Vicarage Road Stadium Guide Watford FC

UK Stadiums: Vicarage Road, Watford

Joji Imamiya

The stadium is the home of Watford FC. — The stadium is the home of Watford FC and has a capacity of 22,220

Vicarage Road, in Watford, Hertfordshire, has been the home of Watford Football Club since 1922. Their previous ground was Cassio Road, used between 1898 and 1922. It was also the venue for Wealdstone's home games in the early 90s while rugby union side Saracens were occupants from 1997 until 2013. Although initially purchasing the ground for freehold in 2002, worsening financial problems meant The Hornets had to sell Vicarage Road and lease back. Sir Elton John came, backed by the 'Let's Buy Back The Vic' campaign. Thanks to John and the fans, Watford repurchased the stadium in 2004.

Stands

The 22,220 capacity stadium contains four distinct stands - Vicarage Road Stand, The Rookery Stand, The Graham Taylor Stand, and The Sir Elton John Stand.

The Vicarage Road Stand was built in 1993 in compliance with the Taylor Report after the Hillsborough Disaster. Previously an open terrace, manager Graham Taylor famously refused to install a roof over his dugout until the stand was complete to show solidarity with the fans. In total, the cost was around £2.3 million. Most of the construction was funded with the sale of striker Bruce Dyer to Crystal Palace. In 1978, an electronic scoreboard was constructed, which became an iconic feature of the venue. Although it was first used as the home end, half the stand now hosts away supporters.

Throughout the 1994-95 campaign, The Rookery Stand saw massive development. It houses almost all of the administrative areas. Its debut came in a 1995 match against Bristol City. The stand is utilised as the home end.

In 2014, the Graham Taylor Stand was renamed to commemorate the achievements of the club's greatest manager. Before this, the stand took the name of former FIFA president Sir Stanley Rous. It has an unmistakable wavy roof and contains the executive boxes.

In a ceremony attended by Sir Elton John, the new stand named after him was opened in late 2014. The changing rooms are located here. Following the acquisition of Watford by the Pozzo family in 2012, they announced a plan to convert the main stand into a modern 3,000-seater area, a promise they have followed up on.

Watford Stadium Halt was a train station opened specifically for Vicarage Road. Elton John and Lord Aberdare officially opened it as its first match saw the visit of Manchester United, with the inaugural train arriving five minutes late. However, by 1996, the station fell out of use and has become derelict since. Talks of construction of the London Underground station Watford Vicarage Road have stalled owing to the lack of funds provided by local government entities.

Greyhound racing was a staple of Vicarage Road for a long time. At its peak, it had four races per week. The bent nature of the track due to the shape of the pitch had attracted much criticism from the greyhound racing community for it being dangerous for the contesting dogs.

TV studios at the ground. — TV studios at the ground

History

The origins of the club (nicknamed 'The Hornets') can be traced back to Watford Rovers in 1881. Originally composed entirely of amateur players, Watford played at several Hertfordshire locations. The Hornets spent many decades wandering the lower divisions of English football and had no pedigree of any significance. But fortunes changed dramatically when local lad Sir Elton John came forward with an ambitious dream.

Graham Taylor

Watford were famously languishing at the foot of the 4th division table when John took charge. By his admission, Vicarage Road was a tattered thing and needed immediate reinvestment. John's biggest masterstroke was appointing a young Graham Taylor, who had caught the eye of many other bigger English teams. Watford supporters enjoyed an exciting brand of football with the likes of Luther Blissett, Ross Jenkins and John Barnes, the crown jewel of the side, tearing up the lower leagues. In 1982, Watford reached the first division for the first time in their history.

The 1982-83 season has been etched into Watford folklore. In an unprecedented ascent into the top table of English football, The Hornets finished second behind Liverpool and qualified for the UEFA Cup. Blissett had a superb campaign, finishing as top scorer with 27 goals. This has been Watford's greatest league finish.

Watford made headlines in cup competitions when an unheralded side made it to the 1984 FA Cup final. It was especially astounding considering The Hornets were in the fourth tier six seasons ago. Against a strong Everton team, Watford struggled to contain the mazy runs Peter Reid made from midfield and at times were toothless going forward as the Welsh pairing of Kevin Ratcliffe and Neville Southall proved indestructible. Goals from Graeme Sharpe and Andy Gray ended Watford's fairytale run on a sour note.

Graham Taylor made a pivotal decision to leave for Aston Villa in 1987, and a season later, Watford suffered relegation after six seasons in the top flight. The club remained in the second tier for a decade. Vicarage Road hosted Premier League fixtures in 1999-2000 and 2006-07, but neither time could Watford attain survival.

At the end of the 2012-13 EFL Championship campaign, Watford faced Leicester in the play-off semi-finals to see who would play Crystal Palace at Wembley. With the scores at a deadlock on aggregate with seconds left in the second leg, Leicester won a penalty and were a spot-kick away to secure a win. Ex-Arsenal's Manuel Almunia saved Anthony Knockaert's effort, and in the blink of an eye, Watford players were crowding Leicester's penalty area. The following events have become one of the most famous football moments this century, with the legacy cemented by the "Here's Hogg, Deeney!" commentary by Sky Sport's Bill Leslie.

In typical Watford fashion, however, The Hornets wilted under pressure in the final. Kevin Phillips, who is from Hertfordshire, rolled back the years with an ice-cool spot-kick to give the Eagles a somewhat unexpected promotion.

Pozzo Family

Although denied in the playoffs, it was clear Watford were improving under the Pozzo family. Giampaolo Pozzo is an influential figure in football. He initially made his name at Udinese, a provincial club that has occupied the top table for decades. Pozzo refined the club's scouting network, excavating unknown gems such as Fabio Quagliarella, Alexis Sanchez and Samir Handanovic. By authorizing transfers between Udinese, Watford and Granada (now under Chinese ownership), Pozzo guaranteed none of his clubs would become overtly weaker than the others. In 2014-15, despite having four managers throughout the season, Watford finished second and gained Premier League status.

Premier League

Watford enjoyed a five-year spell in the Premier League, proving difficult opponents, especially at home. Their finest hour came at Wembley, defeating Wolverhampton Wanderers in a pulsating 2019 FA Cup semi-final. Wolves had raced into a 2-0 lead and looked largely comfortable. But Gerard Deulofeu and Troy Deeney formed a lethal partnership and eked out a slender victory after extra-time. Watford fans would want to forget whatever happened in the final (a 6-0 drubbing by Manchester City).

The Sir Elton John Stand. — The Sir Elton John Stand

Fun Facts

Watford have adopted many colour schemes, including blue, from the 1920s until 1959. The club crest changed in 1974 to depict Harry the Hornet, the mascot. In 1978, the logo changed to something more familiar, illustrating a moose, but thought by fans as a Hart for many years.

Traditionally, Watford players entered with the Z-Cars theme tune as the background, identical to Everton. In 2019, the club switched to "I'm Still Standing" by Elton John but was reversed a few months later after strong pressure from supporters.

Luton Town Rivalry

Watford maintain a healthy rivalry with Luton Town. During the 1960s and 70s, the two teams did not regularly face off against each other. But after one particularly ill-tempered league game in 1969, in which Luton won 2-1, fans recognized the enormity of this fixture. With Watford in the Premier League in 2021-22 and Luton in 2023-24, the derby is set for this season in the second tier. Luton won the first encounter 3-0.

Club Legends & Cult Heroes

Other than the aforementioned members (Blissett, Jenkins and Barnes), Graham Taylor oversaw the prominence of Mo Johnston, Steve Terry and Steve Sherwood.

In the modern era, Troy Deeney's name deserves a mention. A diehard Birmingham City supporter, Deeney made over 400 appearances in all competitions and was an integral part of the journey guided by the Pozzo family. USA defender Jay DeMerit is well-remembered and still maintains strong links with the club.

Players such as Heurelho Gomes, Craig Cathcart and Jose Holebas were loved by fans, and though it was short-lived, Odion Ighalo's time at the Vic was a memorable one.

Access - Getting To Vicarage Road

Car parking is unavailable at Vicarage Road, so travellers are recommended to contact the club's official car parking partners to arrange a spot.

The nearest overground station is Watford High Street about 10 minutes away. Watford Junction train station is approximately a 30-minute walk north from the ground. Both stations have trains to London Euston. Bushey Station is also about 30 minutes' walk to the east.

Watford tube station, the terminus of the Watford branch of the Metropolitan Line, is around 20 minutes on foot from the stadium. From Baker Street tube station it is a 40-minute ride to Watford.

The stadium is also within walking distance from Watford town centre.

Each stand has multiple refreshment kiosks, each providing hot and cold drinks. Please be aware that cash is not accepted, and payment is made contactless.

Address: Vicarage Road, Watford WD18 0ER, UK