Watford is one of the smallest clubs in the Premier League, but what they lack in big sponsorship, they more than make up for with passion and support from all of their devoted fans. Did you know that Sir Elton John is a big fan? He grew up just about a mile from Watford and also owned the club for a while.
Watford is located less than 20 miles from London, so getting there is easy-peasy. You can also make your trip even more convenient by using a travel agent specialising in arranging football trips, with packages including flights, game tickets and accommodation. If you prefer to do it yourself, you can order tickets through the Watford FC website, at the arena or by phone. You can see a few suggestions of football trips to upcoming Watford FC games in the list below.
Watford FC was founded in 1881, and was known as the Watford Rovers at the time. The first few years were spent in the lower divisions, and the club moved from arena to arena until entering the professional leagues in 1920. In 1922, Watford moved to Vicarage Road, which has been the home of the yellow shirts ever since. Watford FC has consistently brought home victories from some of the lower divisions, and in the 1982/1983 season, they got very close to the top, with a second place in the top division – what we call Premier League these days. The next year, during the 1983/1984 season, they also made it all the way to the FA Cup finals, but had to watch Everton grab the top spot. Today, the club are playing their second season in a row in the Premier League and are gradually becoming a stable of the British top division.
There are plenty of museums, bars, parks and shopping to enjoy during your time in Watford. And since the city is less than 20 miles from London, you can easily visit the many sights in the capital. This way, you can enjoy one of the Premier League’s most humble clubs with London’s vibrant heart and endless possibilities just around the corner.
Vicarage Road is home to Pleamier League club Watford FC. With just 21,277 seats, it is one of the smallest 2016/2017 season arenas in the top division. In fact, it is only larger than Swansea Liberty (20,750 seats) and Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth (12,000 seats). Luckily for Watford, size doesn’t matter. The club doesn’t take their spot in the top division for granted, inspiring their fans to give them even more support and create a great atmosphere at ever game.
Vicarage Road opened its doors in 1922, and Watford FC have had their home there ever since.
Just like most arenas, Vicarage Road has four named stands. You can sit in the Roookery Stand, Graham Taylor Stand, Vicarage Road Stand, or the Sir Elton John Stand, named after the famous musician who actually owned Watford FC twice.
Watford used to have to share the arena with Wealdstone FC (between 1991 and 1994), and with rugby club Saracens FC (between 1997 and 2012), but these days, they have Vicarage Road all to themselves.
Graham Taylor, who has twice lead the club, had a stand named after him in 2014. Previously, it was dedicated to FIFA president Sir Stanley Rous.
Elton John, who also has a stand named after him, may not have played for the team, or coached it. But what he hasn’t done for Watford on the pitch, he has made up for on the management level, and has even owned the club twice. He has also made some sizable contributions for renovating the arena, among other things.
The other two stands are the Rookery Stand and the Vicarage Road stand, where away team fans are normally seated.
Vicarage Road is located just over a mile from the Watford city centre, which means you can easily walk there in about 20 minutes. If you’re driving, you can go via the A411, which gets you there less than in less than 10 minutes.
If you prefer, you can also catch a bus from the Watford Junction train station and get off at The Hornets, which is just a stone’s throw from Vicarage Road. The trip will take about 17 minutes.