HORNET HEAVEN

When Watford’s manager couldn’t get a tune out of his squad, he signed Bert Badger – a professional violinist.

Bert Badger was taught the violin by a strings player who became so renowned that composers such as Holst, Walton and Vaughan Williams wrote music for him.

Bert put his training to use by taking a job as a violinist in an orchestra on Brighton West Pier.

He was a good footballer too, though. He was on the books of Spurs as an amateur and turned professional with Arsenal.

Then, in 1906, Watford’s manager John Goodall, signed him. He’s in the 1907/8 team photo here (seated, far left, in front of the manager).

Bert played regularly at wing-half for two seasons. He scored a handful of goals, including Watford’s first-ever goal at Kenilworth Road (earning our first-ever League point there).

After he left Watford, he played for Brentford and Nottingham Forest before becoming a musician again. In the 1920s, he formed the Hava Band which played regularly at the Warwick Castle Hotel in Clacton.

A little randomly, here’s a photo of him in his later years, playing snooker with the greatest World Snooker Champion of all time, Joe Davis.

His final job before retiring was running a pub – like a great many footballers used to end up doing.

But in Hornet Heaven, Bert Badger, the former professional violinist, is revered as a man with many strings to his bow.

Bert Badger has been in the background, playing music, in various episodes of Hornet Heaven. You can listen to any our stories here.

Find out more about the podcast here.

Read about other ‘Deceased Players of The Month’ here.