A1, Ake can play on the right, and should in my opinion so that Holebas can play, daft not to use him as he is our player and Ake probably wont be with us next season. The brawl in the 1881 was between people who want everyone to sit down and young upstarts who think they own the world..ne'er the twain shall meet! It got a bit messy by all accounts. Eddie Howe could learn humility from Flores who was very honest in his appraisal of the match, while Howe was his usual delusional self. Iggy has lost his shooting boots, if anyone can find them, please get them to London Colney asap! Roy Hodgson was there to see Deeney play, hopefully he will have seen something to get Deeney a well deserved call up, but sadly if he's basing it on yesterday, it's unlikely. The 1881 are aware of the shortcomings lately and are trying to recitfy but unfortunately imo the focus has been lost a bit...however, they're working on it. It is very apparent that there is another singing section in the Rookery and unfortunately the 1881 often start different songs while the rest of the Rookery is singing...frustrating but if the 1881 were in the middle of the Rookery, that would solve all the problems that seem to be currently occuring with noise levels. I think also expectation plays a big factor, and at the beginning of the season we were just enjoying the positivity, now winning is expected, so singing while not playing as expected seems to be difficult. And as for the black sack protest..least said the better!
I thought the atmosphere and noise levels from the Watford supporters was disappointing on Saturday and the previous cup game. Are we getting a bit blasé with our new level of success?
It will happen , human nature / hormones . Mind you the place would have been rocking if we came away with a big win .
I have always advocated that the 1881 should be in the middle of the Rookery. Unfortunately due to the furore over moving a few seats in the UGT I cannot see the club taking on the hassle of moving current ST holders from behind the goal.
My mum said that on the BBC they said the only person on show that may have caught Hodgson's eye was Harry the Hornet. A tad harsh I think!
I thought the black sack protest was quite clever, it highlighted the concerns of some in the Upper Sir GT but did not go as far as shouting abuse at the CEO as has been reported. It's a very difficult situation in the Upper Sir GT and it will only be resolved in the best possible way with flexibility and an understanding of the various positions.
I saw something about it on the Enjooy the Game facebook pages. I know of at least three season ticket holders of 20+ years standing who will not be renewing next season. I am losing my Saturday social over this and I am mightily pissed off. The club have not really thought it through enough.
The WFC officials must work in the long term interest of the club but I'm sure I would not be too happy if it affected me, difficult one.
I'm no longer in the UGT but sat a few seats to the right of the Directors/Hospitality section for a long time. I haven't really followed this but am curious to know who's being moved and why.
I am not affected (am affected every cup game though as I sit in Family stand), but can completely understand that people would be and have the right to be put out by this. What would be a better solution in people's eyes? We wouldn't get 100% consensus but maybe some ideas on this may spawn something of a solution that most people could accept. To the game...I actually thought Flores had the right tactics, we just were not able to execute. The way I saw it was that with muff pressing high we were trying to get the ball in behind them...and I think it would have worked. BUT, we didn't play the ball into the correct channels, and neither were our forwards making the run in the correct channels other tha Ighalo in the first half and Amrabat once or twice in the second. Instead we resorted to balls over the top which were picked off by their (mainly central) defence, which to a man had extra inches on our forward line. So I think right idea, wrong execution really...if we could have habit them turning then that is how we would have hurt them.
My view will be not quite so good moving along towards the goal from just outside the penalty area. Not a major problem. However due to various reasons, not least shift work impinging on game time, moving from an aisle seat to mid row is going to be quite inconvenient and grow tiresome very quickly. The seats were carefully selected when purchased 20+ years ago, the seats we're being move to would not have been considered.
Yorkie - In the centre of the Upper Sir GT is a section of seats (they are a bit fancier and black) that are used by those partaking in the hospitality suite. They have their meal, smooch with Luther and some other ex-players, have a few beers or whatever their fancy is and then move up to an allocated seat in this section for the start of the game. I have done it several times and it's all fairly civilised. Issue is that with the addition of the new hospitality boxes in the SW corner, the club wants to have seats in this section for these people as well. So they are planning to install more "black seats" in this section in the centre. But to do so means asking people in the standard seats (almost all ST holders) to move out from the centre by 12 seats and obviously people within 12 seats of the ends with have to be moved elsewhere. Obviously as with all change, some people are a little "upset" and you hear comments like why should we move for the "prawn sandwich" brigade and some as seen here are threatening to not renew their ST's. It's a very difficult situation and there will be some not massively impacted and some that will just not be able to accept the change.
When the old wooden main stand was condemned many years ago it caused immediate chaos and many dissatisfied supporters, water under the bridge now.
Thanks for the detail, w-y. Very interesting. I would have been among those having to move if I hadn't given up my ST last year, mainly for family reasons. Having occupied the same seat (near the gangway and close to the half way line) for more than 20 years and watched the arrival of the black seats and the occupants, quite a few of whom arrive late, spend half the game looking at their phones, take 30 minutes over half time, don't appear to support either team and leave early, I know exactly what I would think. Loyal fans, what do they matter against a bit more presumably profitable hospitality? Not impressed. Let those on hospitality trips sit at the end of the stand, I say.
I have been to the corporate lunches a few times and must say most people I met there are die hard supporters having a treat i.e. birthdays etc. The last occasion (Wolves loss, dreadful game) was a last visit treat for my sick elderly father in law to show him the new stand. He had supported Watford for 80 years. Luther was especially kind with him pointing out all of the recent changes. On this last occasion they used seats in the UGT near the family enclosure which were very disappointing compared to the black seats. I have enquired about the cost this season but the price is considerably more expensive so rules me out. Obviously the club benefit, maybe this helps to keep the ST prices down, who knows.
Family stand have moved from the East Stand to The Lower Rous to The Vic Road and get moved out for cup games! As I said I have been a few times and it was a bit of a mix Theo. I personally know a guy who has had a table there for 6 of his family for years and I see him at away games as well, but you do get others on a corporate jolly and even away supporters using it to get a ticket. At that infamous end of the season game against The Septoes, a bunch of them had brought a whole table and thus a Black Seat. But I have to put my hand up and admit to coming back a bit late, but in my defence I do every game in The Rookery as well!
Thanks w_y and others... really good update I quite understand i have a wife who has to sit in exactly the right seat in the cinema and i am like it for flight bookings.. Yes I would be mightily pissed up myself if I was moved from my cherished half way line viewing seat of years stadning for someone of dubious vintage..... great shame....
I have read a lot of debate on the WML about this and they have carried out a poll to see if people are unhappy, but will accept it, or are very unhappy and want the club to look at it again. 88% will accept it so far. As a very infrequent visitor these days, I have to sit in whatever is available and pay more for the privilege, but accept that my claim to 60+ years as a fan does not make me a special case. Maybe if people spoke to those around them more individual deals could be arranged. Gents with weak bladders should get priority for aisle seats.
