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Watford's location and Dougie Brimson

Discussion in 'Watford' started by PaulBaaijens, Sep 10, 2013.

  1. PaulBaaijens

    PaulBaaijens New Member

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    Hi guys,

    I'm from the Netherlands and will be visiting London this year for 5 weeks (december) and I'll visit all the 13 London professional footballclubs. There will be a nice (Dutch) book about the London footballculture (hopefully)..

    My question:
    1) I'm still not sure if I can count Watford as a London footballclub. Can you?
    2) Read some books of Dougie Brimson. He says he's a Watford fan. What is your opinion about him? Anyone of you guys knows him and can help me to get in touch with him?

    Thanks lads!
     
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  2. HaslemereKev

    HaslemereKev Well-Known Member

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    Welcome to the board. In answer to your questions;

    1) I don't think many Watford fans consider us a 'London' club. We are in Hertfordshire, and like that distinction.

    2) I've read one of his books - "Geezers Guide to Football" (it has a Watford pic on the front). I thought the book was pretty bad and put me off reading any more of his books.

    He is on twitter: https://twitter.com/dougiebrimson or email: [email protected]

    Enjoy your time over here
     
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  3. Raphael

    Raphael Active Member

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    Sorry Paul but I echo Kev's comments. Although we are close to London and many other fans think of us as a London club we really are not - in the technical sense first as we are in Hertfordshire and also as we do not think of ourselves as a London club either. I can't speak authoritatively for other Hornet's of course but have never met one who thought of us a London club.
     
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  4. PaulBaaijens

    PaulBaaijens New Member

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    Already had this thought about it, but some sites tell me you can count Watford as a 'London' club, although it's in Hertfordshire.

    For his book 'The Geezer Guide', I'm not positive, nor negative. It's not that good, but it isn't bad either.

    Thanks!
     
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  5. HaslemereKev

    HaslemereKev Well-Known Member

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    I think one of the main reasons we are often referred to as a London club is because there are very few clubs in our region that aren't in London. We aren't Midlands, South or South West, and there isn't really a South-East region as such, just London. So when it comes to the regional news, we are often on the 'London' news, or when it comes to Masters football, we are in the 'London Masters' group.
     
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  6. Resurgam

    Resurgam Top Analyst
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    Not only that kev, but you can also use the oyster card, so that maybe why some people count you as a 'London' club
     
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  7. HaslemereKev

    HaslemereKev Well-Known Member

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    Indeed... And Vicarage Road will soon be on the 'London' underground <whistle>
     
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  8. F1Hornet

    F1Hornet Well-Known Member

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    Most other football fans consider us to be a London club. We are inside the M25, at the edge of the London Underground, and our fanbase extends into Greater London (i.e. north-west Middlesex, Harrow, Pinner, Northwood). Sir Elton John is from Pinner, so he is not from Hertfordshire!

    Most Watford fans (including me) would say we are not from London, and get round up when other fans casually describe us as a London club. However, for most practical purposes we get grouped with London teams.
     
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  9. Saxet

    Saxet Well-Known Member

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    And the Pozzos are from Italy - so despite what some tools might say - we are not an Italian club either.

    Watford has a telephone code outside the London area, is outside the green belt and has no congestion charge. Therefore we are not a London club.
     
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  10. Bolton's Boots

    Bolton's Boots Well-Known Member

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    And if we take majority opinion as correct, approx 8 million Londoners don't view Watford as London either. :)
     
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  11. colognehornet

    colognehornet Well-Known Member

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    Hello Paul. As you have probably gathered from the others on here London is not actually in Watford ! Although many people up north think we are nearly cockneys (We also think that they are nearly in Scotland). Nonetheless we all hope that you include Watford in your trip and make it a round 14 grounds. Altogether I think you will find Watford and Brentford to be the most friendly grounds. Anyway have a great trip.
     
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  12. PaulBaaijens

    PaulBaaijens New Member

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    Thanks a lot for your answers.

    Colognehornet, I want to include Watford in my trip, if I can make it. It's quite a big puzzle to visit all the 13 clubs in the 5 weeks when I'll be in London.
    I checked the fixtures and Watford vs Milwall (Boxing Day) or Watford vs QPR (29th of december) seems nice. Can I call those games derby's?!

    I also have to wait when the final fixtures in the Premier League will be announced before entirely completing my puzzle of matches. Due to televisionrights, the exact time of the matches in the Premier League are subject to change after the 4th of december. Maybe anyone of you guys can tell me when those exact times (and dates) will be announced? Can't find it anywhere on the net..

    Thanks in advance!
     
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  13. Lloydinio

    Lloydinio Well-Known Member

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    Nooooo, we ARE a London Club!!!!!!!
     
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  14. vic-rijrode

    vic-rijrode Well-Known Member

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    Rubbish! Watford is in Hertfordshire, which is not London, end of argument.
     
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  15. colognehornet

    colognehornet Well-Known Member

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    The game against Q.P.R. is generally seen as more of a derby game than is Millwall, it generally also draws a bigger crowd.
     
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  16. Jsybarry

    Jsybarry Well-Known Member

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    Isn't it bizarre that we get classed as a London club, when we are in Hertfordshire, but West Brom are classed as a Midlands club rather than a Birmingham club despite their ground crossing the boundary between West Browmich and the Handsworth area of Birmingham?
     
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  17. colognehornet

    colognehornet Well-Known Member

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    I think West Brom historically called themselves a Staffordshire club to begin with and it stuck. The border to the City of Birmingham was I think the old Warwickshire border and because most of their fans were Staffordshire based the derby to Wolves always assumed slightly more importance than Villa or Birmingham. With Man UTD we have the complete opposite because Old Trafford is outside the actual city boundary and, until the creation of greater Manchester had nothing to do with the place other than that their supporters came from there which is why they identified with the City. We are geographically in Hertfordshire but some of our fans ( such as Lloydinio ) live in London, and so think of us as a London club.
     
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  18. Lloydinio

    Lloydinio Well-Known Member

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    But I have Watford FC in my heart, and I live in London.
     
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  19. oldfrenchhorn

    oldfrenchhorn Well-Known Member
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    Must be a French club then. ;)
     
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  20. Vespa Crabro

    Vespa Crabro New Member

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    I think we are in a perfect location. We can play the London card when necessary (GFZ or the Pozzos encouraging overseas players to join) or as fans we can celebrate our Hertfordshire identity when appropriate.
     
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