Key information about Vicarage Road

Vicarage Road was built in 1922 and is now the home of Watford FC. The ground is located in Watford in Hertfordshire and has been the Hornets’ safe haven ever since it was erected.

Its current capacity is 21,577 and it has a pitch that measures 105m by 68m. As with most Premier League outfits, the surface is covered with a hybrid turf with undersoil heating installed and no running track surrounding it.

The record attendance of 34,099 was set for Watford’s clash with Manchester United back in 1969.

A history of Vicarage Road

Before moving to Vicarage Road in 1922, Watford were playing their football over at Cassio Road. Once the construction was finalised, the stadium was then officially opened by Col. Charles Healey of Benskins Brewery in August that same year. The first game to be played at the new ground was the clash against Millwall on 30 August.

Interestingly enough, even though it is now exclusively connected to Watford, Vicarage Road hosted other tenants throughout its history. In the early years after the ground was constructed, Wealdstone F.C would call it home until 1994 and then, between 1997 and 2013, rugby union side Saracens were also housed there.

Back then, in the early years, Vicarage Road consisted only of two small covered stands and several terraces. Not only that but the Union Stand had been brought from the club’s former ground Cassio Road. The first improvements started about 10 years later when the Union Stand got replaced by the Shrodells Stand.

Later on, in the 1950s and 1960s, there was a development on the stadium that also included a 1969 extension of the Main Stand. The Shrodells Stand was replaced once again, this time by a new two-tiered Rous Stand that also introduced corporate facilities to the ground.

Just like every other stadium in the top two leagues, Vicarage Road had to be converted into an all-seater in the early 1990s and following the Taylor report, two new stands were built at both ends of the ground. About a decade later, the original part of the main stand was closed in 2004 and then completely demolished in 2010.

It wouldn’t be until 2014 when the new Sir Elton John Stand opened, a tribute to the famous musician who was a lifelong supporter of the club and even their chairman in 1976. After the Hornets were promoted into the top-flight, the stand got expanded with additional rows of seating as well.

There were further expansions in 2015, 2016 and 2017, with plans to boost the capacity of Vicarage Road to approximately 30,000 seats.

Tickets to watch Watford at Vicarage Road

All tickets to watch Watford play at Vicarage Road can be found and purchased on the club’s official website. The cost will vary depending on multiple factors but an average adult ticket costs around £40.

Watford also offer a season ticket scheme as well as memberships that can give you more favourable prices throughout the season.

https://www.watfordfc.com/ - Official website of Watford FC

https://www.eticketing.co.uk/watfordfc/ - Watford FC Ticket Office