The second member of the coaching staff to sit in the ‘black chair’ at the training ground and be quizzed about their own career was Paul Robinson.
A real club legend, Robbo returned to Vicarage Road recently as Assistant Coach, some 21 years after he last played for the Hornets.
Head coach Tom Cleverley was the first to face the ‘Career Quiz’, and as you might expect from former professional footballers, the level of competition was high.
Andrew French: You made your Watford debut against Luton in Division 2 on October 29, 1996. It was a 1-1 draw. Who scored for Watford?
Paul Robinson: It wasn’t David Connolly was it?
AF: No you’re right, it wasn’t.
PR: Was it an evening game? No it wasn’t was it. I’m struggling to think of who was in the team. Can I have a clue – like was it a midfielder?
AF: The player could actually play in a variety of positions.
PR: Steve Palmer?
AF: No, it was Darren Bazeley. How many straight red cards did you receive in your senior career?
PR: I think I got about nine in all, though some were for two yellows. I think it was five.
AF: Correct. You scored your first Watford goal in a 2-0 win over Fulham on October 21, 1997. Who got the assist?
PR: Toomy Mooney.
AF: No.
PR: Nick Wright then.
AF: No, and no more guesses. It was Gifton Noel-Williams.
PR: Oh these are silly questions, they’re going back years!
AF: It was you first-ever goal Robbo! Which two teams did you play against most times (19) during your career?
PR: I’m going to say Coventry for one.
AF: No, but I’ll give you a clue to one team – it would have been a big derby for one of your clubs.
PR: Wolves then.
AF: Correct, and Wigan was the other one. You played against one team 18 times and lost 13 of them, the most losses to any opponent. Which team?
PR: Everyone has a bogey team, but I’m struggling to think who this is. Norwich?
AF: No.
PR: Bournemouth, I always hated playing against Bournemouth.
AF: No, Sunderland. During your career, which player did you play with the most? It was 191 times.
PR: That’s a good question that. I played with them 191 times? Wow. Ok, Kevin Phillips.
AF: No, but that’s a good guess. It was Jonathan Greening. Which Watford teammate did you line up alongside more than any other? It was 183 occasions.
PR: Blimey, that could be one of a few. With the amount of appearances you’d expect someone like Nigel Gibbs but I don’t think it was him. I’ll say Robert Page.
AF: Wrong. It was a midfielder.
PR: Richard Johnson or Micah Hyde.
AF: Yes it was Micah.
PR: As a defender I was thinking of the defenders I played with
AF: Your final WFC appearance was in a 1-0 win at Crewe on October 4, 2003. Who scored the goal?
PR: In 2003, so who was in the team back then? My mind’s gone blank. Was it Gifton?
AF: No, but I’ll give you a clue – he came here on loan before signing permanently.
PR: Ahhh, Danny Webber.
AF: That’s right. You played for England Under-21s in a 1-0 win over Bulgaria in a Euros qualifying game on June 8, 1999? Who scored the goal?
PR: I remember the game against Sweden better which was a few days before I think. I’m going to go for Carl Cort.
AF: Spot on, very good.
PR: I roomed with Carl, that’s why I remembered.
AF: The final appearance of your playing career was for Birmingham against Fulham at St Andrew’s on May 6, 2018. You came on as sub in the last minute. Who did you replace?
PR: That was . . . Jacques Maghoma.
AF: Bang on, great answer.
PR: They put me on wide left right at the end. Garry Monk said he wanted me as far away from our defence as possible because I was getting old! I just stood there and touched the ball once. I did well with those questions I think, given how far back they went.
AF: Well, not really – and it was your career!
PR: Yeah, but it was like 30 years ago!
