John GRIEVE (1909-1911) Wing-half Born Edinburgh, 1883/84 Watford Career Southern League: 62 appearances (1 goal) FA Cup: 6 appearances Southern Charity Cup: 5 appearances Début: 3-4 away defeat v Queens Park Rangers, Southern League Div 1, 1 Sep 1909 Final game: 0-0 away draw v Portsmouth, Southern League Div 1, 14 Apr 1911 Longest run of consecutive appearances: Southern League 19; all competitions 24 Career Path Belfast Distillery (1904/05); Hibernian (May 1905); WATFORD (July 1909); Stoke (£200 April 1911, of which £100 was paid to Hibernian); South Shields (July 1912) Scottish League & Southern League Career Apps Subs Goals League Status and Final Position 1905/06 Hibernian 24 Scottish League Division 1 – 11th of 16 1906/07 Hibernian 27 2 Scottish League Division 1 – 12th of 18 1907/08 Hibernian 29 3 Scottish League Division 1 – 5th of 18 1908/09 Hibernian 11 Scottish League Division 1 – 6th of 18 1909/10 WATFORD 34 1 Southern League Division 1 – 19th of 22 1910/11 WATFORD 28 Southern League Division 1 – 14th of 20 1910/11 Stoke ? ? Southern League Division 2 – 2nd of 12 (Promoted) 1911/12 Stoke 23 1 Southern League Division 1 – 10th of 20 Having captained Hibernian in 1908/09, he became Watford’s regular left-half for two seasons. Together with Frank Cotterill and Peter Kyle he was suspended sine die by the club in February 1910, for what a local paper described as “utterly disgraceful and demoralising conduct”, but unlike the others Jock Grieve was reinstated a week later. On his departure one journalist dubbed him “probably the best wing-half the club has ever had”. Known as “Jock”. Both local papers erroneously named him James when he signed. “24” when signed (Jul 1909), but “27” in 1911 census & also early-1911/12 - birth indexes examined, but name is not uncommon in Scotland. Said to have spent “8 months with Belfast Distillery when he was 19”. Captain of Hibs 1908/09 and transfer-listed by them cs 1909 and cs 1910. Stoke signed him for £100 to Hibs, £100 to Watford and £15 to Grieve. 1911 census: boarding at 168 Queens Rd, Watford (married, but no wife present) – John Grieve, 27, professional footballer, born Edinburgh. In February 1910 he, Cotterill & Kyle were suspended by the club sine die for disciplinary reasons, and “given their papers” - West Herts Post refers to “utterly disgraceful & demoralising conduct”. Grieve, however, was reinstated a week later. Described by Watford Observer on his departure as “probably the best wing-half the club has ever had”. 5 ft 7½ ins. 11 st 10 lbs. Thomas GRIEVE (1904) Winger Born Leith, Edinburgh, 7 July 1875 Died Wishaw, Lanarkshire, 28 November 1948 Watford Career Southern League: 1 appearance Sole appearance: 2‐1 home win v Fulham, Southern League Div 1, 22 Oct 1904 Career Path Northfleet United (amateur close season 1895, professional February 1896); New Brompton (May 1898); Gravesend United (May 1899); Woolwich Arsenal (May 1900); Brentford (November 1901 until close season 1902); WATFORD (a month’s trial October 1904); Brighton & Hove Albion (briefly November 1904); Northfleet United (October 1905) Southern League & Football League Career Apps Subs Goals League Status and Final Position 1896/97 Northfleet United 20 4 Southern League Division 1 – 9th of 11 1897/98 Northfleet United 23 4 Southern League Division 1 – 11th of 12 (Resigned) 1898/99 New Brompton 18 6 Southern League Division 1 – 6th of 13 1899/00 Gravesend United 28 6 Southern League Division 1 – 12th of 15 1900/01 Woolwich Arsenal 6 Football League Division 2 – 7th of 18 1901/02 Brentford 22 3 Southern League Division 1 – 15th of 16 1904/05 WATFORD 1 Southern League Division 1 – 9th of 18 As a trialist at Cassio Road he played on the right wing in a 2‐1 Southern League win over Fulham, but wasn’t offered an engagement. A clever, energetic little footballer, Tom Grieve had been serving in The Royal Scots since 1892 and was stationed at Chatham and Gravesend when he played for Northfleet United as an amateur, and he turned professional after being discharged from the army by purchase. Known as “Tom”. Birth & death indexes OK. Turned pro with Northfleet in Feb 1896 having been discharged from the army by purchase the previous month. The only reference found by Brighton & Hove Albion historian Roger Harris was 2 goals by Grieve for the Reserves in a South Eastern League game at Luton early‐December 1904. Northfleet left the Southern Lge after 1897/98 and joined the Kent Lge. Described by a Northfleet reporter as a “clever little footballer” with a “tremendous amount of dash”. Enlisted in Royal Scots 24/12/1892; 5’3½” & 118lbs; tattooes ‐ “T.G.” and a thistle on left forearm, horseshoe & heart on left wrist; stationed Glencorse (from 24/12/1892); York (from 21/2/1893); Chatham (from 12/2/1894); Gravesend (from 5/1/1895) & Chatham (from 22/10/1895). Discharged by purchase 30/1/1896. 1881 Census: 136 Duke St, Leith, father a house carpenter. 1891 Census: 5 Ferrier St, Leith ‐ 15‐year‐old Thomas employed as labourer in manure works. Daniel Leonard GRIEVES (1997) Midfielder Born Watford, Hertfordshire, 21 September 1978 Watford Career Associate Members Cup: 1 appearance Sole appearance: 0-1 away defeat v Fulham, Associate Members Cup 1st Round, 9 Dec 1997 Career Path WATFORD (schoolboy May 1993, trainee 1995, professional February 1997); Maccabi Herzilya (Israel) (free August 1999, cancelled November 1999); Swindon Town trial (January 2000); Cambridge United (non-contract March 2000); Queens Park Rangers (monthly contracts from August 2000 to March 2001); Thame United (August 2002); Aylesbury United (close season 2003); Hemel Hempstead Town (September 2003); Cheshunt (October 2004); Dover Athletic (November 2004); Folkestone Invicta (2006) A grandson of former Watford player Reg Williams junior, and great-grandson of Reg’s father, the legendary ‘Skilly’ Williams, Daniel Grieves was unable to break into the first team, although he played in that one first-team fixture, in which the club fielded nine reserve-team players. Known as “Daniel”. Birth index OK. Joined Thame Utd Aug 2002 having been “out injured since he left QPR”. Great-grandson of Skilly Williams (see also G.L.W. Cornock) & grandson of Reg jnr. By 2011 out of the game and owning a taxi firm in Croxley. William John GRIMES (1906‐1907) Forward Born Ickleford, Hertfordshire, 27 March 1886 Died Arlesey, Bedfordshire, 6 January 1936 Watford Career Southern League: 15 appearances (3 goals) FA Cup: 1 appearance (1 goal) United League: 6 appearances Début: 0‐2 away defeat v Luton Town, United League, 10 Sep 1906 Final game: 1‐2 away defeat v Norwich City, Southern League Div 1, 27 Apr 1907 Longest run of consecutive appearances: Southern League 7; all competitions 11 Career Path St John’s, Hitchin; Hitchin Town (by 1904); Hertfordshire; WATFORD (professional May 1906); Glossop (May 1907); Bradford City (December 1908); Derby County (March 1910 – Watford received £25); Tottenham Hotspur guest player during First World War; Luton Town (July 1919 until retirement in 1920) Southern League & Football League Career Apps Subs Goals League Status and Final Position 1906/07 WATFORD 15 3 Southern League Division 1 – 9th of 20 1907/08 Glossop 33 9 Football League Division 2 – 17th of 20 1908/09 Glossop 12 1 Football League Division 2 – 8th of 20 1908/09 Bradford City 15 1 Football League Division 1 – 18th of 20 1909/10 Bradford City 2 Football League Division 1 – 7th of 20 1909/10 Derby County 10 Football League Division 2 – 4th of 20 1910/11 Derby County 22 Football League Division 2 – 6th of 20 1911/12 Derby County 35 4 Football League Division 2 – 1st of 20 (Promoted) 1912/13 Derby County 32 3 Football League Division 1 – 7th of 20 1913/14 Derby County 34 1 Football League Division 1 – 20th of 20 (Relegated) 1914/15 Derby County 28 3 Football League Division 2 – 1st of 20 (Promoted) 1919/20 Luton Town 11 Southern League Division 1 – 20th of 22 After representing Hertfordshire as a Hitchin Town amateur, he scored on both his Southern League and FA Cup débuts for Watford, for whom he turned out in all five forward positions. On the right wing he helped Derby County to win the Football League Second Division championship twice in four seasons, and was partnered at inside‐right by Steve Bloomer for the last few years of that great player’s career. Billy Grimes was married in 1907 to a sister of George and Vic Furr, and their son Harold signed amateur forms for Watford in 1929. Known as “Billy”. (Referred to in a Hitchin paper as “Curly” Grimes.) Birth & death indexes and probate OK. The balance sheet presented at Watford’s AGM in June 1910 reveals that £25 had been received from Derby County for Grimes’s transfer. Married the sister of George & Vic Furr in June 1907. Partnered Steve Bloomer at Derby. Returned to being a bricklayer on retirement. Son Harold W. Grimes signed amateur forms for Watford August 1929, and in March 1984 lived at 2 Station Rd, Arlesey, Beds (0462 731285). Billy’s address at time of death: 1 Station Rd, Arlesey. 5 ft 7 ins / 5 ft 9 ins. 11 st 4 lbs. Arthur GRIMSDELL (1911-1912) Half-back Born Watford, Hertfordshire, 23 March 1894 Died Watford, Hertfordshire, 13 March 1963 Representative Honours England Schools and Full Football League Watford Career Southern League: 36 appearances (3 goals) FA Cup: 5 appearances (1 goal) Southern Charity Cup: 1 appearance First World War competitions: 1 appearance Début: 2-0 home win v Queens Park Rangers, Southern League Div 1, 22 Apr 1911 Final game in peacetime competitions: 1-2 away defeat v Southampton,