Better Wages NOW: I'm sure his wages at Pompey are better then the ones he would have got at Reading this season. I'm sure he would have got Premier League money IF Reading got promotion, but with his lack of years left, he needs to earn his money while he can.
Thursday 27 August 2009
He Hits The Ball and Scores A Goal...
Better Wages NOW: I'm sure his wages at Pompey are better then the ones he would have got at Reading this season. I'm sure he would have got Premier League money IF Reading got promotion, but with his lack of years left, he needs to earn his money while he can.
Wednesday 26 August 2009
A night in the life of football fan.
Come with me if you will through an evening in the muddled mind of yours truly...
Time: 5:25 Emotion: Disappointment. The radio reports that England ladies have gone 2-1 down in their Euro 2009 curtain raiser. They are also down to 10 after a dodgy dive in the 1st half from the Italian striker. Who says the ladies aren't as good as the men? They can con the refs with the best of them...England go on to l0se the game.
I think it is also worth noting the flippant way in which this game was covered. Tired cliche's about the women's game were lamely trotted out and the piece descended into pathetic laddish jokes. Having said that, I guess I get what I deserve if I listen to talkSPORT.
Time: 6:10pm Emotion: Excitement. I'm home, I see my 8 month old daughter for the first time since 7:30am and Watford are playing tonight. I know I am supposed to be all grown up and sensible, but nothing can replace the sense of anticipation that rumbles and grows in your belly ahead of your team kicking off. What will the team be? Who will score? What will happen? No-one ruddy knows and it's brilliant! Even guessing the attendance is a cause for childlike excitement...
Time: 7:14 Emotion: Bewilderment. BBC 3 Counties Radio draw my attention to the fact that Watford have accepted a bid for Tommy Smith from Portsmouth. Just when this saga looked like reaching a conclusion, there is yet another twist, and for Tommy all roads lead to the South Coast and another tilt at the Premiership.
I have to confess, this news put a broad grin on my face. I have nothing against Reading fans, in fact I feel hugely sorry for them - this episode must have been annoying for them as it has been us, but I still have minor issues with their boss.
If I'm honest, the thought of the assembled local press watching on whilst Brendan Rodgers smile slowly slips from his face as he hears the news "Tommy Smith is having a medical at Portsmouth..." fills me with mischievous delight.
Time: 7:20 Emotion: Sadness.News filters through about "large scale unrest" ahead of the West Ham United V Millwall cup tie. Not entirely unexpected, but saddening nonetheless. I have a daughter that I want to take to football soon. We don't need this.
Time 8:30 Emotion: Cautious Optimism. Half time at Elland Road and Watford are behind. 1-0. The commentary suggests we are playing well though, and for once, I am not completely resigned to defeat. You see, for all my excitment before a game, once it gets underway I am the most frightful pessimist. Those who have read Adrian Chiles book will know what I mean - I'm just like him. I think it was the great Graham Taylor who once summed up our plight so perfectly - "For a football fan, there is nothing so dangerous as hope..."
Time: 9:27 Emotion: Pure unadulterated delight. Watford youngster Marvin Sordell equalises for the mighty Hornets. Anyone watching at this time would have been treated to the sight of me dancing round the living room and kitchen in an excited style that can only be described as a cross between punk and breakdancing. One of these days I'll put my back out. It will be worth it though.
The game goes to extra time and my long suffering girlfriend just about manages to conceal her annoyance that she now has to endure another 30 minutes of me prowling around like a cat on a hot tin roof.
Time: 10:00 Emotion: Disgust. Footage from the West Ham game starts to appear on the TV. Deeply unpleasant both inside and outside the ground. My mind starts to wander as to how the media will portray this. The obvious link will be to any harm done to our 2018 bid.
In many ways the media coverage of events like this are as unsavoury as the unrest itself, but we really can't avoid the fact that what was unfolding was pretty ugly and totally inexcusable. Have these people no shame?
On the plus side, there seems to be some pretty clear footage, so tracking down many of the protagonists should be fairly straightforward.
Time: 10:10 Emotion: Despondancy. Leeds United grab a second goal in extra time, and there is no way back for Watford. Leeds 2 Watford 1, and we are out of the Carling Cup. A competition we were unliklely to win, but a loss is a loss, and every onse hurts. The excitment of earlier in the evening is a dim and distant memory.
So, my evening started with disappointment and ended with despondancy. Looking at it that way, it may be hard to see why so many of us devote so many of our emotional and financial resources to following sport. However, as we all know, if someone has to ask the question "why do you do it? What's the attraction?" then they are unlikely to ever fully understand the answer.
Sunday 23 August 2009
Watford 2-2 Blackpool
Thursday 20 August 2009
Watford fan WAGS
Tommy Smith and other animals
So, with my new found sense of calm, I have been quite proud of the sanguine way in which I have accepted Watford's current financial plight. Despite the never ending tales of black holes in accounts and player departures, I have continually been able to find the positives and maintain some sort of optimistic excitment.
Even now, as the Tommy Smith saga looks to be drawing to a long overdue conclusion (1.8million toReading is the latest) I am hopeful that we'll be able to plug the gap somehow.
It's the thought of his unveileing at the Madjeski Stadium press conference that sees me regress into an angry young man. The thought of his smug face, grinning for the cameras as he puts his arm round our Tommy Smith.
I don't blame Tommy, he'll be on more cash, and I don't blame the board as we need the money too. It's just a shame it had to be Reading. It's a shame it had to be him.After considering this saga though, it occurs to me that in this age of super rich footballers, distant, aloof and detached from both reality and us fans, it isn't actually that hard to keep the public on your side.
Take our friend Mr Rodgers. His comments before leaving for Reading were just hopeless. His talk of integrity blown wide apart by his tastelessly hasty departure up the M4. At best his words were ill advised, at worst they made him a bare faced liar. Watford fans, while not entriely surprised, rightly seethe.
Weeks later he opens his mouth again, to proclaim that "Tommy wants to join us". Presumably it was only after this quote hit the press he realised he isn't allowed to talk to contracted players without permission.
Two examples of opening mouth before engaging brain.
Now we all know that Smith has been the subject of transfer speculation for some time now. But what has Tommy done? Tried to engineer a move through the media? No. Discussed it in public? No. He has kept quiet, and it is for this reason that when he returns to Vicarage Road in a reading shirt he'll get a standing ovation. Rodgers thought he was clever enough to open his mouth and conduct his business through the media. Something tells me he will be afforded an ever so slightly different reception.
Tommy will get the new me. I am most definitely saving a bit of the old me for Brendan Rodgers.
Friday 14 August 2009
When The Boys Are Away...
Tomorrow is going to be the first game of the season we won't be going along to support the boys. We're all massive Watford fans but don't go to every single game. So it'll be a Saturday afternoon spent trying to keep up with what is going on with Malky and the Boys. I know for men up and down the country it's a battle to keep checking their phones or keep one ear on the radio in between "yes dear you look lovely in that dress".
As many of you will be in the same boat I thought I would run down a few ways you can follow what is going on at Bramell Lane and on away games all this season.
BBC Radio
Watford Observer
BBC On-Line
BBC TV
I'll be trying them all out this weekend to see what works... if you do then tell us what you think of the coverage.
Wednesday 12 August 2009
A Barmy Barnet Night
Roll on Sheffield on Saturday
Tuesday 11 August 2009
A Vocal Chairman
Sunday 9 August 2009
First Day of School - Watford 1-1 Doncaster - Sat 8th August
Thursday 6 August 2009
The Jure-Vision Song Contest
I’ve always wanted to create a Rookery End chant – I don’t know why, maybe it’s the creative challenge? Most of the songs we sing have been around for years, but yesterday I started to think about our new players and how it would be nice if we welcome them properly to Vicarage Road.
So the player I chose that was new Slovakian Defender - Jure Travner
I thought about songs that would fit the syllables of his name - Jur-e Tra-v-ner. And after some deep thought I came up with "Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep"... the first verse!
And here are my reworked lyrics... sing-along:
Jur-e Tra-v-ner (Jur-e Tra-v-ner)
He’s from Slo-va-kia (From Slo-va-kia)
And come to stop your goals (come to stop your goals)
From far far awwwaaaaay… Far far awwwaaaaay…
What do you think? it's the third line that I've not nailed yet.
As the title of this post said this is a contest so if you've got another Jure song we can sing then please get in touch. You might win the first ever "From The Rookery End" certificate!
All I need to do now is get everyone singing it. Any ideas or do I just stand up on Saturday, start singing and hope everyone joins in?