Look back at Blissett’s first Watford goal against Swansea

Watford will head to Wales on Saturday, hoping to follow up their first win of the Championship season with another three points against a club that holds a special significance in the career of one of the town’s favourite sons.

After making his debut off the bench in a 1-0 win over Barnsley earlier in the month, 18-year-old striker Luther Blissett was given his first start by manager Mike Keen when Swansea City came to Vicarage Road on Saturday, April 17, 1976.

Luther Blissett scored the first of his 186 Watford goals against Swansea in April 1976. The game came just 24 hours after Watford were held to a goalless draw at home by Torquay United, and a crowd of only 4,536 watched Blissett celebrate his full debut with the first of an unrivalled 186 goals for a club for which he became the greatest player in its history in the eyes of many fans.

Peter Coffill scored the other goal in the 2-1 victory in Watford’s final home game of the season, which also saw another Watford player make his debut for the club.

Goalkeeper Peter Gibbs made his first of only four appearances for Watford before retiring. Goalkeeper Peter Gibbs played the final three games of that season, as well as one in September 1976, before announcing his retirement at the age of 20, citing a lack of dedication.

The game also witnessed these scenes in which the referee seemed to sustain an injury to his face (Image: Watford Observer).

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