Our Identity

[sydney_horn]

With all this talk about us ‘losing our identity’ and what is happening at Cardiff, what things are you ok with being changed?

These are my random thoughts:-

Vicarage Rd – I would be very disappointed if we moved. Definitely would lose some of our identity if we did.

Vicarage Rd name – I would prefer it if we didn’t get a stadium sponsor, especially if it is as lame as Happy Eggs, but I don’t think it would affect much if we did.

Kit Badge – as an old git, I still look back fondly at the old hornet badge. I reckon we could deal with a change quite easily if it ever happened.

Kit colour change – Definitely no. We are one of the very few clubs to have yellow as our primary colour. In some ways this makes it even more special than just another club wearing red or blue. Love the idea of having a common away kit with Udinese and Granada to show the link with those clubs though!

Nickname change – Can never see it happening but if we tried to become anything but the hornets then we would lose something of our heritage and identity.

Foreigners in the team – Not an issue for me at all.

Loanees in the team – Again, no problem for me.

Being part of a family of football clubs – Nothing but a HUGE positive for me.

Being a feeder club – I don’t believe that this is what we are or even what we will become. The Pozzo model appears to be far more complex than that. I think we would lose something if we ever became just a feeder club, especially if it were to another club in England. I reckon that this could still be the future for some other English/UK clubs.

Losing staff – I felt sorry for Sean Dyche and for those support staff who have also lost their jobs through no fault of their own. I also feel sorry for any players that may no longer fit into Zola’s plans. But everyone involved in football knows that it is a very transient career. They will have their place in WFC history but I don’t believe their departure in anyway affects “our” identity as a football club.


Looking at the above, if I were a Cardiff fan (and managed not to kill myself for being so), I would be very worried about their identity. We seem to have absolutely nothing to complain about……but then again I’m sure we will find something.

[rookeryron]

Hi Sydney, a lot of people do not like change, I was miffed when we changed from Old Gold/Black to our current colours , but then again those who remember the 50's will say the same about moving away from Blue/White.

Doubt if anyone remembers playing at Cassio Rd, but a few may remember we had the nickname The Brewers.

We have had foreign players in the distant past and during my time supporting the Brewers, sorry Horns, we have had to sell our better players to survive ( or for directors profits) during times of our history, remember being gutted when we sold Tony Currie , billy Jennings etc.

Supporters will always have varying views on staff, I for one was devastated when Ken Furphy was forced out but time moved on and a certain Graham Taylor arrived .

Nothing stays the same so we have to deal with it , what will remain the same is once an Orn always an Orn ( well for me anyway).

Onwards and upwards as they say............................

Ron

[wfc4ever]

Cardiff were almost forced to make changes to their kit/badge by the owners who said they'd pull out if the ideas were rejected...even when the fans voted against the idea at first.

I don't think the Pozzos are the same type.

[sydney_horn]

Cardiff were almost forced to make changes to their kit/badge by the owners who said they'd pull out if the ideas were rejected...even when the fans voted against the idea at first.

I don't think the Pozzos are the same type.

Exactly my point - so why are people (admittedly only a few) saying that we are losing our identity with this takeover?

[With A Smile]

I fall into that camp of losing our identity.

I don't think we will see so much of the development of our own players, but development of other players within the group. It could be that Harefield has an income of younger players from the Scouting network rather than local talent.

May be I'm old fashioned but i like the championship, the odd trip to the premiership and back. One of the things about being a supporter of a club like Watford is that we know that its going to be tough and we know that we will have to fight for everything that we get, promotion, survival, relegation, what ever it is. That is part of being Watford and the Watford way.

I don't want to see us be a club where we aren't developing local talent, being proud of players like Young breaking into the England team, proud of our community activity and proud of development system. I really don't look forward to a team of unpronouncablevics, howdoyousaythatov's and whothefriggingitchis.

Fingers crossed we will keep harefield as it is, hopefully open a 2nd. We will continue the great work that the community trust do, keep teh center of excellences open and thriving and continue to develop our own youngsters and a team that we can call our own, whilst progressing towards the premiership.

I would rather it take 10 years doing ti the Watford way, with the Watford Family than get there in 2 with a continual rotation of loan players, forced academy graduates with no affiliation to our club.

I don't want to be Wigan, Bolton, Sunderland or Fulham. I want to be Watford.

[sydney_horn]

I kind of get where you are coming from With a Smile.

But I don’t think that much will change. We were an established team in the old first division but we were still little Watford, taking on the big boys and winning more than we “had a right to”. It was certainly fun, back in the day, giving the big boys bloody noses once in a while. After the first year, we never looked like being anywhere near good enough to win the league but it was still a fun time.

The last couple of trips to the prem have been disasters, both on and off the pitch (though the first under Taylor achieved what was intended – it was just the next administration that pissed the results up the wall).

I do look back fondly at those days in the 70’s and 80’s when I grew up supporting Watford. But football has changed, not just Watford. I don’t think we have the luxury of 10 years to do it the “Watford way” anymore.

I think we will still have the opportunity to develop youngsters out of the academy. They may even have the chance to play in Italy or Spain as part of that development.

I think, tbh, there are very few players that have an “affiliation” to any club these days. I suspect that any players loaned to us from Udinese/Granada will give as much effort as any other loanee or permanent player, if not more. Personally, I will get as much pride seeing the young talent that this takeover will (hopefully!) bring us, developing into world stars as I did seeing Ashley Young play for England (though my pride has diminished somewhat now that he prefers to use his talent for diving more than playing the game).

I think it will still feel like Watford to me but I guess we will see over the coming months and years!

[Cullyjnr]

The basics fact is that we needed to embrace a new owner with new ideas (and finance) or stumble into financial insecurity leading to probable relegation. With these as the alternative I will take most change (with the exception of what happened to Wimbledon).

Unfortunately Football is a business and any business that stands still will wither.

What I do like about the Pozzo's so far is that they seem to understand that each club has its own identity and that trying the change that will depreciate the asset that they have bought. That includes the Watford Brand and the academy which both will generate income.

I know that all sounds a bit mercenary but that is why Baz, Simpson, Petchey, etc. have invested in us over the years. At least the Pozzo plan is explained and seems to be a long term one.

[UEA_Hornet]

Cardiff were almost forced to make changes to their kit/badge by the owners who said they'd pull out if the ideas were rejected...even when the fans voted against the idea at first.

I don't think the Pozzos are the same type.

Almost? It's been done.

[HelsinkiHorn]

If it was a great design I would be in favour of a hornets badge rather than the Herts Hart(male deer). Although the hart looks ok it is a bit confusing that we are the hornets but with a deer badge.
The forum logo on this page is pretty good!

Definitely not a colour change away from the hornet base of yellow/black.

[kokomo]

Some well made points on this thread so far. So I've posted a link to it over on Gloryhorns for their regulars to read...hope no-one minds!

[hornetboy1]

I thought I was quite a traditionalist, but thinking about the answers to your questions, I am clearly not.

Vicarage Rd – If the Pozzo’s came to the conclusion we would have to relocate to a new purpose built stadium, as long as it is in the Watford area, I would not have a problem with it.

Vicarage Rd name – As above, if we relocated we would have a new stadium name. I would happily accept this.

Kit Badge – I wouldn’t have a problem if this was redesigned.

Kit colour change – We originally used to play in blue, and if we reverted back to this I would consider it going back to our roots.

Nickname change – If we changed the colour of kit, then the nickname would have to change as it is based on the kit colour. I would find that quite difficult as it is so ingrained.

Foreigners in the team – No problem with that

Loanees in the team – No problem with this either.

Being part of a family of football clubs – Agree this is a big positive

Being a feeder club – We are not this, but don’t have an issue with it even if we were.

Losing staff – It’s part of football, always has been always will be.

[Hornmeister]

Vicarage Rd – If we moved it would have to be local to the town. tbh with improving transport links I don't see the need for a move as we have enough space to get 30,000 seats plus which is more than we need.

Vicarage Rd name – If we did move stadium then the new one should be called the Vic. I have no problem with "The Happy Egg Vicarage", but any rename needs to keep the Vic in it somewhere.

Kit Badge – Back to the Hornet please, or preferably some modern update.

Kit colour change – Agreed Yellow should stay (With Black shorts). We should use Granada & Udinese's home strips as our away ones.

Nickname change – We should be called the Hornettos.

Foreigners in the team – Foreigners should be shot - Not a problem, I would like to see at least a few British Players in the team.

Loanees in the team – It's worked out OK for us in the past.

Being part of a family of football clubs – Fine by me, can only help with cutting running costs.

Being a feeder club – We always have been. Part of our financial setup is to develop players and sell on at a profit. Unless you are a top flight bankrolled club, this is your destiny.

Losing staff – Football employment is weird. Whilst I'd like decent players and staff to stay, anyone in the top two leagues gets paid vastly better than in other industries. Being hired and fired is part of the system and anyone in it is fully aware of that.

[rookeryron]

Some well made points on this thread so far. So I've posted a link to it over on Gloryhorns for their regulars to read...hope no-one minds!

Seems that one GH has a thing about our exiled supporters!

[HelsinkiHorn]

Seems that one GH has a thing about our exiled supporters!

Strewth! stay on this forum Sydney...far more grown up posts on here it seems

[Budfrog]

Kit Badge – as an old git, I still look back fondly at the old hornet badge. I reckon we could deal with a change quite easily if it ever happened.

I think the graphic on the top of this site would make a perfect badge ... represents "The Hornets"

[wfcmoog]

Too many foreign players. They might be good in Spain or Italy, but they won't like a wet Tuesday night at Burnley. They will probably be all worried about getting their moustaches wet or missing Dolmio Day.