The start of it all .

Finding the origins of Watford FC have caused many claims and counter claims over the years. Some claming Hertfordshire Rangers were the start of it all. Some claim Watford St Mary's. Hertfordshire Rangers however were one of the areas earliest clubs but folded in the early 1880's. Watford St Mary's do have more of a claim having merged with West Herts who in turn were originally Watford Rovers (See Below).

I told you it was complicated!

For this website we will go with the official Centenary Book written by local journalist Oliver Phillips with Research from club historian Trefor Jones place the date of formation as 1881. This now appears as the accepted date of The origins of Watford FC....

Watford Rovers were a bunch of young lads who had a kickabout at Cassiobury Park.

The Organiser of these kickabouts was Henry Grover a local merchant. however apart from playing for another 10 years no mention of Grover is ever made in any capacity really right up to the release of a couple of books by Trefor Jones in the late 1980's and then the Official Centenary Book published in 1991.

First Matches were played in Vicarage Meadow then moving to The Rose and Crown Pitch in the area of what is now Market Street.

In 1886 Watford Rovers entered the FA Cup and in 1888-89 Watford Rovers won their first major silverware in the form of the County Cup.

In 1889 Market Street was developed and the club moved to Colney Butts Meadow which is close to where Watford Girls Grammar School now stands. However they only spent one season there before moving to West Herts to share the ground at Cassio Road.

However the move to Cassio road cost Rovers their name as they were forced to accept the name West Herts in 1893.

In the season 1896-97 West Herts joined the Southern League and won their first game 5-0 against Wycombe Wanderers.

In September 1897 West Herts became a professional club, they had by this time local rivals Watford St Mary's. Watford as a town could not support two professional teams and in 1898 the two teams merged forming Watford FC. However as Oliver Phillips justifies after the merger The West Herts fixtures were played. The home games at Cassio Road and the only change for West Herts was the name change. So it appears quite logical to name Rovers as the absolute starting point of Watford FC....