For a club just down the road, us and Watford were poles apart for so long. Now, however, we’re probably their main threat as ‘The Pride of Hertfordshire’. Let’s be honest – who else could it be? Barnet? Ha! That’s a good ‘un Rodney. Boro’ needed to go on a big upward curve to even get within touching distance of the Hornets. And there’s still a bit more work we need to do to become the county’s team to beat. Not that we haven’t had a chance (and succeeded); 1986’s Herts Senior Cup semi-final being the first time and the 2023-4 League Cup in more recent times.
What we haven’t yet managed to do is land ourselves in the same division. Our best progress so far (apart from cup meetings) has come when we’ve made it into the third tier; the Hornets occupying the division above. It seems that, unless something dramatic occurs, it’s on us to gain promotion to the second tier. Is that so unreasonable? Perhaps, perhaps not. Is it inconceivable that Watford could suffer a fall from grace to befall other ex-Premier League teams? Absolutely not. Either way, us having the title of ‘The Pride of Hertfordshire’ will be unofficial for the time being.
The Hornets’ story goes all the way back to 1881 – but we’re not gonna get into the detail. We just don’t have the time. In the late 19th century, the club joined the Southern League; going on to lift the title in 1914-5 – the last champions before World War One stopped the action. In the first campaign back after the conflict, a second title was only denied on goal average. And it’d be their last in the Southern League. The Football League came calling.
For much of the next 50 years, however, you’d catch the Hornets buzzing around towards the bottom of the ladder. It wasn’t ’til 1960 when they were promoted for the first time; that taking them up into the old Division Three. Nearly a decade later, they reached as high as the Second Division for the first time. And they reached the FA Cup semi-finals too. But then they suffered two relegations in three years to end up back in Division Four.
Good times weren’t long in returning to Vicarage Road. In 1978, the Division Four title put them back into Division Three. A year later, the Hornets finished runners-up and earned a second straight promotion. So, it was back to Division Two. There was also a League Cup semi-final too, but they lost to a strong Nottingham Forest side. Then, in 1982, a new high point for the Hornets as they reached the top flight for the first time.
Why do we know Watford?
Even then, the Hornets kept scaling new heights under boss Graham Taylor and chairman Elton John. They came second (albeit a distant second) to Liverpool in the 1982-3 season, before Everton ended their hopes of a first-ever FA Cup in 1984. The Hornets continued to mix it at the top table during the mid-80s; a time when Boro’ were only just getting familiar with the Isthmian League. There were about six divisions between ours and theirs.
We weren’t getting anywhere near the FA Cup First Round either. So, maybe it’s no shock to learn that Herts Senior Cup action would be the reason we’d first run into each other.
How to get to Watford – Travel Information – Distance: 23 miles
By Road
Take the A1(M) south and leave it after coming out the other side of the Hatfield Tunnel. Take the A414 towards St Albans and – at the Park Street roundabout – use the second exit for the A405 towards the M25. Continue over the M25 and then take the M1 south.
Exit the M1 soon after at Junction 5 and head into Watford on the A4008. You’ll go over one roundabout. But, at the second in front of a Premier Inn, take the second exit for the A411 Beechen Grove.
Follow the one-way system around to the left, before bearing off left after nearly half-a-mile. This is Vicarage Road. There’s a natty left/right/left combo to negotiate before you reach the stadium.
No parking is available at the ground and street parking is also off the table due to local resident schemes. Don’t think about trying Watford General Hospital either. Instead, try one of the many options in the town centre; the easiest of which is Church Car Park. It’s inside the ring road opposite the turn for Vicarage Road.
By Rail
Station: WATFORD HIGH STREET
Services to: LONDON EUSTON
Leave the station on Lower High Street, turning left and left again onto Exchange Road. Follow this around to Vicarage Road and turn left, heading more or less in a straight line.
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