With thanks to Vic for suggesting it the question is very simple. What made you support Watford instead of anyone else? For me there were a couple of reasons. I was born in the town, my cousins had season tickets and it was during the Barnes and Blisset era. It was also at a time when some grounds resembled war zones most weeks and my parents were happy for me to go to the Vic as it had such a good reputation for being trouble free.
My girlfriend's family from Abbots Langley were Watford through and through, it was a case of me changing to Watford from Spurs or lose the girl. Still married 48 years later, both still Watford season ticket holders. COYH's
As this thread was started before mine I will bow to it and transfer my post here.... In my case I became a Watford fan because of my Dad. We lived in a village that was actually closer to L*t*n than to Watford, but he worked in Hemel Hempstead with Watford supporting workmates. Consequently it was natural that he should support (as they were then) the Blues or Brewers. So as soon as he (or rather my Mum) judged that I was old enough to sit on the back of his motorbike safely, he took me to my first game in the old Division 4. As I climbed the steps in the old Main Stand (South section) and saw for the first time the green pitch, white goalposts, gleaming new Rookery Stand and (to me vast) concrete terraces at the Vicarage Road End, I was hooked and a lifetime love of the club which became the Hornets a couple of years later was born. Even the old Shrodells Cowshed opposite didn't put me off. As I sat in the SEJ stand for the first time earlier this season, it suddenly occurred to me that I was in roughly the same position that I had sat in all those years before watching my first game. I have to admit that it brought tears to my eyes. Outside of family life obviously, my relationship with this Football Club has given me some of my happiest and most memorable experiences in my life. I have seen them at the bottom of the old Fourth Division and at the top of the old First. It has been a fabulous journey over the years, one I hope will not end soon.
For me it was a case of 'my local team'. Plus, I had just moved from Edinburgh and found that the normal way of making friendships - school - was less than successful thanks to the open hostility I experienced (some things never change, do they? ). Thankfully, things were different at The Vic, and I've made friendships which have spanned half a century...
My uncle and dad took me when I was 8/9 and that was it.... .season tickets etc.... As per another thread I do remember Maurice Cook!
It is times like these to remember watching Watford slide into the old 4th division whilst getting soaked by the rain. I do admit to getting blasé after we finished second to Liverpool in the old 1st division thinking it would last forever. I will be more realistic this time and just enjoy the ride.
Heiðar Helguson (1999-2005 and 2009-10,172+54 appearances/75 goals), Jóhann Birnir Guðmundsson (1998-2000 8+18 appearances/2 goals) and Brynjar Björn Gunnarsson (2004-5 40+3 appearances/3 goals)
Simple answer is my Dad.... He is a Watford supporter, always has been Grew up in Abbots Langley, then moved to Oxhey when I was 6. Watched the FA Cup final at home as I was too young, but my Dad and brother went to Wembley. Started going not long after that, and have always supported them. I do have a grandad from Glasgow who always tried to get me to support Rangers... no chance, but they were my second team!
Local team. The first game I saw was when my dad took me in 1967 I believe. We beat Northampton 5-something, Barry Dyson scored 4, I think it was over Easter. Then started watching a few more when we first went up from the old 3rd. Barry Endean being my first ever hero when I was about 10 years old. Since then Watford FC has been written through me like a stick of rock. Don't remember Maurice Cook though so I feel a bit younger now! Played alongside a 40+ year old Bobby Bell a few games in the Watford District League as well! As with a lot of people around my age or older, who probably all believed we would only watch our team in the lower divisions with the occasional bit of glory, I have a big debt of gratitude to Sir Elton John and (Sir) Graham Taylor for establishing the club in the top two divisions, from where we have only had that very short drop in the mid-90's until GT returned.
My much missed Step-Father. I was a bit of football nomad before he met my Mum. My Dad was a QPHa fan, but the closest I got to supporting a team was Man Utd, courtesy of my older brother. But all that changed in 1978 when I was taken to Watford v Brentford for an evening game. Stood on the Vicarage Road terrace, promotion secured, under lights. After that there was no going back and Loooooother became my hero. Later I attended a QPHa v Watford game at Loftus Road: me supporting Watford, my Dad supporting the home team and my Step Dad at home with a satisfied grin.
It was just after we had won the world cup 1966/67 season and 2 mates decided that it would be fun to support a team. We lived in Berkhamsted so them up the road was not easy to get to by bus > It was a london side or watford it was the old 3 rd div we beat Swindon 2 nil and as they say the rest is history
Barry dyson came to us in the jan 68 not sure how long he was with us i liked him as a player and yes endean was a hero of a lot os us
I moved to my grandparents in Croxley when I was a young child. I had an interest in cricket. This really pleased my grandfather as he liked all sports. In the winter he started taking me to see Watford. He would park his car in the West Herts Bowling Club's car park just off Harwoods Road as he was very involved with the club. He was a Yorkshireman from Huddersfield but converted to being a Watford fan. I became a season ticket holder. My grandfather died in 1977 and on cup final day in 1984 sitting next to me at Wembley was an elderly man in a bowling club blazer with two young grandchildren. Elton was not the only one crying. Now the football club is the only connection I have with the area.
It certainly was - 67/68 season. Times have changed - six of the clubs in the division then are no longer in the League...
Since when did Northern Ireland's former captain become a Scot? It was my Dad and Uncle, although I am Watford-born. I went to see my first game as a 5 year old at home to Aldershot in 78. We lived in Watford Fields then, and my Uncle and Aunt lived in Cardiff Road.
Born and bred in the town and wasn't a glory hunter like others around me. Started going to the odd game with my dad - then progressed to going with school friends, local friends then taking my family. Never wanted to support anyone else and never will.
Interesting how many life-long fans we have and the love affair began so early. For those of us who started life elsewhere and were a bit nomadic, it could have been any one of a number of near home teams. My first football was 1955 at the Hawthorns and I saw myself as Ronnie Allen for some years. Oxford United when they first joined the league were local in the 60s and on first arriving in London it was a different team every week. Moving to Northwood in 1983 prompted my first Watford visit...a good time to be there...and I've watched and supported ever since, over 500 games now. There was and still is something special about the club so that even after moving 80 miles away 4 years ago I still drive to home games.
