Your First Route To Vicarage Road

I’ve stolen the idea for this thread from an IBB post in the L*t*n one.
When you first started going to Vicarage Road, what was the route you took?
Mine was 282 bus from Eastcote to Northwood Hills, then the Tube to Watford Met, followed by the walk along Harwoods Road (it seemed really long when I was 12) up to the North-West turnstiles for the Shrodelles Stand. I moved to the terrace in front of that when I had to start paying adult prices.

 

322 bus from Abbots Langley other times on my bicycle - in mid 1960s. Always at Vic road end

 

My dad drove from Northwood and parked at the bottom of occupation road. Then we walked up through allotments


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Met line from Amersham

 

Can't remember, but involved a drive from Wiltshire at some point, possibly on the day itself

 

Always walked from South Oxhey , through the old Golf course , green lane , Woodwaye and then Blackwell drive and then up Cardiff road.
anybody remember the mynar bird which used to be in the alley in Liverpool Road ?

 

Hopped over the fence at the end of the garden, and walked up Occupation Road a bit to the Vic Road Red Lion Corner terraces. Passed down over the heads of folk down to the pitchside
railing, whilst desperately trying to hold on to my yellow and black rattle.

 

I certainly went along the alley on occasion, but I don’t recall the bird. When was this roughly?

 

Yep, I had forgotten that. on the left hand side as you walk away from Liverpool Road if my memory serves me correctly.

 

Under Bushey & Oxhey station, through Oxhey park then up Wigenhall Road. seems a very long time ago.

 

I was always driven, and we parked fairly easily on the roads near the Riverside Recreation Ground (before everyone else caught on).

 

Dad used to drive or we sometimes got the bus. Sometimes parked at the Irish social club.they we're a nice lot there. Or Dad would take me to the one crown. Usually left there about 2:45 still be in seat for kick off.

 

You were 32 years of age and will never forget that feeling.

 

Walked from Watford Fields where I used to live.

 

It was in the mid 70's,Don't remember what side on the alley, was in a cage , used to always reply when you spoke to it.

 

I don't really remember the journey to the ground much.

I was 6 years old and my dad drove me to the match as a birthday present - my first Watford game. He parked what seemed like a long way from the ground for a 6 year old, but was probably no more than 10 minutes away.

I remember being stood on top of a milk crate in the terraces, and the noise being almost overwhelming for a 6 year old, to the point that my dad had to comfort me because I was a bit scared. Some nice blokes around me tried to make me feel at home though.

At half time I went down into a lower lying area in the ground with some other boys (don't remember any girls) and the club threw down bags of Wotsits to the kids. I managed to grab one, which as a 6 year old made me very happy.

Second half was much less scary because I was used to it.

We beat Arsenal 3-0, scorers Jackett, Smillie and Allen. I was disappointed because Barnes didn't score.

The club wished me a happy birthday over the PA at half time, and sent me a really high quality birthday card signed by the whole squad.

 

I used to have to always rely on some kind of exotic wild life trafficker whenever I wanted to leave home. There were plenty near me delivering to London (mostly for Chinese restaurants) so it was never too much trouble. From there I would find a way onto the tube to Euston and get the fast train. Commuters are so pre-occupied I was always able to go through undetected. The journey was several weeks each time so I had to pick and choose my games carefully.

Nowadays I fly over with a jetpack, but I do get nostalgic and reminisce about those bio-secured cargo crates sometimes.

 

What was, at the time, the No 6 Arriva from Hemel through to Watford and back.

 

My first game was against Sheff Wed back in 87-88. It was Boxing Day and as I was stayig in London, I was supposed to take a train from Euston. But I was totally unawere of the holiday periods train problems; how could I make it now? I was accompanied by a friend; a Hatters supporter! And we decided to try and make it with a taxi. We got one and asked about the possible cost; it would be £20-£25 so we took it. I think we arrived just in time for the kick off and 2 minutes after that it was 1-0; Sterland own goal from McClellands corner. We lost 1-3 though.. We took a taxi back from the Junction.

Obviously my original trip also consisted of travelling from Finland: we took a ferry from Turku to Stockholm, then continued with train to Denmark, France, Switzerland, back to Paris and then a ferry from Calais to England... Inter-railing.

 

About a 10 minute walk for the first 5/6 years. These days I seem to move further and further away each year!

 

This was also my first proper game! I had been pushed down to the front and remember Mel Sterland scoring the first goal I ever saw at the Vic for Watford and of of course it was an own goal! The next week I remember getting him in my Football 87 Paninni sticker collection and he stayed on my bedroom wall for years afterwards as a kind of hero for being crap I suppose! I was only 7 but remember it like yesterday.

We came from St Albans, a bit shorter journey on the Abbey Flyer to Watford junction and then a walk to the ground. Nice and simple.

 

First post in donkeys years but this topic is very nostalgic to me. I started going to Watford on my own in 1972/3 ( my Dad wouldn’t go after we got relegated from the old division 2. I lived in Potters Bar and was 13 years old. At that time there was no direct bus route so it was the 134 from P Bar to High Barnet, then the 242 to a bus stop to somewhere between Borehamwood and edgeware and then the green line 306 to occupation road. Most weeks it took about three hours with crap connection times. Each bus cost 6p so 36 p return. I had my first season ticket for the Shrodells that year and if memory serves me right it cost me about £4.50. Used to have pie and chips from the old fish and chip shop (where the current one is I think) but it was a right old place run by a little old. Man who had a lounge with a few tables out the back of the shop. Often, I’d leave home at 11 and seldom get in before 7.30. My parents worried on the dark winter nights, but the world as a whole was a lot safe4 then. This travel and season ticket thing carried on down through to division four until I got my first car, a Ford Cortina for £50, when I passed my test at 17. Those trips were purgatory but I just loved the club. Some really bad days until God turned up.......

the rest is history. Sorry to ramble on but such great memories.

 

Team coach just before my home debut.

 

This is the way. Grew up in Oxhey, still dislike that the station is now called Bushey. Snooty upstarts of Bushey!

 

Remember getting dropped off in that park area up towards Watford road. 1984? We walked up and werein family terrace. Andy Townsend scores for Saints (youth player at time). West equalised. Shilton in goal. Didn’t really care about football but just went to please my Dad.

next game after 86 World Cup when I was hooked. 3-0 over Oxford. Massive euphoric rush when Barnes scores from Talbot through ball. Bardsley and Blissitt also scoring. My Dad loved Bardsley. Next game Wimbledon at home. Hodges last minute goal. Very upset about that I remember.

Wind forward 2 years and my Dad calling Hodges a “pudding” when playing for us. I always liked Hodges as a kid though. And we beat West Ham on pens in Simod Cup. Could put your mortgage on Gary Porter from the spot.

Football so much more magical in those days.

 

Walk up 100 yards up St James road turn left on to Vicarage road. You would see two queue's. A long one and a short one. Ignore the long queue that was for the fish & chip shop. Carry on and join the short queue for the football.

 

12 years old with a school friend, train from Hemel to the High Street and walked from there. Stood in the Vicarage road end, magical day out.

 

OK. What route home did you take after your first match at Vicarage Road? I'd really like to know

 

107 to mate's house for "Football Focus" and "Saint & Greavsie", then 306 to Watford. The discovery that Wendy's sold 'chilli' was a revelation.

 

Out of the side gate onto Market Street, left down Merton Road, right on Vic Rd...no "Hornets" cut through then!
Then when we moved to North Watford, 321 into town then walk.