Pat Jennings may not be at the top of most fans' lists if you ask them to name Watford's greatest goalkeeper, but the legendary Northern Irishman is unrivalled in terms of his career achievements and his standing in the game.
Having focused on Steve Sherwood, Andy Rankin and Micky Walker last week, the Watford Treasury has again been looking back through the picture archives at five more goalkeepers from the club's past, including Jennings.
Signed from Newry Town, an illustrious career in the English game began with a 2-2 draw at Queens Park Rangers in May 1962.
Jennings was an ever-present the following season as Bill McGarry's side narrowly missed out on promotion to Division Two, but the goalkeeper's rise did continue that summer as he was signed by Tottenham Hotspur.
The then teenager spent 13 years at White Hart Lane, followed by another eight at Arsenal, winning the FA Cup at both North London clubs, while he made his 119th and final international appearance on his 41st birthday in the 1986 World Cup against Brazil.
Bert Slater's notable achievements happened before he moved to Vicarage Road in 1965 where he was to become number one for three seasons.
Either side of winning a Second Division title medal with Liverpool, Slater helped Falkirk lift the Scottish FA Cup and later got to the European Cup semi-finals with Dundee.
The 1960s had begun with Watford winning promotion to Division Three and while Cliff Holton and Dennis Uphill were grabbing the headlines with their record-breaking scoring partnership, it was Jimmy Linton who was a virtual ever-present at the other end of the pitch.
Watford's last line of defence missed only three of the 46 league games in that triumphant season and was to remain at the club as Dave Underwood's deputy after losing the number one spot.
Underwood had returned in April 1960 to begin his third spell at Vicarage Road, the first having ended in December 1953 when he joined Liverpool and became Watford's first £5,000 sale.
Underwood's departure for Anfield opened the door for Ted Bennett, who turned professional and was to miss only one league game in the next 86 until a broken finger halted that run.
Photo: Watford Museum
Bennett had previously won 11 amateur caps for England and played for Great Britain in the 1952 Olympics.
The latest volume The Watford Treasury — a visual history of Watford Football Club — is out now. It’s a 96-page full-colour magazine of photography and articles covering almost every decade of the club’s existence. Highlights include a piece on the Watford Observer’s former cartoonist Terry Challis, written by Oliver Phillips. There’s also an interview with Steve Palmer about Graham Taylor's 1990s side; reflections on the late Alan Garner by his team-mate Ian Bolton; and, looking further back, an article on 1950s goalkeeper (and GB Olympian) Ted Bennett.
You can order Volume 6 of The Watford Treasury via this link.
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