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Watford Ground Name: Vicarage Road |
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| Contents | |
| What's The Ground
Like? Future Developments Rous Stand (photo) What Is It Like For Visiting Supporters? Where To Drink? Vicarage Road Stand (photo) How To Get There By Car & Where To Park By Train/Tube Rookery Stand (photo) Local Rivals Admission Prices Programme Price East Stand (photo) Fixtures 2008-2009 Disabled Facilities Ground Layout Record & Average Attendance Fans Ground Reviews Hotel Accommodation Own A Share In Watford Feedback Return To The Main Menu |
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| What's The Ground Like? | |
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Overall a tidy looking ground, that is somewhat let down
by the old East Stand on one side. I am normally a fan of old stands, but
the East side is a mish mash of a couple of tired
looking structures and an open seated area in one corner.
The stand has now been closed admist health and safety concerns and apart
from the Directors Box will remain empty of spectators. The players though
will continue to use the dressing rooms in this stand. The ground has had both ends re-developed during the 1990's along with the front of the Rous stand. Both ends are large single tiered stands, with some strange looking floodlights perched on the roof. Away fans are housed in one of these ends the Vicarage Road Stand. On the other side is the Rous Stand. This two tiered stand has an interesting roof design, with a row of executive boxes across the back. There is a large video screen in the corner between the Rous & Vicarage Road Stands. Vicarage Road is shared with Saracens rugby club. |
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| Future Developments | |
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Steve Beattie informs me:
'The Club have finally started the long awaited development of
Vicarage Road. Initially the
developments will not be noticeable to the majority of fans,
as the works are mainly upgrades of home and
corporate areas and are to be carried out as
phased developments over a three year period culminating in the
redevelopment of the old East Stand.
The
Dressing rooms and players tunnel will be relocated to a new building
replacing the temporary executive boxes in the Rookery/Rous corners
(Affectionately known as "Celebrity squares!"), with seating above. Other
works to the Rous will see various hospitality suites bolted on to the
back of the stand. This work goes on to the close season. It is planned to
infil all corners of the ground eventually which, when the
East Stand is finally
rebuilt, should create a good atmosphere.
To help finance these developments the club
has leased "fresh air" space above the entrances and behind the Rookery
stand to housing developers who will build key worker accommodation that
will "wrap around" the stadium. When all the
works are complete in 2011 the stadium capacity will be increased to
around 23,000'.
Richard Bailey adds; 'The current away area (the Vicarage Road Stand) is not included in the redevelopment plans, although it has been stated by the Club that away fans will probably be moved to the new south east corner of the stadium when it is completed'. |
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| What Is It Like For Visiting Supporters? | |
| Away fans are housed in the Vicarage Road
Stand at one end of the ground. This stand is normally shared with home
supporters (with the obligatory 'no-mans land' in between).
Around 2,200 visiting fans can be accommodated in this area. I've always found this club friendly on my four visits and have
never had any hassle, although at times there can be a heavy police presence
around the ground and in the town centre. Inside the
ground, the
delicious
'Football's Famous Chicken Balti Pie'
(£2)
is available. Adam Hodson a visiting Stockport fan adds;
'I was very impressed with the ground
and the modern facilities.
There was plenty of leg room in
the way end and a good atmosphere.
However, the concourses are very small meaning that they easily get
crowded'. On the first occasion that I visited Vicarage Road, I met a Watford supporter in a pub who gave me a free ticket to that night's game against Luton. I was also impressed with this chap as at the time he had visited 91 League grounds with Watford. Perhaps he was in some part my inspiration for doing the '92'. |
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| Where To Drink? | |
| Christopher Harrison a visiting Middlesbrough fan recommends the 'Odd Fellows' (previously called 'Macs Bar') in Fearnley Street. 'It is only a couple of hundred yards from the ground and they even had a barbeque in the beer garden'. The bar is situated off Cassio Road and is clearly visible when taking the route to Vicarage Road from the town centre via Market Street. The pub is only a few minutes walk away from the away turnstiles. Otherwise the ground is in walking distance of the town centre, where along the High St you will find a few pubs including a large Wetherspoons outlet called the Moon Under Water, O'Neils and a Walkabout. Rob Sterry adds, 'away fans should avoid the Red Lion, outside the ground'. Please note that alcohol is not sold in the away section. | |
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| How To Get There By Car & Where To Park | |
| I have in
the past parked in the centre of town and walked down to the ground. As the
stadium is central it is difficult to miss,
with the floodlights being clearly visible for some distance. Leave
the M1 at Junction 5 and take the A4008 into Watford. If on nearing the town
centre you can't see it on your left, just go around the inner ring road and
you will soon spot it. There are also some private match day car parks
available at some industrial units near the ground, as
well as the Vicarage Road Girls School, which is close to the stadium and
charges £5 per car. For a map showing the
location of the ground
click
here
(to take you to the Street Map website). |
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| By Train/Tube | |
| The nearest station
is Watford High Street, a ten minute walk away from the ground.
However you are likely to come into Watford Junction train
station, which is about a 20 minute walk. Either get a
train to Watford High Street from Watford Junction or if you have time to
walk to the ground then: Leave the station & take main road straight opposite (Clarendon Road) all the way (over Ring Road at lights) up to the High Street. Turn left and go past past Wetherspoons (Moon under Water) on your right and then take the first right after 100 yards into Market Street. Continue along again crossing Ring Road to T junction & then left at an excellent chip shop. Vicarage Road is the next right turn. Should take around 15-20 minutes to walk. Watford also has its own London Underground tube station, which is on the Metropolitan Line and is situated just under one mile from Vicarage Road. However overland trains from London normally have a shorter journey time. Thanks to Albert Fuller for providing the above directions. |
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| Local Rivals | |
| Luton Town. | |
| Admission Prices | |
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All areas of the ground:
Category A matches: £35 adults, £15 concessions |
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| Programme | |
| Official Programme £3. | |
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| Fixtures 2008-2009 | |
| For the Watford fixture list click here (to take you to the BBC Sports Website). | |
| Disabled Facilities | |
| For details of disabled facilities at the ground please visit the relevant page on the National Association Of Disabled Supporters (NADS) website. | |
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| Record & Average Attendance | |
| Record Attendance: 34,099 v Manchester United, FA Cup 4th Round Replay, February 3rd, 1969. Modern All Seated Attendance Record: 21,590 v Sunderland Division One, November 27th, 1999. Average Attendance: 2007-2008: 16,876 (Championship League) 2006-2007: 18,750 (Premier League) 2005-2006: 15,450 (Championship League) |
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| Fans Reviews Of Vicarage Road | |
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Mark
Barber (Charlton Athletic) 19/1/08 Mick Hubbard (Doing The 92) 25/2/06 Chris O'Hanlon (Nottingham Forest) 1/3/03 Lee Roberts (Doing The 92) 6/1/01 |
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| Hotel Accommodation | |
| If you require hotel accommodation in the area then first try a hotel booking service provided by Football Hotels who are powered by Activehotels, who specialise in locating accommodation near or within a short travelling distance of the football ground. They also have the added advantage over some other hotel booking services that you pay on departure. Yes this site will earn a small commission if you book through them, but it will go to help with the running costs of keeping the Guide going. To access their Watford page click here. | |
| Own A Share In Watford | |
| Framed Share allow you to buy a genuine share for someone else, which you can then give to them unframed, or in a frame of your choice. The recipients name will be on the share certificate, which shows that the person is now a shareholder in Watford Leisure plc (the company that own the Football Club). As a shareholder that person will receive the annual accounts of Watford Leisure plc and allow them to attend the Annual General Meeting of shareholders of the Club, where the Clubs senior officials attend and take questions. To find out more on how to purchase a share in Watford for yourself or someone else click here. | |
| Feedback | |
| If anything is incorrect or you have something to add,
please e-mail me and I'll
update
the guide. |
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