"Baffling" - The Watford FC decision v Reading FC that still shocks to this day | OneFootball

The 'ghost goal' at Vicarage Road is one of the most infamous moments in Football League history

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Every football fan will have their own tale of a refereeing blunder that has cost their team, with the limitless replay angles and slo-mo shots only adding to that scrutiny over the years.

But if we head back to 2008, Vicarage Road provided the shocker of all shockers, with Watford and Reading fans both left flummoxed by a decision that still defies belief to this day.

But let’s not just hear it from us, let’s hear it from a Hornets fan who was on the wrong end of the ‘ghost goal’ given by Stuart Attwell and his assistant Nigel Bannister.

Football League World’s Watford fan pundit Justin Beattie joins us to ruminate over that inexplainable decision 16 years on, and he is still yet to get his head around just what happened.

Stuart Attwell awards Reading FC ‘ghost goal’ against Watford

You almost have to see it to believe it, such is the insanity of the decision, with the Royals launching a corner into the box, which initially rattled around in the penalty area, before being cleared.

A Watford defender heads the ball down, a Reading player keeps the ball in play two yards wide of the goal, before another shot is blocked by a sprawling defender, with the ball apparently rolling to safety.

With goalkeeper Scott Loach all set for the restart, Attwell had apparently and his assistant had seen the ball crossing the line, with a goal given to the visitors, much to the ire of everyone within Vicarage Road.

Even watching it back all these years on, it is still incomprehensible the level of confidence the pair have in a decision that is so wrong, with Beattie still seething about the issue to this day.

When asked by FLW what Watford FC decision still shocks him to this day, the Hornets fan said: “It has got to be the ghost goal, that was given against Watford, when we played at home against Reading in 2008.

“This goal was given that was not a goal, the ball did not go anywhere near the goal, Scott Loach was about to put the ball on the six-yard line to kick it out as a goal kick.

“And the next thing you know there is a bit of confusion going on, Jay Demerit is going across to the referee, and he has given a goal.

“Which is also shocking really, is the fact that Reading knew it was not a goal, yet they did not try to equal it up by gifting Watford a goal, or even putting their hands up and admitting they did not know what happened.

“It was a little bit of bad sportsmanship on the side of Reading there, but that is definitely one of the decisions that is baffling to Watford fans to this day.”

The aftermath of the Watford, Reading ‘goal’

The goal went down as a John Eustace own goal in the end, much to the surprise of everyone in the ground, before a fired up Watford side turned things around either side of the hour mark.

Tommy Smith and John-Joe O’Toole both found the net, before Stephen Hunt levelled matters from the spot with three minutes of regulation time still left to play.

For Attwell and Bannister, the vitriol was on another level, with their A-grade gaff being shown on repeat for all the watching world to soak up.

"Everyone could see what happened," said Eustace [pictured], via The Guardian "It's a bit embarrassing. We thought he'd given a goal-kick and then it was a goal. It's ridiculous."

Hunt also defender his teams perceived lack of sportsmanship, with the Irish midfielder stating from the same source: "It wasn't our mistake, if it happened to us, we'd have been fuming, but you have to try to control yourselves, even if you are disappointed and gutted.

“I was trying to claim the goal after he gave it. You can't say, 'Hold on ref, don't give us a goal'."

With all the abuse hurled the way of video technology in the current age, Attwell’s misdemeanour at Vicarage Road that day probably contributed towards the clamour for its arrival.

It was the clanger of all clangers, and one that will always be remembered for all the wrong reasons.