With contributions from 28 writers, including players, fans and journalists, The Nineties: The Second Coming is 264 pages of 90s nostalgia.
Released this Thursday, and edited by Nick Catley and Colin Payne, it covers a decade where so much changed through personal tales and recollections.
“The 90s were an important decade for me, as that was the time I started to really understand what it meant to be a fan, to have that all-engulfing passion for the club, and I suspect that will be true for a lot of people,” said Nick.
“More widely, though, the experience of that decade – an awful lot of tedious, mediocre football with a shorter period of glorious success – is quite representative of the average experience of fans of most eras, and indeed most clubs.”
Andy Hessenthaler, Craig Ramage and Kevin Phillips – and some pitch invaders (Image: Watford Observer/Watford Treasury)
Colin added: “It’s surprising just how fondly the earlier part of the decade is looked at.
“The popular belief was that until Graham Taylor’s return it was a grim old time, but the articles reflect that there was much to affectionately remember.
“Funnily enough we got more submissions from the Perryman/Roeder time than for the two promotion seasons, maybe we’re just a masochistic bunch!”
The front cover of the new book (Image: Watford Treasury)
So what can readers expect to see and read within the book?
“You’ll find the matches and players you’d expect – Oxford, Leeds, Bolton, Peterborough, Luton, Fulham, Bolton (again), Hessy, Ramage, Mooney,” Nick explained.
“But you’ll also hear plenty on how we managed to enjoy the bad times as well as the good, plus what Jack Petchey was really like, how Luther won Goal of the Season the year after he played his last game for us, and why Graham Taylor’s return was summed up by a dead pigeon.”
Graham Taylor and the dejected Hornets players applaud the fans following Watford’s relegation in the 1990s (Image: Watford Observer/Watford Treasury)
One of the notable aspects of the book is the array of images featured.
“Like our earlier books and magazines, we’re extremely lucky to be blessed with the support of both the Watford Observer and Watford FC, something which allows us to really bring the time featured to life, and a cooperation we’re truly grateful for,” said Colin.
Advance copies of The Nineties: The Second Coming can be purchased through the Watford Treasury’s website at https://thewatfordtreasury.com/ and is priced at £18, plus postage.
