Stadium Expansion

Some interesting pictures from 25 years ago. In a programme for the Charlton game they published the new plans for the stadium. There are pictures and plans for the (then) Rous Stand and Vic End. For me the main picture is the artists`s vision for the whole stadium. We are not too far away from that now.

There has been other plans of course. I can remember those made when Vialli was the manager: rather posh looking "Main Stand" with golden and silver areas; or something like that. It didn`t look or feel like our stadium. Propably those plans are found in that times programmes.
Ps. Pictures are in wrong order...

 

Interesting to look back and see how things were presented to fans then. A bit of artistic licence was used to sell the merits of the new Vicarage Road stand Q- 'Apart from the changes in the actual areas for watching football will there be other facilities for supporters?' A-'Yes - and lots of them.....' Although I suppose a few toilets, particularly with a roof, did seem like a luxury at a football match in those days.

 

That must have been what I saw at the Camp Nou pitch as there was defined lines in the grass

 

I am a fan of the air traffic themed stadium

 

Appropriate airline? Unfortunately it went "bust".

 

I am actually surprised this failed

 

Excellent!
I remember seeing these artist impressions at the time but had kinda forgotten what they were like. Interesting to see how close the modern stadium is. The round corner sections obviously never came to fruition but the club shop corner isnt far off.

I also found these scanned on the 'Old Watford' page.. https://oldwatford.com/1992/12/
I cant recall the plans from the Vialli era and couldnt find anything after looking through programs from the time.

What i did find was some rather small photos in an article about the planned design for the East stand in 2008.. http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/sport/2074390.East_Stand_image_revealed/ the one with the Rous stand type roof. Unfortunately i cant find the decent photo's i once had of those plans, so if anyones got any i would much appreciate them being posted.
Same goes for the original plans for the West stand. The first stand that was proposed looked very much like the main stand at Windsor park.. http://www.footballgroundguide.com/northern-ireland/linfield/linfield-windsor-park4.jpg
Again if anyone should have any pics i'd love to see them.

 

Apologies if you're getting bored of this by now (I can't help loving this kind of thing) - but our very own hornet drone iAmAHornet has added a couple of game-day aerial pics of Vicarage Road: https://twitter.com/iAmAHornet/status/896321346464079872

 

Aaaaannd another one from iAmAHornet - this one's prob the best of the lot: https://twitter.com/iAmAHornet/status/897564770055749633

 

I am a hornet really needs to learn how to watermark appropriately.

 

That's what I call branding!

 

According to his Twitter, he was trialling a new watermark app. I'd just assumed he used Photoshop or similar! Still like the pictures though, really shows just how much the Pozzo's have done off the pitch as well as on it - yet they still get criticised by the same old "experts" within the game

 

Not so much expansion, but rather a reminder of how far the stadium's come over the last few years - here is a series of high resolution pics charting the demolition of the old east stand and the early stages of the SEJ being built (have to link to each pic as ***** don't allow the use of their pics on other websites without charging crazy money).

Some really good shots here, check them out:

http://media.*****images.com/photos...e-of-watfordd-picture-id525661688?s=2048x2048

http://media.*****images.com/photos...ad-home-to-fc-picture-id678984712?s=2048x2048

http://media.*****images.com/photos...d-round-match-picture-id181740866?s=2048x2048

http://media.*****images.com/photos...tand-ahead-of-picture-id186619406?s=2048x2048

http://media.*****images.com/photos...tand-ahead-of-picture-id186619393?s=2048x2048

http://media.*****images.com/photos...tand-ahead-of-picture-id186619400?s=2048x2048

http://media.*****images.com/photos...tand-ahead-of-picture-id186619394?s=2048x2048

http://media.*****images.com/photos...tand-ahead-of-picture-id186619404?s=2048x2048

http://media.*****images.com/photos...tand-ahead-of-picture-id186619398?s=2048x2048

http://media.*****images.com/photos...tand-ahead-of-picture-id186619397?s=2048x2048

http://media.*****images.com/photos...tand-ahead-of-picture-id186619405?s=2048x2048

http://media.*****images.com/photos...tand-ahead-of-picture-id186619396?s=2048x2048

http://media.*****images.com/photos...east-stand-at-picture-id679105846?s=2048x2048

http://media.*****images.com/photos...east-stand-at-picture-id679105888?s=2048x2048

http://media.*****images.com/photos...east-stand-at-picture-id679105898?s=2048x2048

http://media.*****images.com/photos...d-at-vicarage-picture-id679233564?s=2048x2048

http://media.*****images.com/photos...d-at-vicarage-picture-id679233146?s=2048x2048

http://media.*****images.com/photos...d-at-vicarage-picture-id679234176?s=2048x2048

 

(continued)

http://media.*****images.com/photos...d-at-vicarage-picture-id679232442?s=2048x2048

http://media.*****images.com/photos...d-at-vicarage-picture-id679233838?s=2048x2048

http://media.*****images.com/photos...d-at-vicarage-picture-id679232726?s=2048x2048

http://media.*****images.com/photos...east-stand-at-picture-id679250102?s=2048x2048

http://media.*****images.com/photos...east-stand-at-picture-id679250088?s=2048x2048

http://media.*****images.com/photos...east-stand-at-picture-id679250116?s=2048x2048

http://media.*****images.com/photos...east-stand-at-picture-id679250072?s=2048x2048

http://media.*****images.com/photos...east-stand-at-picture-id679250126?s=2048x2048

http://media.*****images.com/photos...t-side-of-the-picture-id452597739?s=2048x2048

http://media.*****images.com/photos...e-the-sky-bet-picture-id459687085?s=2048x2048

http://media.*****images.com/photos...e-the-sky-bet-picture-id459687067?s=2048x2048

http://media.*****images.com/photos...e-the-sky-bet-picture-id459687063?s=2048x2048

http://media.*****images.com/photos...stand-at-road-picture-id679275720?s=2048x2048

http://media.*****images.com/photos...stand-at-road-picture-id679275190?s=2048x2048

http://media.*****images.com/photos...stand-at-road-picture-id679270186?s=2048x2048

http://media.*****images.com/photos...stand-at-road-picture-id679275624?s=2048x2048

http://media.*****images.com/photos...stand-at-road-picture-id679275012?s=2048x2048

http://media.*****images.com/photos...-championship-picture-id485607087?s=2048x2048

 

Many of those images are locked "Access Denied"

 

It couldn't come down fast enough could it. I don't miss the old Main Stand at all. It was always a real embarrassment after it was left to rot. In its heyday it was the centre piece but that just showed how ground development was always placed well down the list of priorities.
I used to like sitting in it occasionally because you didn't have to look at it.

 

Thinking about the Main Stand, I never once saw any crowd trouble in it, I guess it had a calming effect on everyone.

 

They're all opening for me? If you're on a desktop/laptop, try right click/copy link/then paste the link into the browser (if you're that fussed about viewing them of course).

 

and for those that want to reminisce how the old Main stand was, check out Watford museums photo collection here.. http://goalden.watfordmuseum.org.uk/east/galleries.html

 

The only trouble I remember in there is when John Aldridge tried to have a fight with the Family Enclosure!

 

Before the disappointment of tonights game, I remembered to have a look around the back of the GT stand to see the progress of the building work:



The pic on the temporary barrier in picture one shows what the completed structure will look like.

 

With the stadium seemingly looking smarter every week - a quick reminder of its changing appearance since the 80's:

 

What is this going to be?

 

Looking at some of these pictures has made me reminisce.

Me and my Dad, some 25 years ago, as he'd take me to my favourite game of all - an evening match under the lights.

Walking from the town centre, down Market Street, a quick drink in that little Irish pub (Mangans), before continuing the walk to the end of the road. A quick turn to the left, and suddenly, there it was, for all to see. The beaming flood-lit sky. Turn right, then left, as we walked past Oddfell0ws, the excitement increased with the view of the stadium almost in sight. You can just about see the nearest floodlight through the gaps in the buildings. The smell of the burger vans, the crowds hurriedly walking towards the ground, the same bloke shouting "PROGRAMMES" - and 25 years later, I still get the same level of excitement as I did as an 8 year old. I wouldn't have it any other way. The noise from the crowd, the bad language that I could hear but not ever repeat, especially in front of mum.

I recall once going to a match around Christmas time and looking back I can't believe it wasn't called off. Mum didn't want us to go as there was no point, it was clearly being postponed due to snow, but I wouldn't stop moaning so off we went. We parked up at Church Car Park, then suddenly, we heard on the radio the game was on. However, Dad did what Dads do best - forget vital pieces of clothing to keep his favourite son warm. My brother is a Liverpool fan and his Liverpool bobble hat was in the car, so I was made to wear it. To be fair, it was freezing! The bit I remember most is going into the toilet at half time, Dad was waiting outside and he began laughing when I came out. You see, the Liverpool badge on my hat was on show so some random bloke took my hat off, turned it inside out, and sent me on my way. After the match, he caught up with my Dad as we walked out and he gave him a child's Watford bobble hat (I think he'd been given duplicate Xmas presents or something). That bloke now sits two seats across from my Dad and they have been very pally for many years. My Dad clearly remembered this because after being unwell for a few months and had to spend some time away from the footy, Dad randomly bought him a Watford bobble hat for Xmas. Nice touch. Anyway....

I took my niece last season as she wanted to see a football game "for real". I could see her face as we walked the exact same route that my Dad has walked with me the past 25 or so years. It was like she was star struck. She got the buzz, she felt the excitement, she even got butterflies in her belly, she said.

Unfortunately she wanted a half and half scarf so she won't be coming again... (joke).

For all those parents that take their children to games, just remember one small thing........ while you're rushing around, trying to get to the ground on time, or doing whatever it is you do before a game, your kids are taking every last second in and will be reminiscing the smallest of details in 25 years just as I have done here.

I love this club.

 

Fancy reception area for the corporate wallahs and increased capacity for them in the upstairs bit.

 

Cheers!

 

BTW: that was the first football game i ever went to!

 

This pretty cool picture was posted recently by Andy Lewers at http://www.hornetsnestwfc.com/ - worth a look as he attends every game, home and away so contains some cool photos and anecdotes stretching back to 2013. The blogs Twitter can be found here: https://twitter.com/hornetsnestwfc


Stevohorn (and anybody else who might know the answers) - couple of questions regarding the heat lamps. Are they positioned on the parts of the pitch that require the light/heat greater than other areas, or is it just a case of gradually ensuring that eventually the whole pitch has been treated, one section at a time?

And for the section that we can see covered here, roughly how long do they stay there until they are moved elsewhere? Is it a couple of hours, or will they be on all night until they're moved/switched off in the morning?

With the pitch looking so good these days, I'm genuinely fascinated how they achieve it through the winter months.

 

Primarily they are light rigs rather than heat. They do generate heat of course but that's a secondary factor, though of course helping the growing process. It can also be a hindrance because if you leave them in one place for too long you have to think about irrigating under them.

Positioning will depend on the club, their maintenance budget and how many rigs they have. Some clubs have enough rigs to cover over 75% or more of the pitch, so it's a simple process of placing them. Although we had two large rigs where i worked we only ever used one (because of running costs) and we had a baby rig for the goalmouths. NB There's a smaller rig in the pic.. placed in the Rookery stand.
Because we only used one large rig we placed it in areas of most shade, mainly along one side stand. There we had 3 positions to cover the full length. Occasionally we moved our position over one step towards the middle of the pitch but only around 10% of the time.
Most groundsmen, with a limited number of rigs, will concentrate on their main shaded areas. Rookery and GT stand at the Vic.

Most of the time we moved our lights every day. This was because we had team training on the main pitch most days (unheard of in the UK) Occasionally they stayed in the same place for 2/3 days but if so we'd move them slightly as the wheels tended to indent on the pitch. We also had to think about what other pitch maintenance was needed. So for instance in the middle of the season (summer season in Norway) we were mowing... or rolling/irrigating/feeding/marking out, most days, so the rigs had to be moved right out of the way anyway.
I spent an awful lot of time moving them things around

 

Thanks Stevo - informative as always. From this point on I shall correctly refer to them as light rigs. There's no thumbs up emoticon, so have a grinning face !

 

Our very own drone king, iAmAHornet made a welcome return today with these crackers

https://twitter.com/iAmAHornet

 

Latest progress of the facade extension to the GT stand, taken today (28/10):

 

Another grass question for you Stevo - Scott Tingley posted this the other day showing the difference in colour of the pitch: https://twitter.com/tingers_123/status/922877629086294016

"Very happy with colour at the vic right now. Combination of @rigbytaylor and @AdvanceGrass giving us great results"



Is this just a case of aesthetics preference, or does the different colour suggest a better, healthier grass? They both look good to my untrained eye!

 

While of course green = healthy we have a couple of cheats when it comes to that
The first one, well it's not really a cheat, is to spend as much as possible on fertilisers. Liquids as opposed to granular tend to give better results but cost accordingly. The second one is that groundsmen normally apply a heavy iron application in the days leading up to home games. This gives a dark rich green appearances.. pretty much instantly actually. The lush green colour fades a fair bit after a few days though so the pitch wont have quite the same appearance colour wise between home games.

Lastly i'm not so sure those pics give a true indication of colour anyway. Have a look at the shades of red of that rotary mower. They differ, so i think it would be no different for the grass colour.

 

Thanks Stevo.

I did think the grass looked a different colour on Saturday, but I'd already read Scott's post so maybe I was subconsciously influenced?!

Whatever the case may be - to those who don't know what they're looking at, the pitch seems amazing. I guess the next few winter months is when the groundsman and his team will really earn their money.