Cliff Holton played for both the Hornets and Palace during his career and will always be remembered as one of the all-time greats at Vicarage Road.

Holton was born in Oxford 64 years ago and started playing at local non-League club Oxford City. He moved on to join the Gunners in November 1947 and broke into their League side three years later. Cliff scored 83 League goals in 198 appearances for the Highbury club and played in the 1952 FA Cup Final as well as featuring in Arsenal's 1953 Championship-winning side.

In 1958 Watford produced something of a coup signing Holton for £10,000, including money raised by the Supporters' Club. It was not until his second season at Vicarage Road that Holton was to repay his transfer fee many times over with a club record 48 League and Cup goals in partnership with Dennis Uphill who himself netted 35.

Those goals helped Watford to promotion in a season when the Hornets lost 8-1 at Selhurst Park! Regarded as a freak result, the Hornets, guided by Holton, gained ample revenge a week later in the return, winning 4-2 including a double strike by the 6 foot forward who also scored in the previous week's debacle!

Controversially sold in November 1961 to Northampton for £7,000, Cliff returned for a further spell in 1965 from Crystal Palace before ending his 17 year League association at Charlton and Leyton Orient. Always a prolific goalscorer he netted 293 League goals with his six clubs and averaged one strike every other game in this time.

Taken from Watford v Crystal Palace programme (28/11/93)