In September 2000, the UK was in the midst of a major fuel crisis. A series of blockades and protests over rising prices were causing widespread disruption to the supply of petrol, meaning stations were running dry as drivers up and down the country resorted to panic buying.
As Watford were travelling north via train to fulfil a Division One fixture at Blackburn Rovers on Tuesday September 12, a reported 3,000 petrol stations nationwide were closed and newspapers were speculating that fuel was set to run out within 48 hours. Fair to say, a non-essential midweek journey to Lancashire and back, set against this backdrop, was only one for the most ardent away-day fans.
Nevertheless, a three-figure sum of dedicated Hornets supporters set off for Ewood Park unperturbed, and it proved to be a risk worth taking as they witnessed one of the club’s most memorable matches of that era.
One or two might have been questioning the wisdom of their trip when goals by David Dunn and Nathan Blake left Watford facing a two-goal deficit with just 16 minutes played, but by half-time they were celebrating a 3-2 lead, thanks to Micah Hyde’s sublime double and a Heiðar Helguson header.
“I remember clearly there was a petrol problem going on and that we went up by train. It must’ve been really difficult for our fans to get up to Blackburn that night, so we were just glad we could reward them for their trouble,” said Hyde, who would later earn the club’s Display of the Season award for his part in proceedings.
“We weren’t too clever in the first half and the manager was having a few words with us. But we were one of those teams that if the other team scored two, we’d always back ourselves to score three or four. We were always just trying to score goals.”
A record of 28 goals in 288 Watford games is hardly prolific, even for a midfielder, but the two Hyde scored that evening were goals of the highest order – the first a left-footed volley into the bottom left from the edge of the area, the second a right-footed drive from even further that nestled into the opposite corner.
“They were up there as some of the best goals I scored in my career, especially because we won the game,” recalled Hyde. “I also scored a good one against Bolton, that was a nice strike into the top corner and it was two days after my son was born so we did the rocking baby celebration. That was my most memorable goal, but the two against Blackburn were definitely among my best.
“Previously in training we’d been shooting from outside the box and trying to get more goals that way, and I remember the ball came to me and I just had a shot. Sometimes they go in, sometimes they don’t, but I was fortunate enough to get a couple that day.
“The first one definitely gave me the confidence to try the second one. It often works the other way round – if you miss one from that sort of distance then next time you’ll pass it 10 yards because otherwise your teammates will be looking at you, but if you hit one and it goes in your confidence is high. Success breeds confidence.”
Watford were to add a fourth through Tommy Mooney midway through the second period, meaning a late second from Rovers striker Blake was only ever going to be a consolation and the Hornets’ jubilant fans were able to celebrate an incredible 4-3 turnaround as they navigated their tricky return journey.
“It says everything about the spirit that we had,” said Hyde. “We were an attack-minded team. With Graham [Taylor] we didn’t really work that much on the opposition, it was more about what we were going to do and about making sure we were going forward. We had a great team spirit under Graham, he was such a good manager.
“When I looked around the changing room there were several captains, everybody was a leader in their own right and Graham made sure we all took responsibility for our own roles in the team. Graham moulded us into a team full of leaders, and we had a lot of players with those characteristics. It was a really good time.”
Victory over Graeme Souness’ Blackburn was one of 12 from the Hornets’ opening 15 league games in 2000/01, and Watford seemed on course to secure an immediate return to the Premier League. Form, unfortunately, dipped off and the team were to finish the season in ninth, something Hyde attributes to a period of change the club were going through.
“We had such a good start and won so many games. Those sort of runs are nice to look back on but when you’re playing the games you don’t think about it too much to be honest,” said the former Cambridge, Burnley and Peterborough midfielder.
“During that time it was a bit of a transitional period after our time in the Premier League. There were some players coming and some players going, so we did really well to start the season in great such form, but unfortunately it tailed off.
“We had a very strong team in those days – talent wise we probably weren’t the best, but in terms of spirit we were fantastic. I think in the end you could see the amount of change we were going through in our form.”
Since retiring Hyde has undertaken coaching roles with the likes of Dagenham & Redbridge and QPR, but he still considers himself a Watford supporter and is keen to see the club with whom he spent seven successful years achieve success this season.
“I feel so warmly about the Watford fans because of what they’ve done for me and the opportunity I had to play in front of them, so it’s nice when people tell me that they feel the same way towards me,” said Hyde, now 48.
“I always look out for their results, I’m a Watford fan at heart and I’m very keen for them to bounce back and get back into the Premier League.”
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