This is a fascinating proposition, NZ, and I'd guess every response is going to be different. When we started watching (1983 for me) and when we finished (2015 for me) must be factors, as well as how we feel about changes in the game in general...money, the Premier League, better facilities, local connections etc. Personally, though I've followed the Horns for 35 years they were not my first love because I always watched whatever my local team was and so West Brom, Oxford United, Man United are all clubs I watched regularly and followed while I lived nearby. For many reasons of course, Watford became "my team" and replaced the others, even if I still look out for their scores! Once I'd moved more than 80 miles away though I did continue to attend every game for five seasons, though enjoyed the late drive home from weekday games less and less. When my nephew and brother-in-law stopped going the journey and our pre-match pub of more than 25 years lost a bit of their appeal and I stopped going. There's nothing like a live game for me and I've found myself less interested in football in general since. That's not to say I don't follow every moment of every Watford game when I can but it's not the same. It also means that apart from this site my contact with football is through television and newspapers and I find less and less to identify with as a result. The wages are absurd, the Premiership is too often predictable and for whatever reason I don't find I'm often enthralled by TV games. As always I will follow the progress of WFC but if I'm honest I'll get more enjoyment out of watching county cricket and an occasional excursion to local non-league football.
I loved the old days even if it produced some dire entertainment. It had the highs when we watched goals going in with big Cliff, but I had waited ten years before that happened. Lots of fond memories that I have in my store. Then there was the GT era when we had the rise through the divisions bringing their own excitement. Although there was a lot of stability at that time, there were also players leaving that were often fans favourites. Today it is so different that I don't even try to compare it. I no longer try to compare the crystal set I built as a boy with a modern HD TV. Different things from a different age. I enjoy lower league football here as I feel I still have an affinity with the fans who are still living more in hope than expectation. The football can be poor as it was in Division 3 (South), but there is a willingness to do your bit for your team. Love it when I make my walk to the Vic, love the experience of watching EPL football, but it is a special occasion these days and I might feel a little different if I went every week.
As Theo says it all depends on our age. I can remember the thrill of queueing for tickets for the 1970 quarter final with Liverpool, and it really felt like gold dust in the hand - are there any games like that now, which really stand out in the memory ? I would love to see us win the FA Cup - I would like this more than a top 6 place. One of the tragodies of modern football is that our domestic cups have been so devalued over time - there was a time when the 3rd round of the cup was one of the big occasions of the year, and the crowds often reflected that. All of our biggest crowds were for cup games. The other thing which has been lost (not so much for us) is the local derby - a club like Arsenal used to get crowds of 30-35,000 for Coventry or Ipswich, but this would have another 20,000 placed on top when Spurs were the visitors - together with few restrictions on the numbers of away supporters. It was a fixture which people looked forward to with anticipation, because it was different to the others, now it is just another fixture. Just as the Mancs derby does not have the magic of yesteryear.
I have never taken heroin or anything similar but the comments here sound very similar to those of addicts. It isn't the same now but but the desire for the rush is still there. SH seems to have found a cleaner, purer product but many others hang on because of the past experiences. I would love to see brain imagery of a fan watching his/her team and compare it to scans of chemical addictions. None of you have helped with my addiction other than to encourage a bit more honesty. There has been many a 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. on a Sunday morning that I have watched games live. Stuff waiting for the replays. Please don't tell Mrs NZ. She would not be sympathetic when I complain of tiredness on Sundays. She doesn't understand the angst of a Watford fan even at civilised hours.
I also enjoyed many of the old days but there also many improvements in players, facilities, pitch (wow, what a difference to the ploughed field they used to play on) ticket buying etc. Sitting in the EJ stand is a delight although I've had a couple of oddballs sitting in the next seat over the past two seasons.(they had a season each not sitting on each others lap!!!)
Great thread - and much needed. Thanks NZ but I also love the variety of responses. My first game was 1984 and as I've got older I must admit to in many ways feeling a bit like SH does. I certainly wouldn't swap a seat in the upper GT for a terrace ticket. That said I also find myself agreeing with the likes of Leo and Yorkie in that it doesn't feel the same anymore but then I guess you can say the same for many sports. Rugby is a prime example especially as my boyhood team upped sticks from Sudbury and are now playing in Coventry. What we almost all seem to agree on is that there's still that sense of excitement, dread, worry or fear everytime you take your seat and the whistle blows. Finally, if losing 6-0 to City or 4-1 to Huddersfield is the price for beating United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool I'll gladly pay it! Roll on next Saturday
Is the difference in the more positive views of us regular Vic goers compared to the occasional visitors because we gain more affinity with the players by watching them at close quarters? Just a thought.
I get to see 6 to 8 games a season live and maybe anther 15 on the TV or computer but the difference is the way we think and i understand that people can think that it was great to line up to get your ticket from Ron Rollit in the office you felt part of a small club and we was now we are more like a number of the 1000s which we are but the club try to take us with them on the ride up and down
In the last few seasons of our Championship period we went to many social functions at the club and got to know several of the players fairly well. It did increase our interest, some of these new players quickly became our players which resulted in many more away fixtures for us. I remember ltalking to Foresteri at the end of season awards when he told us he was desperate to stay at Watford but the decision was beyond his control. He was sold soon after. My wife had to mother Vydra at one event because he was suffering flu symptoms, probably just a light cold, bit of a baby.!!
I watched rather more of the World Cup games than I thought I would, and apart from when England or France were playing, was able to sit back and just watch the football, with maybe a desire to see the underdog do well. It was somewhat different when my teams were playing. I was there kicking balls with them, asking when the officials had last had an eye test, and being quite tense through the games. Multiply that by two when Watford are involved. As most of my watching now is done away from the Vic the only real difference is the lack of atmosphere coming over the wires. Reading some of the comments above I think that this taking in all that is going on around us at a game is very much part of a match.
Just ben on the website and my wallet is considerably lighter having purchased tickets for Sampdoria, Brighton and Palace. This leads me to my biggest bugbear and one which I know strikes a chord with everyone - constantly changing kick of times and days. Even we end up only getting about half our home matches played at 3PM on a Saturday Ah well, if only that was the biggest cross to bear in life!
Agreed, the atmosphere and the camaraderie amongst those around you is an important part of the experience, we all celebrate or suffer together. Social events and ticket sharing amongst fellow supporters is often the norm. Much better than being jumped on or pelted with sharpened coins in the Rookery during the late 60's!!
I don't have a season ticket so buy for individual games and go on my own as you can only get one ticket per membership.. This means I often sit in different seats but everyone's really friendly and happy to chat during the match. It does mean having to wear a badge or hat or scarf or something though as I have often been mistaken for the "enemy" against the local or bigger teams!
This is a good point. Now that I cannot go to matches I do not feel the closeness I did when I used to walk down the road to the games. Strange as it seems I miss not having the walk back home after a miserable bore draw or defeat in the freezing cold and having a good moan with my son about how useless Watford are and why do we keep going? It is this lack of connexion probably more than the football, the club or anything else that I feel.
