I have brought new support - in the shape of my son - to the Watford family. Today we went to Wembley for the Semi-Final of the cup. There was no way I could have got him tickets for the quarter final - up the road from us - but we were within roaring distance of the Emirates Stadium at the Sobell Centre and then the Finsbury Park bowl when The 'Orns got a surprise 2-1 victory on the holders' turf six weeks ago. We watched some of the second half at the bowling centre and celebrated, with Gooners everywhere. I promised him then we would go to Wembley and he has been singing the song ever since.
When I saw how the tickets would be released, I felt I had to play down the possibility that we could go in case my lack of a recent buying history (last match I went to was against today's opponents in the same stadium three years ago). I got online at the right time and sweated through minutes of waiting to get three tickets. Later that evening I saw tickets were still available and today anyone could see hundreds of empty seats in our half of the stadium.
My son loved it. When we went out to our seats an hour before kick off and with mere hundreds in their seats, he opined, "Best place in the world". At four and two-thirds, he wasn't expected to stay interested but he managed it.
It was a much better game today than three years ago but our defending was a little poor and though we countered well at times, we never really troubled the Palace keeper. They scored early and then again straight after Troy Deeney had equalised in the second half. Three headers.
My little Watford Boy sang "Watford till I die" and his cute, solitary voice turned a few heads. I let him down a bit on the singing, a headache developing once I started shouting off my big mouth and making it painful to continue to do so. I hope to have plenty of opportunities to make up for it in the future and also hope he will have the chance to come back to Wembley soon. It's my fourth time (Everton FA Cup final, 1984; Bolton Play-Off Final, 1999 and the two Palace games) and I've also been to three other FA Cup Semis (1984, 2003, 2007 at Villa Park) and a 2006 Play-Off Final in Cardiff. 8 big games in 37 years or so of supporting the Yellows, but with 6 since 1999 so he should have another shot by the time he's 10...
My son loved it. When we went out to our seats an hour before kick off and with mere hundreds in their seats, he opined, "Best place in the world". At four and two-thirds, he wasn't expected to stay interested but he managed it.
It was a much better game today than three years ago but our defending was a little poor and though we countered well at times, we never really troubled the Palace keeper. They scored early and then again straight after Troy Deeney had equalised in the second half. Three headers.
My little Watford Boy sang "Watford till I die" and his cute, solitary voice turned a few heads. I let him down a bit on the singing, a headache developing once I started shouting off my big mouth and making it painful to continue to do so. I hope to have plenty of opportunities to make up for it in the future and also hope he will have the chance to come back to Wembley soon. It's my fourth time (Everton FA Cup final, 1984; Bolton Play-Off Final, 1999 and the two Palace games) and I've also been to three other FA Cup Semis (1984, 2003, 2007 at Villa Park) and a 2006 Play-Off Final in Cardiff. 8 big games in 37 years or so of supporting the Yellows, but with 6 since 1999 so he should have another shot by the time he's 10...
