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BLIND, STUPID AND DESPERATE
 
Gone but not forgotten:
Guy Whittingham
 
Position: Striker
From: Sheffield Wednesday - on loan - March 1999
Record: Played: 4(1) Scored: 0
To: Sheffield Wednesday - end of loan - May 1999
Career stats: Soccerbase
He was: Coincidental

"WHAT A SIGNING!" I shrieked in a player profile written on the day of Guy Whittingham's arrival. "SUDDENLY, SATURDAY'S GAME AGAINST BURY IS SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO!"

The over-excitement was easily explained. During a loan period at his spiritual home, Portsmouth, Whittingham had scored seven goals in nine games to follow on from record-breaking feats during previous spells at Fratton. But for their financial crisis, the south coast club would've signed him permanently - instead, he returned to Sheffield Wednesday and was immediately the subject of a phone call from Graham Taylor. Suddenly, during a barren patch that was threatening to leave us sliding away towards mid-table, we had a fully fit and thoroughly in-form goalscorer in the squad.

We didn't look back. The goals flowed, the wins kept coming. Although the Bury encounter was awful beyond comprehension, it was the first step along a road that was to lead to Wembley, the Premiership and tear-soaked heaven. You can read all about it elsewhere.

The fully fit and in-form goalscorer? Well, that was Tommy Mooney. Guy Whittingham looked and played much like someone's genial but unfortunately-bearded uncle, failed to score any goals, and quietly disappeared from the first team scene before returning to Sheffield once more. A footnote to one of the greatest chapters in Watford's history.