In this series, writers from The Watford Treasury and YBR! magazines trace the varied careers of players who developed at Watford.
First featured in last season’s matchday programme, Mike Raggett looks at a player who started young, moved up through the levels, left and came back and was a hero both on the pitch and in the community.
“I’ve been involved with Watford from a very young age. I used to go to holiday courses, summer camps - things like that. I used to go with my little brother, and we used to have a competition to see who could win the most games and come out with the trophies. I was never a mascot, but I remember going to games when I was a kid. I have very happy memories of those times, and they are what spur you on to want to be a footballer.”
Well, those memories did spur Adrian Mariappa on, and he joined the Watford youth system at eight years of age. Born in Harrow, he was happy to be involved with his local club. He worked his way through the various age levels, representing the club in both the under-18 side and later as captain of the reserves. He signed his first professional contract in the summer of 2004, and made his first-team debut on August 23 2005 in a League Cup fixture against Notts County - a comfortable 3-1 win.
His first full professional season culminated with him being part of the play-off winning squad in Cardiff in May 2006. It was after the Christmas break in the 2006/07 season that Mapps, as he soon became known, started to appear as a first-team regular. He scored his first goal for the club away at Wolves in 2009, when he also captained the side while Jay DeMerit was injured. He continued as a fixture in sides for the next few years, culminating in being voted Player of the Season in 2011/12.
A robust defender, Mariappa was first shown a red card on March 19 2011, in a 2-1 defeat to Middlesbrough. The resulting suspension ended Mariappa’s run of 113 consecutive league appearances, the fourth highest in Watford’s history. He also has the most Premier League appearances for an Academy graduate.
There had been lots of interest from other clubs, and in 2012 Mariappa was attracted to newly-promoted Reading. The presence of Nigel Gibbs as assistant manager, and former teammate Jobi McAnuff, made it an easy decision. He made 29 appearances, scoring once against Stoke at the (then) Britannia Stadium. With Reading being relegated at the end of that season Mapps was snapped up by another newly-promoted side, Crystal Palace.
He returned to Watford for the 2016/17 season on a three-year deal and he made his 250th Watford start against West Bromwich Albion in a 1-0 win on March 3 2018, winning Man of the Match for his performance. Altogether Mariappa made 340 appearances, which puts him high on the list of most games played in a Watford shirt.
While a hugely popular figure on the pitch, Mapps was regularly active in community work as well. He recounted some of his memories in an interview for the book commemorating the 25th anniversary of the WFC Community Sports & Education Trust: “It’s quite a funny transition from being a kid looking up to all those great pros that I learned so much from as well, to now being a face that kids look up to.
“It’s quite humbling, really. It shows what a great job Watford has done in the community. For me to be on both sides of the coin I can really see the positive impact the Trust has had in the community.”
This humility is from a player with a fine international career. Eligible to represent Fiji through his father, and Jamaica through his mother, Mariappa chose to represent Jamaica and appeared alongside his Watford friend and teammate Lloyd Doyley for the Caribbean side. Mariappa has made over 60 appearances for Jamaica, and during 2022 he featured in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying matches against the likes of Canada and Honduras.
After spending the 2020/21 season with Bristol City Adrian joined Macarthur FC in Australia, known as the Bulls. They play in the A-League at the Campbelltown Stadium in the south-west suburbs of Sydney. In his first season with Macarthur, Mariappa scored three goals in 19 appearances. He says “I’ve become a goal-scoring centre-back” with a hint of a smile. His successes saw him selected for the A-League All Stars team. He and his family enjoyed their time in Australia, but he is now back in the UK playing for Salford City.
One important aspect of Adrian’s life today is that he is a vegan. He’s quite a proselytizer too, saying: “I’ve recently gone vegan. In the beginning, it was definitely a health thing. I did a bit of research, had some intolerance tests, and cut a few things out of my diet before I went full vegan. I haven’t looked back since. My diet is all taken care of with meals at the club, and when I’m at home we shop specifically for a vegan diet.”
Mapps enjoys the lifestyle and has started to get other players to try plant-based breakfasts. As he says: “Some people think it’s some crazy diet, but the food still tastes great, and I get all the nutrients I need on a day-to-day basis to help me perform well and that’s the most important thing.”
His love for Watford FC was apparent when he was introduced to the crowd with his best mate Doyley as part of the Vic 100 celebrations last season. He said: “It’s where football began for me. I have a lot to thank Watford for, and the club will always be an important part of my life.”
