In my experience that's the exception, not the rule, you get a few numpties everywhere! Hard to believe but I expect even Watford have a few!
In the late sixties Watford were renowned as having one of the hardest "crews" in the old Division 3 along with Stockport County, Walsall, Bristol Rovers and L*t*n. Many was the unsavoury battle on the terraces (Rookery included) that I witnessed. Happily the plunge to the old Fourth Division purged the club of the more violent characters that plagued the club (along obviously with much of the regular support - gates went from 18,000 to 3-4,000 in 3 years!). The "family club" ethos of the Elton John/Graham Taylor era and some (over)zealous policing ensured that Vicarage Road remained almost trouble-free during the bad years of the 80s. There was not the remotest possibility that the stadium would have to erect the metal barriers and fences that afflicted so many grounds during this time - including, notoriously, Kenilworth Road and even Oxford United's Manor Ground for goodness sake.
Easy to forget the importance of that to the club. If i'd have asked my parents if i could go to Chelsea, Spurs, Arsenal etc. at the age of 12 the answer would have been no! I wonder how many fans the club attracted because of that - quite a few I'd guess.
Have we had a thread on the reasons that folks chose Watford to support over other clubs? If we haven't then we should open one in these times of wallowing in extreme golden satisfaction.
I was a season ticket holder for 3 or 4 seasons during the golden era under Graham Taylor's early management ...this season has matched those glory days . Have never seen Watford play in the top tier and wonder if I will be able to attend any / many games next season ... ( restricted availability and cost ) . Watched 6 games this season ..first half of Blackpool and the Norwich / Ipswich games were not much fun , but it has been a thoroughly gripping . Really looking forward to making lots of noise on Saturday , the atmosphere will be electric and for once we need feel no stress .. The championship will be a bonus if it comes . I will miss the excitement of this season ..and listening to the winter mid week games on 3 counties while working . Perhaps I will have to start following Luton or my nearest team MK Dons ( absolutely no chance the thieving @@@@@@ds ) Come on you 'orns
Wouldn't it be really fantastic to see Lloyd Doyley on the bench this weekend and come on during the second half ..It would be a great send off .
How about Jonathan Bond to Granada, to give him some practice? All the professionals that are on the edge of the squad and have fallen a bit out of favour like Daniel Pudil. I would send Lewis McGugan and Lloyd Dyer in a slightly different direction, to Pamplona where they could run the bull.
Mmm...Hartlepool. Strangely I went to a Hartlepool v Hereford game in the early nineties with a Hereford, a Newcastle and a Derby fan and had an in pleasant experience in the shopping centre after the game. Worse than the most I ever saw following Watford up and down the country.
Yes, indeed. 15 Levante 33 8 8 17 31 60 -29 32 16 Eibar 33 8 7 18 28 46 -18 31 17 Almería 33 8 7 18 29 52 -23 31 18 Dep. Coruña 33 6 11 16 29 52 -23 29 19 Granada CF 33 4 13 16 21 61 -40 25 20 Córdoba 33 3 11 19 21 52 -31 20
Five games left for them to save themselves but I think confidence is rock bottom. They nearly ground out a 1-0 against Elche I think only to concede a 90+3 equaliser a couple of weeks ago. Home v Espanyol (10th posn.) Away v Getafe (13th) Home v Cordoba (20th) Away v Real Sociedad (12th) Home v Atletico Madrid (3rd) Best they can hope for there is 9 points - that's pushing it on current form - and Almeira and Eibar only need a win each although neither of those or Deporvito have easy run ins. Still need a miracle really!
I would say they could have Keith Andrews but he'll probably cause a riot at the airport. And he doesn't have a contract with us
I remember having battles at Oxford, anyone recall the wall falling down during one particular 'lively' encounter?
I do indeed. It was an FA Cup match in Jan. 1971 and I was quite close to the Watford fan (yes only one) who caused the crowd surge which demolished the wall. A few injuries were caused but nothing serious I believe. Game was held up whilst bricks etc. were removed from the pitch. This recollection, however, is not much to do with helping out Granada. I would say that a few of the more peripheral squad players at Watford would probably come in useful in a Liga B (or whatever it's called) promotion campaign next season. If they could not command a regular place in a Championship team then they are hardly likely to figure in the Premier League.
