Everton and Watford’s relationship has turned quite sour since the Blues pursued the Hornet’s manager Marco Silva in November 2017 and then appointing him as their manager in May 2018. A couple of months after the appointment, Watford submitted a complaint to the Premier League, claiming Everton made an illegal approach for Silva. Watford also stopped playing Z Cars in the last few weeks of the 2018/19 season and replaced it with I’m Still Standing by Elton John. (The theme was then brought back in the first game of the 2019/20 season against Brighton.) Everton subsequently paid Watford compensation of £4m. The Watford fans showed their disapproval of Marco Silva by bringing rubber snakes to the clubs’ first meeting since Silva’s appointment as Everton manager the following December.

The relationship between the clubs is in tatters, and there is a bit of acrimony between the fan bases as well. However, there was a time when Everton fans and Watford fans had a fraternal friendship.

The friendship between Everton fans and Watford fans started in the 1970s when Watford fans travelled to Merseyside to watch their beloved Hornets play Tranmere at Prenton Park in the old Fourth Division. Both fan bases struck a bond so strong that they arranged a charity match between them on the day of the 1975 FA Cup final. Everton supporters subsequently won that match 7-2. Playing for the Watford team was Elton John, who was a director at the club at the time. Playing for the Everton team was club legend Wally Fielding, who was a coach at Watford. At the end of the game, the Everton supporters team won a penalty and Fielding was elected to take it. His penalty was, however, saved. Wanting Fielding to score a goal, the referee ordered a retake, claiming the goalkeeper moved too soon. But Fielding missed the penalty again, kicking the ball over the bar.

Watford rose through the divisions and were promoted to the First Division in 1982. Their first ever top-flight opponents were Everton. The love between the clubs was still there as the Everton Supporters Club presented Watford with a plaque to commemorate the occasion.

The Everton Supporters Club chairman Jimmy King said:

It’s a very down-to-earth, family club, and we think it’s great that these people who used to come here years ago in the Third Division are now playing for the first time in the First Division. This is why we wanted to make a special presentation to show how pleased we are that we are their first opponents.

Both teams walked out of the tunnel to the Z Cars theme together for the first time. Watford purportedly had the Z Cars theme not because of Everton but because Bill McGarry – who was Watford’s manager in the 1960s – was a fan of the television programme and decided to adopt it as their theme. It was a day to remember for Watford as they ended up beating Everton 2-0 with goals from Gerry Armstrong and Pat Rice (Rice’s goal against Everton was his only ever goal for Watford).

In 1984, Everton and Watford met each other in the FA Cup final. Ahead of the game, Everton fans and Watford fans mingled outside Wembley, had drinks together and took some pictures together as well. The Everton players’ wives were also warmly greeted by the Watford fans when they ventured into Watford. One Watford fan even kissed Derek Mountfield’s fiancée as a somewhat wish of good luck. Right before kick-off, Elton John shook Everton players’ hands and wished them good luck, as well as applauding the Everton crowd.

Everton beat Watford 2-0 thanks to goals from Graeme Sharp and Andy Gray, ending their 14-year trophy drought. After the final whistle, the Watford players were cheered off by the Everton supporters. The Everton Shareholders Association then sent a letter to Elton John saying:

Everyone felt the warmth and friendliness of your supporters. You yourself were a great ambassador of the true sportsmanship when you greeted the Everton fans at their end of the ground. Watford and their supporters will remain very special to Everton FC.

There was a lot of fraternity between Everton and Watford in the 1970s and 1980s. No bad blood, no bitterness – just friendship and camaraderie.