Before Welcome to Wrexham, there was the yellow brick to Watford. Elton John a lifelong Watford fan was owner of Watford back when they were really struggling back in the days before the Premiere League. The book by John Preston in collaboration with Sir Elton covers the time frame of when the club started a truly meteoric rise under the watchful eye of manager Graham Taylor.
This was such a fun and joyful read. Obstacles are overcome. Even truly harrowing ones such as racism and drug addiction. Players who may have not made a mark are vindicated and a town finds itself back on the rise. But the moments that really stuck with me are tinier. The friendship between Elton and the manager’s wife, Elton racking up long distance charges just to listen to a game, the introduction of statistical analysis to football.
This is one of the rare books that you wish did not end. And now I do want to watch a Watford game from either the Graham Taylor Stand or the Elton John Stand.
For beer, since Watford has a connection to the Bee nickname, let’s look to honey ales as they are usually quite sessionable for when you are watching a 90 minute game.