There was never any question about who to support - began in the late 60s and therefore had the unforgettable experience of seeing 30,000 + crowds at the Vic, albeit only a couple of times, and being on the Rookery for Barry Endeans' looping header over Tommy Lawrences flailing body and going into the Cup Semis then was an experience which I will never forget ! Have been a Hornet ever since although I have lived in many other areas and, as a result, have spent some time watching other clubs - simply because I can`t always afford the time or money to get to Watford - these include Liverpool, a season watching Taunton Town, and now sometimes going to F.C. Cologne (With standing terraces German football reminds me of the old atmosphere in English stadiums). Somehow whenever I`m close to a football stadium of any description there is a raised adrenalin and anticipation something like a religious person going near a Cathedral ! Although the Vic. is something special and, if the club ever moved away from it then this is the only thing which could weaken my support for the club. As a long term fan you know there will be good and bad times and you just have to live through both, although the good and bad times for a Man. Utd fan are relatively different to those of Carlisle Utd. fan the feeling is I guess the same, the only difference being that Carlisle have a higher proportion of real fans. I feel proud to watch the smallest town ever to represent England in a European competition, who have been second in the league and been to a Cup final. We also have a great past - much greater than some other clubs who consider themselves big, like Cardiff for example. Our success years belong to the 80's when there was more of an open playing field and when money differences didn't mean as much as they do now. It could be that these years will never be repeated but it doesn't make the memory of them any less special (I am gratefull rather than nostalgic) - to do the same a second time could transform our club into an entity which we could no longer identify with.
Last year I went to see Wellington Phoenix play in Christchurch. As part of their role as the New Zealand team in the Australian A league they play one home game a season somewhere in the country other than Wellington. 14000 turned up and what was so refreshing was the number of children wearing the shirts of 'their' club (usually their farther's club, I would guess). There was not a Man U or Barcelona shirt to be seen but I did see a host of non-Premier League shirts. Those from the premier league were 'smaller' teams like Blackburn or Stoke. I saw a Sienna shirt and a number that I did not recognise. It didn't matter to me whether the club was a small team that had never won anything, or a 'fallen giant'. What was important was the sense of cameraderie amongst people who were able to fly their colours somewhere where it would be understood. We all knew that the one question that wouldn't be asked was, "Why don't you support a team that wins something?"
Nice one cologne hornet, been watching a bit of german football myself on tv over here , standing at football, cheap tickets , great atmosphere , full grounds, just like the old days over here ,
It's the predestination against free will debate in another form. Do I have any free will in this matter? As a young boy, perhaps; now, not a chance...
Maybe its down to chance. Take for example Rochdale, some boys end up supporting them -many more toddle off down the road to watch United or City - others end up as armchair supporters of someone else - and some others never have any interest in football and I reckon its all down to chance associations - who we met at impressionable times of our lives. The first stadium I went into was the Vic. and I was hooked - others might have thought 'Oh my God' and gone off to Arsenal instead.
Got a point their cologne ,first stadium I went to was the Vic ,like you I was hooked even if we did get thumped that day!
The point probably being that in those days we could afford to become hooked at an early age. I don't know about you Norway but my first game was in 1967, a highly forgettable 1-0 win against Southend, but the entry fee then was (Even if you had 2 home games in a week) not daunting even for a schoolboy - as I was then. Even a trip to an away match in London didn't set me back more than a quid or so. An idea of the comparison - my first job, (1970) at John Dickinsons paper mill paid 15 Pounds per week (Only 5 pounds less than Stewart Scullion was earning). My worry is that todays young fans cannot afford to become hooked as we were then and are, as a result, more discerning about what they watch - demanding quality.
The thread question almost answers itself. For me, I'm not a Watford fan, the Club belongs to me and I have an unreserved obligation to support it. That may sound an odd way to put it but as I grew up in Watford and spent most of my time stood on the Rookery it sort of becomes part of you. So, in essence, it doesn't matter what Watford achieve or fail to achieve I will still be there in heart and soul irrespective of whether I can make it in person. That to me is more than being a fan. On the other hand I am a fan of Spurs, I spent the other half of my youth at Whitehart Lane but because I didn't live there I believe I can only be a fan, a good one but a fan nonetheless. Watford is me, I am Watford, COYH...
Another very valid point It was only a £2 when I started and as you say a lot more affordable , if you have to pay £25 or more these days then I think you do have a right to demand a decent standard of entertainment!
I love the small club thing, everything you do get is an unexpected bonus. You would sometimes be forgiven for thinking that supporters of the 'fallen giants' are just drowning in their own bitterness. We could all hark back to the days we came nd in the league and qualified for Europe but we knew then and know now that it was a great experience but would never be 'the norm'. Although, I do feel that over the last decade or so supporters have forgotten (or are too young to remember) that we are constantly punching above our weight with bigger (in all senses of the word) teams. Our fanbase must be one of, if not the smallest, in the top two leagues and this will not change regardless of success. It's why I do occassionally get frustrated and disappointed with some of our supporters who are so quick to criticise and get on the backs of the players. We need to remember who we are and keep our mentality; get behind the team and always enjoy the little things!
tempered against the rising cost of going to football ! If you spend money for entertainment then you should at least be entertained!
My first job (1967) was in the Tax Office and I can guarantee you that he was earning more than that even then. But you're right - I'm sure that most clubs are not accessible for many of their younger fans due to cost, even with the family deals and one or two cheap kid's days every season. For a large part of the 60's - even when still at school - I could afford to watch every match, home and away, without being funded by my parents. I don't think too many could manage that these days.
The gate money has had to go up to pay all the ridiculous wages that the premier league introduced! If there were to be a wage cap , thus reducing clubs outgoings , some clubs might make games more affordable to the masses and then maybe see their attendances go up! Add a burger a drink and a programme to the cost as well ! Thats going to take a large paper round to pay for 2 games a week!
a super thread as ever I had a little taste of the big time when I lived in Sheffield - went to Hillsborough a few times, and standing on the kop there was quite something, so the big club thing was interesting to see as an outsider But the point is well made by Cologne - it's a chance thing I went because my Dad was interested to see what all the fuss was about in the 77/78 championship winning year - he's a rugby man really and we'd only just moved to Watford But it wasn't the success that kept us going - we'd have given up if that had been the case in 1980 - it was the atmosphere at the ground, the family club thing, 'enjoy the game', pre-match entertainment and all that Plus there's nothing like sticking one over the big boys in any walk of life is there? The ones I'd really like to chat to are Man U fans who started following the team in the mid 70s when they were rubbish / relegated - what do they make of it now? And how did they feel when we beat them at their place around that time?
As prices have been mentioned I thought this may be of interest and funnily enough attendances are dropping at the bigger clubs too! http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/272010/272010
It seems that not only are fans being asked to pay too much to watch over -rated players, but managers are getting their slice of the action as well. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/15159931.stm
well thats plainly ridiculous as well ! expenditure (mainly wages) need to be brought under control! Lets hope the new regs help to do this!
I have lived up north for 20+ years now... took my godson (Leeds born) to see us play at Burnley, Blackpool, Blackburn etc... and now he is a Watford supporter.... and he used to go and see leeds play... and all his friends supported leeds... no sense or is there ... For me the magic of coming back to the Vic is always there.... and i havent lived there since 1973.... I guess once its' in your blood that's it....
I don't feel that we are sleeping giants ! But at the same time I feel a little bit uncomfortable with the little Watford tag, always punching above our weight and so on - it may turn into a self fulfilling prophesy one day. In order to establish how big we are I have chosen the club or clubs out which I think have parity with us under the following categories: Success over last 30 years: Ipswich, Portsmouth and Charlton Results parity (Last 10 games) in head to heads: Reading, Barnsley Ground record: Reading, Leyton Orient, Q.P.R. Town size and catchment area: Burnley, Barnsley Actual crowds: Millwall, Crystal Palace Stadium size (Assuming a 4 sided Stadium) Portsmouth,, Bristol City Turnover and current economic situation: Doncaster or Preston ? (But getting better?) So - How big are we ? Town size and catchment area are normally an indicator for crowd sizes but there are notable exceptions e.g. why do Ipswich have more fans than Bristol City, Norwich more than Brum or West Brom and Derby nearly twice as many as Coventry ? My last question is this : Our ground record is 34,099 (I was there!) equivalent to 42.78% of the towns population (The highest percentage for any town in the South of England) - Which town in England achieved the absolute highest percentage on this, and which Southern town comes closest to our figure ?
cologne, the answer regarding Norwich and Ipswich is that they are the only league teams in the whole county, so you need to take that as their catchment area. As a prime example, Norwich run fan coaches from all over the county for their home games.
