View from the opposition – Watford

A bit about you:

Name: John Fawell

Current home town: Bourne End, Bucks

Birthplace: County Durham

How long have you supported your team? Thirty years

Overview of your club:

It is a quite small family club with a friendly atmosphere. We have punched above our weight for a long time and we do OK even though we aren’t fashionable. We went through a difficult period of ups and downs between 2000 and the present time but things have improved immeasurably since the Pozzo family got involved. We have a very good Community Trust which does great things in the community and of which we are very proud.

Favourite thing about your home ground: Comfortably familiar with an element of the old fashioned near the town centre grounds that I remember so well.

Favourite match played by your team & why: First leg of the championship play-off semi-final at Crystal Palace in 2006. We do not have a happy time at Selhurst Park and the Palace fans were so confident that they were handing out flyers for the special train they had booked to take them to the final in Cardiff. Watford won 3-0.

Favourite player of all time who played for your club: John McLelland, one of the most elegant centre halves ever.

About our forthcoming match against you:

At present we can't buy a win, or even a draw, so that probably means that we will actually put in a performance. However, that depends on whether Mazzari sets out to be positive or negative and the goal scorers remember how.

Your favourite current player in your squad and why? Dacoure is a young player in midfield who is making the central role his own. Young and energetic he is going to score a spectacular goal soon.

Player in your squad we should most fear and why? Niang has come in and can play on either side of midfield or just off a lone striker. He is quick and skillful and coming in from the left is very dangerous.

Player in our squad you most fear and why? On the recent form I would say Vardy who has rediscovered his form and enthusiasm. His pace could be a big threat as well as his finishing.

Up and coming prospect in your squad? Izaac Success, if he gets more than 10 minutes, has huge potential as a striker but has had injury problems this season that has restricted his contribution.

Where do you think you’ll finish this season? Currently to be absolutely honest fifteenth or sixteenth.

How do you think you’ll do against us? I would expect a narrow Leicester win but if we play to our full potential as a team, who knows what could happen. It's a while since we drew!

General Questions:

What did you think of the transfer activity both in and out of your club this season? We have brought in some good players and the ones who went have mostly not done much. Both of our creative players picked up knee ligament injuries a short time after arriving but when fit they showed enough to be special. Niang and Cleverley are both good additions. Cleverley won our player of the season when on loan a few years ago so is already a favourite.

Which three teams do you think will go down? I previously predicted that it would be between Sunderland, Borough, Hull and Swansea and I got that right. I think that Hull's away form may just let them down.

Who do you think will win the league? Previously I said Liverpool if they tighten their defence. They didn't and Chelsea are looking good. Spurs' chance could come when we play Chelsea away a week on Monday. Well you have to keep a sense of humour.

Describe your season in ten words or less: Disappointing; we are less than the sum of our parts!

Any other comments? Games between us are generally close but the play-off semi-final at our place has to be one of the most exciting I have ever witnessed. I know several neutrals who feel the same.

Have watched the Foxes' season with interest and not a little puzzlement. Pity about Ranieri, I have met him and he is a thoroughly nice man.

John Fawell is a board member of the Watford Supporters Trust