Tearing up the the template.

I vividly remember the exact moment Watford secured promotion.

I was at Brighton station with my family after seeing the Hornets triumph at the Amex. I gave my phone one final refresh - more in hope than expectation - and against all odds, there it was. The final result we needed had come to pass and Watford were in the Premier League. It was sublime. An instinctive roar of delight followed by a group hug with my nearest and dearest. That moment will live long in the memory, but it wasn’t long before the euphoria and excitement gave way to caution and no little trepidation. Just how would my beloved Hornets fare in the Premier League? How would they chart their course to safety?

One of the most popular ways of trying to work out how your team is going to do the business is to identify a club to emulate. A club of similar size and stature, with comparable resources and similar goals. A team that’s been there and done it, created a template.

For fans of teams like Watford, Charlton Athletic used to be the poster boys. Average crowds, a modest budget and a year on year improvement in the top flight under Alan Curbishley. Then though, the supporters got restless - the upward curve wasn’t steep enough and “Curbs” was out on the curb. Charlton were relegated and haven’t been close to the top flight since. No-one wants to be Charlton any more.

Next it was West Bromwich Albion. They were the definition of yo-yo club for a few years, ricocheting between the Championship and the Premier League before finally coming to rest in the lower third of the top division. They’ve been there for a decade now, but even so there are enough rumblings of discontent (largely revolving around a perceived lack of investment) to suggest that all isn’t rosy in the Baggies garden.

Reading were decent candidates for a while, they romped to the Championship title before finishing fifth (FIFTH!) in the Premier League the following season. It didn’t last however and they were relegated thievery next year.

It quickly became apparent that finding a realistic team to emulate was going to be difficult. Southampton and Stoke perhaps, but their catchment area and natural size meant that following in their footsteps would be tough, certainly in the first year back. Who then, could Watford hope to mirror in one of the most important seasons in their history.

The closest to an answer I could settle on will upset a few. You see, we haven’t always seen eye to eye with Crystal Palace; a combination of Selhurst Park and a string of almost unfathomably dire results mean that there are plenty of Hornets who’d rather never hear of nor see the Eagles ever again, let alone model ourselves on them. That group of supporters will be happy with my ultimate conclusion, but even the staunchest anti-Palacite must admit there is plenty to admire in what they are achieving.

Ever since they did the sensible thing and dispensed with the “services” of Ian Holloway, the Eagles have looked increasingly impressive. Dealing admirably with the shock departure of Tony Pulis, they have gone from strength to strength and currently look a decent bet for a top ten finish. Their performance against Watford this season points to why. Well organised at the back, quick, powerful and purposeful going forward. In full flight they are fearsome, and Watford supporters shouldn’t be too downbeat after their recent defeat for Palace will certainly beat more established top flight teams than the Hornets this term.

If we can “do a Palace” then, most will be happy, but in my quest for a blueprint for Watford to base their campaign, I realised that it was actually a futile search. Watford are doing things a different way. An extensive scouting network developed by the Pozzo family is now being made to sweat in Hertfordshire, with new recruits arriving from all corners of the globe. With an understanding of football married with a healthy lack of sentiment and emotion, Watford’s owners are steering the Hornets into previously unchartered territory. No-one has done it quite like the Watford of 2015/16 before, which is why there is no comparable template. There’s no blueprint, because hopefully, they are writing the blueprint themselves.