Watford FC - The Pozzo Family

Best thread I've seen anywhere in years - take that "Lifes a Pitch"! Im a gloryhunter too - circa 1980. Gutted I hadn't enough vouchers for 2 cup final tickets - my dad wasn't really a fan so wouldn't let me go on my own.

Yes, I feel sorry for Sean Dyche but feeling so excited for this season. Looking forward to my kids not being embarrassed to wear a Watford shirt with pride!

 

Oh Mike Calvin, please read this you odious little toad!!

Great thread!!

 

All very positive. Two concerns

I think the Pozzos won't be too patient if Zola does not get results.

Zola has made it cleaar that there will be no compromise on style regardless of results. So, if style doesn't work out I don't think he'll be here long.

Those two cautions being expressed I share the optimism.

 

I registered just to reply to this thread ,I am 50 this year and been going over 40 years so have seen both good times and bad. I too think this could be the start of great things ,but have seen lots of good people come and go so yes enjoy while it lasts but we will still be here in the future even if the owners were to leave .lets all get behind the new regime as we always do .i am out in Florida at present with a hurricane just off the coast .so looking forward to getting back and cheering on the boys coyh.alan

 

welcome to the forum.

 

Anybody aged under 20, who has grown up with the PL, would never believe we came 2nd in the top division the year after being promoted!

I doubt any club will ever equal or better that ever again, considering all the money in the game now.

 

As a veteran (old git) of the Ken Furphy era couldn't agree more with this post and the future looks better than for very many years and when we get promoted to the Prem I've complete faith that the Pozzos will not lumber us with a load of average prem players on long contracts at silly money which has proved the downfall of a number of teams in the past us included.
The futures bright the futures Pozzo.

 

what a good heartwarming article , My first game was in 76 , my dad took me we lost 4-1 I think ,was hooked thereafter Some great times were seen and now dare we hope for a modern dat rerun ,Heres hoping

 

I was there that day, didn't lose a shoe but I remember the celebrations like it was yesterday, was also a bit naughty getting out of the ground as the Spurs fans seemed a little upset.

As for the Pozzo's, well it's early days and easy to be optimistic after 4 games. How soon we forget how many on this forum were slating Sean Dyche around this time last season?

 

I didn't miss out on that despite me being 18. Thanks to radio playback in those days Kiss 100 used to always play those songs in the late 90s. Can't say the same for the younguns though

 

Yep, probs best thread ever, well done for creating it.

Worthy responses by the old guard of supporters, the dads army of wfc.

Remember the days we'd meet in the social club, yes young one's we had a social club and what a great place it was. Full of characters of varying degrees but as a wfc fan all was grand in that little kingdom.

The biggest tear jerker in my wfc supporting days was the 2-3 home defeat by Walsall that sent us down to old division 4. Things couldn't be worse, with all me school mates taking the pish as they all supported a top flight team, yet when i asked how many games they had seen the answer was NONE. I used to bunk school to go to away night matches and my history teacher was a sort of wfc fan and while everyone studied I talked about the match i had been to - i managed a grade U O'level in that subject.

There is IMO little comparison to being a supporter then and being a supporter now - we had coppers mingling among two sets of supporters standing alongside of each other, in the pishing rain and cold, yet it didn't deter from the fun and games.

Going to places like Southport, Darlington, Hartlepool, Halifax etc etc was also a part of the great away days - often by train the players GT and EJ were sometimes on the train back as well.

On the way to games there were many memorable songs written in the bar of the train, by legend in his own right, Kerry Miller - noteably the "Yesterday" song.

Also back in the day there was a supporters club team called the Travelling Hornets, we would meet up Friday night, booze all the way to the destination, play that teams supporters club before or after the match and normally stay over night. Great freindships were nade and still you can see many of the TH team at matches all over the country.

However, if i was a young fan now - just starting or been a supporter for a few years - i would be very happy and positive - i'd have no negativity in me and would be chearing for all my worth as we used to do. This is now a very good time for the club and all wfc fans really should put all the shyte from the last 5/6 years aside, accept it was tough and scalywags ran the show and embrace what is happening to wfc. Football changed with sky tv etc - it has to evolve futher for the small clubs to survive.

FFS - ZOLA as manager a playing legend and a well respected man - will be great him testing his wit's against the likes of Poyet, Coyle and the experience of Warnock etc etc.

So if any one starts booing and abusing the players etc in the short term, they really need to get help as they are pure scum and don't deserve a football club..

As foolham got stuffed by Manure fink i need a new local club - chelski are next nearest.

 

You're right. I t think we won 5-1 at Chelsea a couple of years later. Brian Talbot scored twice so they must have been poor!

 

Have Pavarotti on right now singing Maria, Mari....lush, lilting melody, just like we're going to be )

Thank you Pozzo's - let's have some fun again watching The Hornets !!

 

Queens Rd?

You would probably know my old man then!

 

Regular stalker but do not post.

However this thread is top rate. Been a regular since 1968 - beat Crewe 4v0, then was there when beat Plymouth to go up to old Div2. Still got programmes and pictures from then Scullion, Endean, Eddy.....Enjoyed the journey through the seveties and fondly remember players such as Billy Jennings, Denis Bond.

The last 30 years have been well documented and have followed complete journey. No club surely offers a better twist of fate that WFC.

The more recent fans need to read all the excellent books on WFC history and then enjoy the latest chapter.

Never thought we would have the stability to potentially rise again but I look forward to riding the Pozzo roller coaster.

Cannot understand recent nonsense about little 'ol' Watford. Under GT / EJ we stood equal to the so called big clubs and handed out many lessons. Lets adopt same attidude now.

COYH

 

Just to reiterate the positive comments. First game was December '79....privileged to follow the Orns through the glory years and be at some of the club's finest moments thanks to the generosity of my Dad.....witnessed some lows in the early to mid 90s and the ups and downs since. Makes a refreshing change to read a decent thread that isn't populated by the usual doom-mongerers or that peculiar brand of Watford fan that wants it all NOW......
Looking forward to seeing how things evolve and if Saturday is anything to go by, some good football. I'd settle for financial security and a competitive Championship side.
COYH

 

Talkin bout my generation.

Great post, very enjoyable thread to read through. Like many others, my first Watford team was that of the early 80's.

The main reason I had fallen out of love with football is that clubs like ours no longer have a realistic chance of competing with the top teams, like we did all those years ago. The two flirtations with the PL and subsequent money problems just proved it.

But now we have the ability to dream, to hope and believe we can get back to upsetting the big boys once again. I'm not mental, I don't think we'll be competing for the league title or anything like that, but maybe, just maybe we can get back to being able to cause upsets against the likes of Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal etc.

Same old Watford, taking the ****!

 

My first game Watford 6-0 Doncaster, I was 4 with the attention span of a goldfish so my dad would bring a bag of my tonka toys and I would play on the terraces whilst he watched the game. Old 4th Division, crowds of 4000 plenty of space.

The one true constant in life is the team you love and support, I call Watford my fickle mistress, shes the love of my life and I can't standing being awa from her for too long, but she can cause me so much pain and heartache.

 

My Dad was originally an Arsenal supporter, until he took me to my first football match at Vicarage Road. He thought the crowds would be too big for me at Highbury, as I was only 7 years old. That was way back in 1958, in the days of Cliff Holton, who remains as our leading scorer in a season.

He never went to see Arsenal play again and we became regular Horns. I have happy memories of going to super stadiums such as Roots Hall, Griffin Park, Elm Park, Kenilworth Road, Loftus Road and the County Ground, to name just a few, with him.

Most of my life I have been teased by friends for supporting little old Watford. I have always replied that when you are a Horn, you do not have great expectations from football. You endure the good times when they come along and continue to support the team through the lean times.

During the long seasons in the bottom divisions, I always dreamt of one day seeing the Horns at Wembley. During the golden days I was lucky enough to see us twice at Wembley and also at the Millenium Stadium, along with numerous promotions and cup runs. Despite having been at Wembley for the 1966 World Cup Final, the greatest time I have ever had at a football game was when Watford knocked Man. United out of the League Cup, at old Trafford.

I have feared for the future of our club over tha last few seasons and thought that my Son and 2 grandsons, would never enjoy the same experiences.

As my Son was away for the weekend, I took my grandsons aged 9 and 11 to the game on Saturday. If anybody saw them, they were the 2 with their faces totally painted in Yellow, Black and Red. I cannot remember the last time that I was so excited by the football we played and was proud to hear my friends, who had watched it on Sky, comment how good we looked.

I as much as anybody, realise that it is very early days. However, I am grateful to the Pozzo's for once again giving me reason to feel optimistic about the future of our beloved Watford FC. For too long, I feared that we would not have a future at all.

 

I think PYA means the old supporters club in Occupation Road.

Just sent you a PM.

 

Yes I do jelboy. Not sure why I wrote social but was it a social club ?

Always enjoyed the trips to Rochdale and their club was marvellous.

 

:sign15:

 

The nightclub at Spotland... with the revolving dance floor or was that just my head that was spinning??? With the chippy the other side of the ground that specialised in burnt chips!

 

As a fellow old git who was also standing on the terraces this is a very nice post, however, we have only won two league games! Lets not get carried away and wait and see if potential turns into success come May

 

I don't think anyone is saying anything is a forgone conclusion, but just that the future is brighter, much brighter than what it was come the end of the last campaign. Then taking into account the situation we seemed to be heading for under BBBs reign, I think everyone is simply breathing a huge sigh of relief.

Comments like that from the no-marks from 'Life's a pitch', confirm that a lot of those outside WFC don't really appreciate what could be materialising here - for a change it is nice to be fairly optimistic about our future rather than worrying where the next few £ will come from.

Let optimisim rule...

 

Sitting on the old wooden cinema seats...it was there that my dad and I bumped into SEJ who had just pulled up in his rolls with private plate. We chatted for a good 10 minutes - still got his signature from that day. Imagine that happening nowadays

 

Some wonderful memories. My first experience of the glory that is Watford was an away defeat at Carlisle. A few more disappointments over the years namely the Ian Rush dive at home in the FA Cup but many more positives than negatives. The Blissett goals at Man Utd, the 8 nil V Sunderland, wins at Tottenham and Arsenal in our first season in Div 1 and becoming Arsenal's bogey team, Didn't we beat them way and home in the space of 4 days? I am at last seeing light at the end of what has been a very long tunnel. Cannot believe the negativity of those moaning about the influx of all the loanees from the Pozzo squad. The futures bright, the future's yellow.

 

The great thing about supporting a club throughout your life - is that if you are fortunate it grows with you, sharing in all the challenges along the way.

In the case of Watford from the fourth division as a child, to the first as an adult.

The chums you make, girlfriends you take, and records you break, - they change but your Hornets life is a constant in a fast changing world.


As in life generally there are times when you are both short of cash, and others when hopefully you achieve good fortune and live well.

If you can avoid the charlatans and are lucky enough to have good family and friends, and stay healthy - you can achieve anything.

Hopefully with the Pozos our future is bright, and another golden spell is just ahead.

 

Re: being Arsenal's bogey team I have checked the stats and our record against them in the 80's goes like this:

1980's games v. Arsenal
Played: 14 (incl FAC)
Won: 9
Drawn: 1
Lost: 4

Not bad at all! and yep we beat them away 2-0 on Mon 31st March '86 and then 3-0 at home the very next day!! (i must have been there but can't remember why they were on consecutive days, perhaps because of postponements due to our cup run) edit: the monday game was Easter Monday and the Tues must have been from a cup postponement.

also....exactly a week after our 3-1 FAC 6th Round demoliton at Highbury (The Barnes & Blissett show 14.3.1987) we tonked them 2-0 at home. Did they love us!

 

this is the best post for ages really sums up what it is to be a supporter of this great club. the 80s i went to see my first game towrads the end of the gt run. then when he came back, then with boothy. i went to wembley when we were written off against bolton. cardiff when we were written off against leeds.I am so happy we can compete. I understand some people may not like it but its a new time a new period in our history. Let the media slate us for the position we are in. Its o.k for chelsea and man city and the like then the format we have here is o.k by me. Watford are coming back.

 

Can't recall why we played them on consecutive days but yes, we beat them twice in the space of about 30 hours! My mates were Arsenal fans and I loved beating them more than anyone. Even the year we finally got relegated we did the double over them!! Rick Holden scored at Highbury in a 1-0 win IIRC.

 

We could quite easily have been doing a Portsmouth now. I don't agree with any criticism that the club has lost it's soul, we've gained soul if anything. Sexy Italian soul, with first team players arriving on match days in Armani suits. SOUL BROTHERS.

On a serious note, great post :badge:

 

A real unhappy hornet here..

http://www.footballforums.net/forums/showthread.php/290293-Sixteen-signings!-!?p=7831494#post7831494

 

who the hell are these muppets christ fans like these make it embarassing to be a hornet