No room for complacency

I’ll readily admit I’m one of *those* supporters. I’m nervous and jumpy until the final whistle, whatever the score, refusing to admit that despite being 3-0 up against ten men in the final minute of injury time we’ll get the job done. I’m convinced former players will always score against us and I won’t wear the same jumper if we lost the last time I wore it. Hopeless isn’t it?

I pick up on incidental things and in my confused tiny mind, I try to work out the effect it’ll have on Watford’s performance. The answer is of course, absolutely none, but that didn’t stop me convincing myself that Watford fans singing “You might as well go home” to the West Ham supporters when 2-0 up on Saturday wasn’t going to result in an agonising 2-3 defeat. Needless to say it didn’t and Watford enjoyed another superb Premier League victory. The atmosphere at Watford fixtures this season has been excellent, but I did wonder if during that superb West Ham performance, the intensity of the crowd wasn’t quite at the peak it had been in recent games. For a split second I wondered if with a quarter of the season gone, we as supporters were getting a bit complacent?

Upon reflection, it was probably another of my mid-game mini meltdowns, my brain playing tricks on me in a bid to protect me from positive thoughts - after all, it’s the hope that kills you. Whilst walking away from the ground though, it did occur to me that we ought to make sure we stop and savour what are precious, fascinating and memorable moments. Watford haven’t achieved anything yet, but they are starting to make people sit up and take notice and they are doing it in some style. Whilst there can be no suggestion that this Hornets side will go on to emulate the achievements of Graham Taylor’s side of the early to mid 80’s, there are certain similarities starting to emerge. Then, as now, Watford were unfancied following promotion to the top flight and then, as now, were given little credit when they started beating supposedly superior teams. In the 80’s it was down to the “long ball”, now it seems to be continually having the good fortune to catch sides having an “off day”.

Regardless of what this team manages to do in the coming months and years, it’s times like these, times when a plan looks like it might be coming together that we need to lock away and treasure. As a football supporter there always rough times ahead (just ask Chelsea fans) and it’s the memories of the good times that keep you going, that convince you it’s all worthwhile. That first home goal against Swansea. Away wins at Newcastle and Stoke. The complete domination against West Ham. Slowly but surely the Watford class of 2015/16 are delivering a stock of magic moments; it’s our job to grab hold of them, to wring every last ounce of enjoyment from them, to make the absolute most of them.

These are the days we hoped we’d see. Now they are here, we mustn’t let them pass us by.

Come on you Horns.