’s record appearance maker at the time.

Management team

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The WIFC management team is..

Fixtures Secretary – Charlie Wood
Charlie is now in his second season in this pivotal role, and is also our main contact point for the IFA. He is also responsible for communications to the team

Team Manager – Richard Walker
Richard is responsible for matchday management and the weekday running of the club, having taken on the role in 2014 and is assisted by Richard Murphy

Club Captain – Stuart Nicholls
Now in his tenth year as a WIFC player, Stuart became club captain in 2018 and helps out with the organisation on match days

Treasurer – Chris Davis
Chris has stayed on as treasurer having stood down from the team manager role in 2014

Stats/Website – Dave Messenger
Dave keeps the stats and website ticking along

Website admin – Aidy Spender
Aidy is the main admin and designer of the website

WIFC Pontoon

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WIFC Pontoon is your chance to WIN WIN WIN!!

It’s better than the lottery as we will pay out 80% of entry fees!

It’s better than a raffle, as you will not win something naff that you didn’t want anyway! What can you win ….. cash! And lots of it!

What will it cost you? Just 50p (ish) per week!

So here’s how it works!

At the start of each game you are drawn a team at random from the English leagues.

Each week we take what was originally allocated as your teams fixture for that weekend as your teams qualifying game.

For every goal your team scores you get a point (fixture cancelled / no game = 2 points), i.e. 3 goals = 3 points.

The aim is to be the first team to reach 21 points without going bust / over, i.e. if you are on 19 then 3 is no good to you and you go bust.

The first person(s) to reach 21 wins the Prize Fund based upon the number of weeks for that game.

What can you win for your entry fee?If we get 100 entries, the price is set at 50p per week, and it took 8 weeks for the game to be won, then the winning prize (if not shared) would be calculated as follows:

100 people  x  50p  x  8 weeks  x  80%  =  £320 !!!!

Not bad for 50p per week is it!!

And don’t forget that is just one game! A full season should provide you with at least 5 opportunities to win!

NOTE: Each game commences with a new draw so if you do not like your team then you will not be stuck with them for the whole season!

For the latest pontoon updates, click here…

2011/12

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An overview of our results in 2011/12

WIFC 11/12 Pld W D L GS GA GD
League 20 9 1 10 57 55 2
Friendlies 6 4 0 2 32 21 11
Cup Games 12 4 1 7 16 13 3
TOTAL 38 17 2 19 105 89 16
Goals Per Game 2.76 2.34

A full list of results and scorers..

Date Comp Opposition Score Scorers
27-Aug-11 LGE1/LCGRP Dagenham & Redbridge H W 3-0 Ainsley, Fellas, Soloway
17-Sep-11 LGE2 Barnsley A W 5-2 Nicholls 2, Hannaford, Soloway 2
01-Oct-11 LGE3 Southampton A L 2-5 OG, Prentice
08-Oct-11 LGE4 Oxford H W 4-1 J Davis 2, Prentice 2
15-Oct-11 LGE5/LCGRP Barnet A W 3-2 J Davis 2, Prentice
22-Oct-11 LGE6 MK Dons A L 1-3 Prentice (Pen)
29-Oct-11 FR WIFC Yellows v Reds H W 4-3 Moody 2, Eustice, Nicholls – Myall, Murphy, Prentice
05-Nov-11 LGE7 Brentford Hey Jude A L 1-3 Prentice
26-Nov-11 LGE8/IFAC1 Livingston (Olympic Lion) H L 3-4 J Davis, R Sterry, Spender
03-Dec-11 LGE9 Ipswich A D 2-2 Myall 2
10-Dec-11 FR Belgian Soldiers of Fortune H W 6-3 Pollard 2, Moody, L Wells, Ainsley, D Messenger
14-Jan-12 LGE10 West Ham H L 1-3 Moody
21-Jan-12 LGE11 Oxford A L 3-5 J Davis, Hand, Duncan
28-Jan-12 LGE12/LCGRP AFC Wimbledon B H W 5-0 Nicholls, Dundon 2, OG, Soloway
04-Feb-12 LGE13 Barnsley H L 3-5 Moody, Soloway, Ainsley
18-Feb-12 LGE14 Dulwich Hamlet A L 2-4 Moody (Pen), Nicholls
10-Mar-12 LGE15 West Ham A L 1-6 Holdham
17-Mar-12 LGE16 Coventry H W 6-1 Stone, Dew 2, Soloway, Wenham, Moody
24-Mar-12 LGE17/LCSF AFC Wimbledon H W 5-2 Moody, Holdham, R Sterry 2, Smith
24-Mar-12 LGE18 Ipswich H W 2-1 Myall, J Collins
14-Apr-12 LGE19 Barnet H L 2-3 Myall, Soloway (Pen)
21-Apr-12 LCF West Ham N D 2-2* Harrington, Soloway *lost 6-7 on pens
05-May-12 LGE20 Dagenham & Redbridge A W 3-2 Hinds, Butterick, Wenham
08-May-12 FR WIFC Yellows v Reds H W 6-1 OG, Eustice, Dundon 2, Moody 2 – Wenham
12-May-12 FR Dulwich Hamlet H W 12-4 Soloway, R Sterry 3, Prentice, Flanagan, Harrington 2, Ainsley, Pegram, C Davis 2
08-Jul-12 SDT West Ham N L 0-1
08-Jul-12 SDT Barnet N L 1-2 Soloway
08-Jul-12 SDT London Carlisle N W 3-0 Pegram, R Sterry 2
21-Jul-12 Worldnet A’s Portsmouth N W 3-0 Moody, Soloway, Dew
21-Jul-12 Worldnet A’s AFC Telford United N L 1-2 Dundon
21-Jul-12 Worldnet A’s Coventry N W 2-0 Moody, Dundon
21-Jul-12 Worldnet Vets Leeds N L 0-1
21-Jul-12 Worldnet Vets Airdrie N L 1-2 Fellas (Pen)
21-Jul-12 Worldnet Vets West Ham Vets N W 3-0 Withey, L Wells, Eustice
22-Jul-12 Worldnet Vets Last 16 Oxford Vets N L 0-1
22-Jul-12 Worldnet Last 16 AFC Telford United N L 0-2

And here are the appearances and goals stats for all players to appear in 2011/12

Name 11/12 Apps 11/12 Gls
Joel Moody 28 13
Stuart Nicholls 25 5
Stuart Holdham 21 2
Matt Ainsley 19 4
Dave Soloway 17 11
Alex Prentice 17 8
Andy Myall 16 5
Matt Wells 15
Richard Murphy 15 1
Phil McBride 15
Martin Pollard 15 2
Aidy Spender 15 1
Panos Fellas 14 2
Ed Sterry 14
Dan Willis 13
Jeremy Hinds 13 1
Jamie Parkins 12
Rob Sterry 12 8
Tom Beck 12
Paul Whittenbury 11 3
Rob Stone 11 1
Frank Smith 11 1
Steve Eustice 10 3
Richard Walker 10
Laurence Wells 9 2
Chris Dundon 8 6
Lee Evans 8
Mark Brennan 8
Darren Sear 7
Mat Ball 7
David Morren 7
Maurice Clarke 7
Chris Dew 7 3
Simon Jones 7
Jimmy Davis 6 6
Richard Wenham 6 3
Warren Flanagan 5 1
Martin Owen 5
Tim Down 5
Ben Pegram 5 2
Chris Westcott 5
Leigh Harrington 5 3
Paul Withey 5 3
Dan Butterick 5 1
Dave Messenger 4 1
Andy Lewers 4
Josh Freedman 4
Paul Labbett 4
Jon Parry 4
Jerker Kjellander 3
James Collins 3 1
James Hannaford 3 1
Ben Clarke 3
Ross Tolmie-Thomson 3
Chris Davis 3 2
Harry Tolmie-Thomson 3
Max Walters 3
Paul Karlsen 2
Marc Duffy 2
Ian Grinstead 2
Richard Messenger 2
Fraser Clark 2
Ben Frais 2
Scott Cain 2
Sam Copeland 2
Mark Collins 1
Andy Stocks 1
Scott Mathers 1
Craig Urquhart 1
Richard Betts 1
Alex Malcolm 1
Tony Mehegan 1
Ryan Viduka 1
Richie Duncan 1 1
Rich Evans 1
Luke Hand 1 1
James Tookey 1
James Penny 1
Jack King 1
Dan Norris 1
Andrew Carberry 1
Paul Killick 1

Martin Pollard

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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