Luton legend Mick Harford says he’ll make sure the Hatters players know how big tomorrow’s Watford derby is and he still revels in the hat-trick he scored against them in 1986.
The former England striker, who scored 92 times for Town over two separate spells, will take his place in the dugout at Vicarage Road tomorrow, as the assistant manager for the club.
In Harford’s era, Watford was a regular fixture, but the two have not faced-off for 14 years and most of Luton’s players will have grown up never knowing the intensity of a fixture that Luton have the historical edge on, with 36 wins to the Hornets 28.
With a board made up of Hatters and a manager and assistant that have both also been players for the club, the current crop won’t be short of reminders just what a Watford derby is all about.
“I’ll definitely make sure they’re aware of what it means to the fans,” Harford told the Luton Town Supporters’ Trust podcast.
“It’s absolutely massive and we’ll make the players aware of that. It’s massive for the fans. When I was playing for Luton, the first two fixtures I looked for were Watford and Manchester United.
“Ironically, we’re playing the two of them inside a week, so it’s bizarre how it pans out, with where we’ve come from, to be playing these massive games.
“Watford, five years ago, were in the Premier League and we were in the Conference and now we’re playing each other, rightly so, in league status.
“So, it’s really big. It’s different. It’s just a horrible shame that there’s no fans in there.
“I know, as an ex-player, I know what it means to you guys (fans) to play against Watford, the rivalry. I know what it’s like, when we go down there, have a few beers and have a good time and hopefully see us win.
“I’m sure we’ll put up a great fight and I’m sure it’ll be a good contest down there, on the pitch.”
Harford was no stranger to the rough stuff when he played in the 1980s and 90s and while manager Nathan Jones thinks the fixture won’t have the same edge as in clashes past, his assistant still lets his best friend and former Watford goalkeeper, Tony Coton, know of the treble he put past him.
Recalling a Kenilworth Road edition of the derby from 34 years ago, Harford said: “I rang him the night before and said, ‘Tony, I’m going to score tomorrow and I’m going to knock you out!’
“Tony’s a bit tougher than me, so I never knocked him out but I did score three.”
You can hear the full interview on the Luton Town Supporters’ Trust Podcast.
