WITH our dear ol' chums L*ton Town, the fan rivalry runs so deep I know grown men who won't Hoover with an "Electrolux" just because that certain vacuum manufacturer once sponsored the kit of those awful, awful people up the M1.
The age-old grumblings between Horn and Hatter will never go away, but in recent years certain other smaller rivalries have bubbled up with other clubs too. QPR, Spurs, Palace, Arsenal, MK Dons, Brentford and West Ham have all been understandable new mini-derbies, but the Ipswich one is perhaps the strangest that's sprung up in recent years.
I for one have never had anything against the blue shirted, tractor driving folk of Suffolk. Their ground is always a pleasure to visit, John Wark had a good moustache and in recent times we always seem to beat them with glorious ease.
Oddly I seem to be almost alone in this lack of animosity. On t'internet message boards, and Watford beer gardens the (always friendly but…) lively banter was certainly building up on Saturday.
I have no idea why so many of their fans dislike us Hornets. It must have something to do with our love of all things "yellow". That or the fact they've never got over us rustling Professor Stevie Palmer from them all those years ago. Whatever the reasons, it certainly made for the best game The Vic has witnessed for what seems like ages.
There was a great atmosphere, end to end passing football and by my calculations no less than five home grown local lads doing battle against Ivan Campo of Real Madrid fame. Six if you count Jay as a Northwood native.
I don't know if Mr Campo has ever heard of John-Joe O'Toole before, but he'll know that name forever now. Not only has he stolen his hair cut, he pinched his three points. Superb stuff.
Oh, and on top of the Harrow Ronaldo nicking it late on, a highlight for me had to be listening to the confused six-year-old at the back of the Rookery late in the game.
Above even the drummer you could here him screaming, 'Daddy! That's not Henderson!' when it was Hendo "Liam" not Hendo "Dorris" who came on for Super Tamas Priskin. Thank God Lewis Young and Ross Jenkins didn't feature, it would have been waaay too confusing for him.
Season Ticket holder Lee Coan will be bringing you regular updates on life as a Hornet and following the team on the road throughout the season. To see past articles click here.
The views in this blog are not necessarily the views of Watford Football Club.
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