Are you a first/second/third generation Hornet?

What I mean by that thread title is how did you end up becoming a Watford supporter?

Are you the first person in your family to support the horns, maybe having resisted following older relatives who liked another team or had no interest at all in football?

Or are you following in the footsteps of a parent/brother/grandparent etc (hence second/third generation Hornet)?

Myself - a first generation hornet (sort of). My dad didn't really follow any team when he was younger, he was more interested in certain players (George Best, for example). But when my brother and I were deemed old enough to go to the football and understand what we were watching, he took us to Watford being as it's not far from where we lived at the time (St. Albans). So the three of us simultaneously became first generation hornets, as nobody in our family before that had any interest in them.

I asked him years later why (thankfully!!!!!) he'd chosen Watford and not the scummers, being as they were a similar distance away. He replied "because I can't stand the ******* place, it's a ****-hole.

Over to the rest of you - what's your story?

 

My Father took my brothers and when I was 6 he took me too. He wasn't a fan per say but Laurence and Paul wanted to go,so he obliged.
I was 13 when GT arrived and started going on my own on the 321 from Bricket Wood at 14.

 

My grandad was a steward at Watford and would get me their shirts and record their games when they were on Tv for me.

I played and had an interest in football as a kid but I never asked him to do any of this, but I'm glad that he did. I was born in Watford but moved away when I was young. No doubt he'd have took me to games if I was around.

 

My dad is a stern Spurs fan and used to take me to matches at White Heart Lane as a kid. I never really felt connected to Spurs as much as my father did because he grew up in Essex where you were either a Spurs fan or a Spammer at the time (dont know if that "rule" still persists) and me growing up in Hertfordshire didn't really feel the bond between Tottenham Hotspur and myself.

This detatchment was mainly because I would get so few games to watch every season (i'd be lucky to get 2 games a season at WHL due to costs and distance). Due to this prohibition of football, I spent most of my childhood years not giving a cr*p about the sport simply because there was nothing to relate to other than family fights between my dad, uncles and cousins who were all a mix up of West Ham fans, Gooners and Spurs - what a joy family boxing day reunions were when North London derby games were live.

It was only until my early teens when my dad decided to get us (me, him and my brother) season tickets at Watford - he essentially wanted us to experience the football days he used to have, but locally so he wouldn't have to get out of bed at 5am as well as being persuaded by the rather cheap tickets. This was the time where I got my mojo for football simply because it was a local team I could watch almost every week.

Ever since, I have grown into loving Watford FC and I still retain my season ticket whilst also going to as many away games as possible. I think even my "Spurs praaaad" dad has a soft spot for Watford and would be very happy to see them come 2nd in the league, as long as it is 2nd to Spurs.

On top of that, I'm sure he wouldn't mind giving some Luton scummers a few brawls either... Well simply because noone likes them barstards; and that links very well to the phrase 'an enemy of my enemy is my friend'.

 

3rd generation. Never met my grandad (died before I was born), but he used to to take my dad (cycling from Chalfont St. Peter) and then my dad took me (driving from Chalfont St. Peter).

And now my son is besotted too (4th generation). We don’t get to go so much as we live in east London, but his birthday list last month had 8 items, all 8 were from hornet shop!

 

I had an aunt who lived in abbots Langley and she would always tell me about watford when she returned home to Ireland
as a young lad I moved to watford and started going to matches in the ninties and grew to love the hornets
Upon returning to Ireland in 1999
It was very difficult to keep abreast of evrything as it is all the big six here but I could never imagine supporting another team

 

First generation, sort of. My parents are both originally from Plymouth, my Dad used to watch Argyle. He moved to the Watford area in 1970 but only went to the Vic when Argyle played up here; he started going to Watford regularly at some point in the mid-70s around the time I was born, I started going in 1983.

 

My grandpa followed the hornets, we have a postcard from the thirties mentioning a good result for Watford, then ‘The Blues’.

My dad then followed all his life and I have been going since I was 11, luckily GT’s first season and now my son, despite living in Cambridge all his life now supports the ‘Orns.

All three of us have season tickets in The Rookery. Three generations at every match!

 

First generation Hornet here. My parents have/had no interest in the game.

 

Do your own homework.

 

1st generation .

Born in 1970, so mine and my pals interest in football coincided with GTs tenure and so it was any easy choice . Although at the time there was just as many Liverpool and Forest supporters in the playground .

Dad had no interest in football whatsoever .
All my family were the generation of Londoners who got moved out to the suburbs in the post war era .

Although my older brother played for Watford FC up till U18 he was never really a fan and lost interest in football as soon as he got let go.
And so I was the first and only one in my family to bleed yella.

My first memory being the night we beat Southampton 7-1 and I was listening to the results on the radio secretly in my bedroom. That was the day I turned Golden .

However my son , previously an Arsenal fan, now boos at the Arsenal badge on MOTD titles , ever since we beat them recently .

The mayhem he experienced in The Rookery that day really made an impression on him and so I'm hoping that was the day he turned Golden.

 

My parents moved from north London to Oxhey in 1964. Dad an Arsenal fan and on call worker quickly realised that trips to Highbury were no longer as easy as they once were and started going to Watford, and quickly got a season ticket. It helped that a past favourite Arsenal favourite Cliff Holton had returned to Watford, and of course the start of the first great era with promotion to division 2. He took me to my first game versus Tommy Dochertys Aston Villa. Later he got involved with a group trying to oust Bonsor and buy the club. But I think it was mainly saloon bar scheming. I got my first season ticket in the penultimate Mike Keen season.

 

Some fascinating back-stories here, folks. Thanks

 

3rd generation myself.

One grandad was a Watford fan, the other a L*t*n fan. My Nan, married to the L*t*n fan, was a regular at The Vic.

My dad used to go with his dad to watch them, but on moving to Watford from Dunstable after my grandads death started watching Watford. Thank goodness he did!

Both of my daughters, despite being brought up in Warrington, are Watford fans, I'm pleased to say

 

My grandfather moved to Watford to play for them, and my father was on their books and our house was used by a string of Watford footballers (as digs) throughout the 50's and 60's. It's in my blood.

So I'm 3rd generation.

 

My dad came to England in the 1950s and immediately started following the blues. When I was a kid he used to take me and sit me on the wall at the back of the (I think) Vic Rd terrace.

I had little interest as a kid and turned down the chance to go to the 84 cup final to climb trees instead (I was 6) but I became more involved in my teens.

He still follows Apoel, his hometown club too.

 

My dad was a Chelsea fan of sorts. He was actually more interested in watching whoever Jimmy Greaves played for. My first ever game was West Ham vs Man Utd and there was lots and lots of trouble. So when I asked to go again and my dad suggested Chelsea I suspect my mum said no! As we lived in Amersham Watford was the obvious choice.
My son is now getting the bug for Watford as well now, absolutely loves football

 

1st generation - I was mad about football and played every minute I could but my parents had no interest in going to any games other than the ones I played in. I didn't support a team until I was 9 when I went to see Watford lose 3-0 at home to Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup 5th Round. That was also the first day I ever tried pork crackling (bizarrely, at a lunchtime roast at a Jewish friend's house before the game). To this day, Watford and crackling remain two of my favourite things.

 

I have a confession to make. This is hard for me to admit, but I think it's time you all knew.

I started supporting Watford at the beginning of the 12/13 season. I was a neutral before that, but after seeing AGUERRRRRRRROOOOOOOOO at the tail-end of the season before, it was exhilarating as a neutral, I thought it must be madness to be a supporter and witness a moment like that. I decided I wanted to start following a team. Wasn't fussed about the team being good and wanted to go to matches, so PL teams were out the window. Narrowed it down to either Fulham, Brentford or Watford. Seeing as a Watford fan was one of my good mates and I knew **** all Fulham or Brentford fans, Watford was the logical option (plus the closest). And so it began. My first game was a dire 1-0 win over Wycombe in the cup where Chris Iwelumo tried his hardest not to score but somehow managed to bundle the ball over the line whilst falling over. I thought I was going to regret my decision. My first away day was a week later at Palace where we won 3-2 with 2 goals in the last couple of minutes, and I was hooked.

I have only known good times. I'm spoilt

 

1st generation for me, none of my family had the slightest interest in football but I was always in the garden with a ball. Long time family friend that lived over the road was a regular at the Vic, a mate who he had bought a ticket for dropped out of a cup match and he offered to take me, I was 11 and remember being chuffed to bits.

We beat Man U 1-0 (Jan Lohman I think?) in the third round of the FA cup at the start of 1982. Slight confession to make in that prior to this I had supported West Ham, absolutely no association but I think I liked Trevor Brooking. Our family friend then got me a ticket for the next round, home to West Ham. We won 2-0 I think, I remember asking which was player was Trevor Brooking at some point in the game, he was pointed out with the comment 'he's the one in middle not running around very much', always stuck with me that.

Obviously after actually going to games I was a Hornet through and through, season ticket the following season and for most seasons since, still great memories of the early years travelling to all the home games and some away in our family friends old mini van.

Trying to create a dynasty now though, taken my lad to quite a few games and he is definitely a Hornet, the only one of 30+ kids that train for the village team but happy to wear his kit and hold his own against all glory kids that never go to Arsenal, Chelsea, Man U etc.....

Felling a bit jumpers for goalposts now.

 

My dad and brother, both sadly passed away, were both big Watford supporters. My lad supports Leicester, so when I go there won’t be any Watford supporters left in the family...unless I can brainwash the grandchildren, if and when they hatch

 

I had been to games before, but I started supporting Watford properly around the QPR game in Boothroyd's promotion season.

I'm not sure whether I count myself lucky. I managed to miss some of the dross that came before, but I also missed the Taylor eras which must have been incredible.

Unless you have a parent who supports Watford - I didn't, but I now take my Dad to matches - it's likely that this kind of story will resonate with many on here.

In my very biased opinion, I actually think it's more impressive to choose Watford - whether they were doing well at the time or not - than have them chosen for you.

 

I'm a first-generation fan. I ended up supporting Watford because I'm a huge Elton John fan and he owned the club. I know that sounds like an odd one, but when you have so many people supporting teams because their Dad/Grandad/Uncle did, then it's all the same to me.

 

Seventy fifth generation.

We Kremlins first started supporting the Hornets back in the ice age. This was when the nomadic hunter, Ugg Kremlin, stumbled on using a combination of dandelions, blood and soot from the cooking fire to stain a long section of animal fur in repeating yellow, red and black stripes.


Although it did not yet exist, we Kremlins maintained our support for the club solidly through the Roman times and then through the dark ages and the enlightenment. For example my great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandfather, Old Seth Kremlin, used to pedal his Penny Farthing in and out of the plague victims and down to the fields where the Vic would later be built for much of the 17th century.


He’d just sit around waiting in the hope that football and WFC in particular would be invented. During the winter months he kept himself warm by preparing for when football would actually start - booing, doing solitary Mexican waves and shouting “Sit Down!” at imaginary people in front of him.


Of course though, we still only have supporter ID 00000002.


Number 00000001 was an amoeba ancestor of High Grade’s who'd been supporting the club since a few moments after the big bang.

 

Poll added

 

I'm first generation. I started supporting Watford after I moved south from Scotland because they are my local team. Beekayess Junior & I have been season ticket holders since he was 5; he's now 19.

 

Second, my Dad worked on Saturdays and so my Uncle used to take me and my bro. My Uncles first game was at the end of the 40's and he still has a season ticket. My Dad started taking us to the football in the early 70's after my parents divorced and he also became a loyal 'orn. I went to Downer in Edgware and apart from 2 other lads all the rest supported Chelsea arsenhole etc. I remember dodging a school rugby match to see us play at Rochdale and our nutter pe teacher would never drop it after he found out......all I got for the rest of my school days from him was 'Rochdale away eh'.............hence the name here!
My nephew is 3rd generation(season ticket in the Rookery) and his 3 year old, brilliantly named Harry, obviously has no choice!

 

My Grandad followed Watford (though not a regular fan) and whenever I visited him he would comment on them. But then he wiould spoil everything by saying "L*t*n did well, didn't they!" So I always suspected him of being a closet Hatter.

My Dad though was Watford through and through - he hated L*t*n (both club and town) with a passion and swore he would never go to Kenilworth Road because it was too violent there. The only time I could persuade him to go was at the end of the 68/69 season - the Battle of the Kennel! We stood at the side in the Bobbers Stand watching the constant fighting in the Oak Road End, the pitch invasion by Watford fans and the triple sending off. There were two old boys directly in front of us - must have been over 70 both of them. One had a yellow and black scarf, the other a black and white one. They came to blows halfway through the first half and continued to square up to each other for the remainder of the game.

Needless to say, my Dad turned to me after the game and gave me the "I told you so" look....

 

Thanks for adding the poll, Meister. But can you use your super editing capability to change the current spelling, as it reads "What gerenation supporter are you?". My credibility is hanging by a thread as it is, what with my blind belief that Silva's going nowhere! I need to claw back some pride from somewhere, so I'm going for exemplary spelling!

 

Credibility is overrated.

 

Were your brothers too embarrassed to travel with you?

 

I'm the first but have now spawned 2 more. If this rate of expansion continues, lilypond style, we'll need our own stand by the early 2300s.

Father was Preston but WFC was the nearest club, Wycombe then being non league. We started going in 68-69. I somehow had the impression that all the visitors came from grim northern climes although, reminding myself of the table, I see that at least two came from grim southern climes: them & an outfit name of Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic. Splendidly, they finished 3rd & 4th that season, trailing ourselves & a Swindon team inspired by Zapata moustached Don Rodgers.

The only time I've lived away from the area was university/first job. As this was 79-86, the timing was far from ideal.

Thinking back, my main memory is of the pungent odour of sweat & tobacco in the old East Stand, watching Walker, Welbourne, Williams in this hallucinogenic fug.

So, I'm more of a Furphy man but remember he left soon after the Cup semi final.

Plus, as they say in certain parts of the continent, ca change.

 

I've checked the reference books and no Top has played for Watford. I think you're an imposter.

 

But your plan not to follow a Prem team is in tatters. Better luck next season, perhaps

 

Fitst generation.

I've followed my local team wherever I've lived - Norwich, Cambridge Utd, Chelsea and Gillingham before I fetched up in Snorbens in 1978. Watched 2nd Division Luton and 4th Division Watford alternately for a few weeks until I decided that although Luton had the better team, Watford was the better club. GT had just arrived.....

Two sons are season ticket holders and the third used to be. We're working on my young granddaughter.