So, relegation has been confirmed, we are a Championship club again next season. There's been a lot of reaction both on here and social media, with most of it missing a sense of perspective. Firstly, we need to remember where we were before the Pozzos took over, with Bankrupt Baz, a three sided ground and looking likely to go to the wall. Additionally, there are only about 90,000 people in and around Watford and we're in the catchment area of the big London clubs. Over our whole history, we have hardly been in the top flight at all, so we should all just check our ambition levels a bit and realise that we can't expect to be in the Premier League or even the Championship. Those who are angry at the club and make claims of "mismanagement" should remember that we have no god given right to be in the upper tiers of English football. The Pozzos have delivered six seasons of Premier League football, where we have had the honour and pleasure of seeing world class opponents at the Vic and we should be grateful for that. We also had one of our proudest moments as fans when we showed defiance at the end of the cup final, something that really encapsulates everything good about being a Watford fan. We don't just boo or shout abuse at our players when things are going badly, we still clap them and ask for their shirts, shorts or socks - not many clubs can say that! Scott Duxbury has said that we are on our way to becoming a sustainable club so the future looks bright. Almost every business runs on debt, so we don't have to worry unnecessarily about that and we can sell some players and bring back some of our loanees to plug the gaps (Penaranda, Dele-Bashiru and Quina should tear up the Championship). We should be able to get about £50m+ each for Sarr and Dennis so that and the parachute payments should take care of the debt and leave us enough left over to bring in a few £8-10m players, preferably proven Championship or even Premier League performers. Roy Hodgson CBE had an impossible task but at least he has given us some defensive solidity, a clearly structured game plan and as the hierarchy have pointed out, it was just a shame we didn't bring him in earlier as we could've stayed up. We owe it to him now to give him a decent send off for his long and distinguished career, this will help to keep the media onside. You only had to look at the reaction of the Palace fans to see that he deserves our respect rather than opprobrium. And as Hodgson himself pointed out, it was actually quite a good performance and on another day we could have got a very creditable 0-0 draw. By ensuring we got a second half clean sheet even though down to ten men, we should take some confidence into the remaining games, and possibly even next season. And we have already been told that we will be getting a young and up-and-coming manager come in to add some front foot attacking football to the solid base Roy has built. Ben Foster may be playing one of his last games at the Vic, so hopefully Fozzie will also get the send off he deserves as (to use one of his own favourite terms) a Watford LEGEND. We also owe him a debt for raising the profile of our club via his excellent Cycling GK YouTube channel, bringing us both joy and new fans from around the world, as well as a fascinating insight into how footballers spend their money (if you haven't already seen it, check out the episode where he goes through his £100k collection of trainers, it's amazing!). This may be one of his last episodes with us but hopefully he will be able to get an Anthony Gordon shirt to give away as he is going to be a superstar. One of the saddest things about the relegation is how badly Ben feels let down by the unprofessionalism of some of the other squad members, who just didn't have the same winners' mentality. I, for one, hope that we offer him another year or two as he is still a top class keeper and there could be the added bonus of getting the GoPro in the goal back! Speaking of social media, we have a thriving podcast and YouTube scene, which is almost as important as performances on the pitch in this day and age. Yes, the Fans' Committee launch was handled a bit badly but we now have a direct line into the club for challenge and scrutiny and it will greatly increase transparency as those who attend on all our behalf will now be able to discuss the non-sensitive issues covered on their various shows. There is little doubt that this is the club's first step in trying to reconnect with the fans and it should be welcomed. Plus, anyone can go, you just have to send an email so if you don't like things, do something about it instead of bashing a keyboard in frustration. I've heard lots of people wanting Everton to go down as it would be "funny" and they still harbour grudges about Silva, Richarlison and Doucoure (and some even the 1984 final!). But there are a couple of reasons we should hope they stay up. Firstly, they would probably win the Championship next season and that would take away one of the automatic promotion spots we are rightfully gunning for. And the bigger picture is that this a big club with a good history who belong in the Premier League and it would weaken the product if they came down. There's no point damaging the best league in the world just for some short term gloating and I would like to think that we, as Watford fans, are above this. In a similar vein, I'm sure that many of us hope that Luton get promoted so we don't have to play them again after their fans were so beastly in 2002. Instead of focussing on the unfortunate events of this season, we should dust off the Gino Pozzo banner, wave our flags and sing loud and proud to let the Pozzo family know that we still "love them more than they will know". We still have a world class scouting network and with that and a few arrivals from our brothers at Udinese, we should be up there challenging again. The future's bright and it's yellow (although hopefully with red shorts, lol!). COYH! #inGinoWeTrust #ThankYouScott
Anyone going to this who is going for anything other than to hurl 90 minutes of abuse at our pathetic board and players and our senile c*ck womble of a manager, needs locking in a padded cell.
Looking forward to witnessing live history being made. A chance to make it 12 home defeats on a row. I doubt that’ll ever be broken. It’s those special moments that makes it all so worthwhile. COYH.
I’m just not sure I can summon the energy. It’s a long drive and no doubt some old fatty will have a heart attack in the Upper GT again while screeching at everyone to ‘support are club’ and so I won’t get home the right side of midnight, like the Chelsea game earlier in the season. It’s just not a risk I’m willing to take.
I’d like to hope the atmosphere will be toxic for this one with Gino, Duxbury, the players and Hodgson left in no doubt as to the depth of feeling. Won’t happen though. They all be applauded politely.
If anybody remembers the season Huddersfield were relegated (the season they battered us 4-1 at the Vic), after they were officially relegated they actually played worse. Most teams play with a freedom of no pressure and generally get some good performance to close the season out. We haven't played well at the Vic for 90min since November. Everton are out of trouble for now, but a win for them will (as others rightly said) put huge pressure on Leeds and Burnley. Leeds actually played ok today second half against Arsenal and should of got a point after being totally outplayed for most of the game. We will struggle, no doubt about it. Here's how I would line up: Bachmann Cathcart Masina Kabasele WTE Sema Cleverley Gosling King Dennis Perdro I know some are out of position but that would be a totally banter lineup in respect to our crappy season as a whole. To be fair, that probably isn't far off how we'll line up in August. Watford 0 Everton 4
Probably applying the makeup, red nose and large shoes to myself in saying this, but a non-Watford-supporting friend suggested this to me this afternoon in relation to one of our remaining fixtures, and I just do not see that kind of thing happening - we appear so, so far beyond that kind of thing, you know? We have played for weeks to months as though already relegated, and for quite a few games now we haven't even looked capable of competing, let alone surviving. A 'reaction' like that seems something that happens to a team that slipped up, essentially, and that's not us. We're just fundamentally bad - appalling, really, and clearly rotten behind the scenes and in the dressing room, if even in a purely immediate sense.
5 weeks ago I dreamed of this being the game that guaranteed our safety while sending Everton down. I don't do drugs so can only assume someone slipped something in my cup of tea at work that day.
Great preview. These warriors still have a lot to play for and we have a lot to be grateful for. We're in pole position to win the Finish Above Norwich Cup, plus are within touching distance of winning the Most Nutmegs League. The world record Most Home Games Ever Lost In A Row pales into insignificance alongside these.
Everton will smoke our cowards. Why anyone would invest their time going to this is beyond me. There will be pre season friendlies soon enough of more interest.
I currently have covid, but I'm getting worried that I might test negative before Wednesday's game. I think I'll probably isolate for a few more days just to be safe, you know? Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk
No he won't. Mr IBB has told me many times,when he either thinks I've stopped moaning or I've died,that Roy rarely makes any substitutions and they're almost never attacking. I repeat if anyone wants my seat on the request that you boo everyone,even yourself, please pm me. Alternatively come to Hazelwood TC for a 6.45 pm start for our first Middlesex League match of the season v Cumberland II.
3 more wins and we will be right back in it. Must win game but not for the usual reasons. 0-4. (Richarlison 2, Doucoure 2)
I'm guessing that as 433 hasn't worked for 35 games and we don't have the players to play that system, that we'll stick with it. It's bound to work at some point. The one guarantee is that Roy will walk out and applaud the crowd before and after the game.
Everton staying up would be the rotten olive on the top of the rancid cake of this season. The whiffs of entitlement coming from the arse end of Liverpool are cringeworthy. They have been mediocre for a long time. Must win game for that reason only, otherwise couldn't care, much like some of our players.
Will relish the opportunity to hurl abuse at an OAP this Wednesday. Hopefully after that and I've left work I can get to the game in time.
Anyone interested in joining in some sort of protest at this? I might be tempted to go if we can get a couple of hundred of us to storm the directors box or technical area.
