Just WFC & England for me. Though I do have a bit of a soft spot for Augsburg, over in southern Germany. Took a day trip from Munich to watch them once - great experience. Won me a bit of dosh too. They were also chosen as our "German equivalent" in some fanzine / article back during Covid when only the Bundesliga was playing and the PL hadn't restarted yet. I do like the European leagues, I have to say.
I agree that we have to be careful with the use of the word "hate". There is far too much of it in football, and rivalry shouldn't descend into hatred, though in many cases, it does.
Watford, goodness me. Bit of a Manager's revolving door there thanks to the Pozzos.
I've probably been to Vicarage Road more times than to any other stadium (except Brentford), but not for football, I used to go there to see the greyhound racing. Can't remember exactly when that was, but I fancy it was around the early to mid seventies. Was a terrible track, very sharp, but easy to find winners.
It has been for a while, as you know. It used to work fairly well - we had 4 managers in 2 weeks the first time we got up and 3 in a season the second - but the power has gone to their heads a bit since then. I actually stumbled across the thread on the betting chat on here last night about us sacking Rob Edwards. Some very opinionated folk on here I have to say; I did have a good old laugh reading all the different suggestions on how Watford should be run.
Interesting about the dog track. I have to say I wasn't aware. "Easy to pick winners" - did you make a nice bit of dosh over the years then? And how is a sharp track conducive to finding winners?
I always made good money at Watford, but I almost certainly gave it back & more at other tracks. White City, for example, was notoriously hard to find winners. I was probably profitable at just two tracks - Watford & Slough, & lost money at all the others. Greyhound betting is a bit of a mug's game really, but at the time, young & headstrong, plenty of money in my pocket, & full of myself, I loved it. My God I've wasted some money in my time. Enjoyed it though...
"And how is a sharp track conducive to finding winners?"
It's not really, was badly written by me, the two facts are related but only marginally. On "sharp" tracks like Watford there is often trouble at the first bend, so by studying the draw, it was possible to see what dogs would avoid trouble either by being slow starters, fast starters, inside draw, outside draw etc. If, say, there were 4 EP railers it often paid to back the 6 dog as it would likely miss all the trouble.
"we had 4 managers in 2 weeks the first time we got up and 3 in a season the second"
A very good friend of mine is a pro punter & has made fortunes backing the Watford Managers as "Next to get sacked". The very day Ranieri was appointed he backed him as "Next to be sacked". Think it took about 8 weeks.
"we had 4 managers in 2 weeks the first time we got up and 3 in a season the second"
A very good friend of mine is a pro punter & has made fortunes backing the Watford Managers as "Next to get sacked". The very day Ranieri was appointed he backed him as "Next to be sacked". Think it took about 8 weeks.
Yeah, I made a bit of dough on Munoz and Ranieri being next to go as well. Who did he place the bets with?
I always made good money at Watford, but I almost certainly gave it back & more at other tracks. White City, for example, was notoriously hard to find winners. I was probably profitable at just two tracks - Watford & Slough, & lost money at all the others. Greyhound betting is a bit of a mug's game really, but at the time, young & headstrong, plenty of money in my pocket, & full of myself, I loved it. My God I've wasted some money in my time. Enjoyed it though...
"And how is a sharp track conducive to finding winners?"
It's not really, was badly written by me, the two facts are related but only marginally. On "sharp" tracks like Watford there is often trouble at the first bend, so by studying the draw, it was possible to see what dogs would avoid trouble either by being slow starters, fast starters, inside draw, outside draw etc. If, say, there were 4 EP railers it often paid to back the 6 dog as it would likely miss all the trouble.
That was my thinking at the time, anyway...
That is very interesting indeed. How did you come to have plenty of money in your pocket at a young age, if I may ask?
I always made good money at Watford, but I almost certainly gave it back & more at other tracks. White City, for example, was notoriously hard to find winners. I was probably profitable at just two tracks - Watford & Slough, & lost money at all the others. Greyhound betting is a bit of a mug's game really, but at the time, young & headstrong, plenty of money in my pocket, & full of myself, I loved it. My God I've wasted some money in my time. Enjoyed it though...
"And how is a sharp track conducive to finding winners?"
It's not really, was badly written by me, the two facts are related but only marginally. On "sharp" tracks like Watford there is often trouble at the first bend, so by studying the draw, it was possible to see what dogs would avoid trouble either by being slow starters, fast starters, inside draw, outside draw etc. If, say, there were 4 EP railers it often paid to back the 6 dog as it would likely miss all the trouble.
That was my thinking at the time, anyway...
That is very interesting indeed. How did you come to have plenty of money in your pocket at a young age, if I may ask?
Well I was in my mid-thirties, so I'm not sure I'd call that "young". I had a good job, & was fortunate enough to be very well paid for my efforts. In fact I was soon to lose every single penny due to a rather odd & somewhat unfortunate set of events, but that's another story...
So that put paid to my degenerate activities such as greyhound racing & the like until I got back on my feet.
"we had 4 managers in 2 weeks the first time we got up and 3 in a season the second"
A very good friend of mine is a pro punter & has made fortunes backing the Watford Managers as "Next to get sacked". The very day Ranieri was appointed he backed him as "Next to be sacked". Think it took about 8 weeks.
Yeah, I made a bit of dough on Munoz and Ranieri being next to go as well. Who did he place the bets with?
He's a professional punter so he can't get a bet online with any sites, or at least not directly. I'm not sure it would be wise to go into too much detail here, but there are various ways that pro punters can get bets placed Online.
He can get on in shops of course, which he does himself, plus he has a team of "putter-onners" as he calls them who put his bets on in LBO's.
No, that was just a random 'photo I found on google & was clearly from an earlier era. I only ever saw 6 dog racing there. In fact the only place I recall seeing 8 dog races in the UK was Crayford.
Greyhounds left Watford for many years until the GRA granted them a new licence in the 70's based on a contract to supply BAGS racing 2 or 3 afternoons every week. Was quite well attended, with 4 or 5 bookies pitches. Before racing, we'd go to a Betting Shop to back reverse forecast doubles through an 8 race card (112 bets as I recall, so at 10p a line, £11.20), usually combos of 1-2, 1-6 & 5-6. Then at the track we'd bet with the bookies or the Nanny.
Fun times.
I used to go to Hackney Wick every week too, and occasionally Walthamstow, Hendon, Haringey, Wimbledon, White City & Slough. They are all closed now of course. (Hendon became the site for Brent Cross Shopping Centre, Slough became a Sainsburys).
I could go on & on. Probably best I don't.
This bit brought back some memories.
In the bookies on a Saturday morning we would take piles of through the card forecast doubles at Hackney. As you say, 8 races, 112 reversed forecast doubles, or 28 straight forecast doubles.
Over the years there were many things that slowly killed off through the card forecast double betting. The introduction of Crayford alongside Hackney not so much, but the increase to 10, then twelve, and in some cases 14 races hugely increased the stakes to cover all of the races.
8 dog races were one of the final nails in the coffin (not least because there would only be a few of them on a card), along with the popular trap numbers being weighted to reduce the forecast dividends for the combinations you used to do.
Comments
Dave Allen is still alive ....and is 80. Footy exploits not too clever according to wiki
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Allen_(football_executive)
But Charity donations are much better
https://napoleons-casinos.co.uk/journal/our-chairman-dave-allen-donates-1-3-million-for-a-new-state-of-the-art-surgical-robot/
Interesting about the dog track. I have to say I wasn't aware. "Easy to pick winners" - did you make a nice bit of dosh over the years then? And how is a sharp track conducive to finding winners?
Mr Tomb
I always made good money at Watford, but I almost certainly gave it back & more at other tracks. White City, for example, was notoriously hard to find winners. I was probably profitable at just two tracks - Watford & Slough, & lost money at all the others. Greyhound betting is a bit of a mug's game really, but at the time, young & headstrong, plenty of money in my pocket, & full of myself, I loved it. My God I've wasted some money in my time. Enjoyed it though...
"And how is a sharp track conducive to finding winners?"
It's not really, was badly written by me, the two facts are related but only marginally. On "sharp" tracks like Watford there is often trouble at the first bend, so by studying the draw, it was possible to see what dogs would avoid trouble either by being slow starters, fast starters, inside draw, outside draw etc. If, say, there were 4 EP railers it often paid to back the 6 dog as it would likely miss all the trouble.
That was my thinking at the time, anyway...
@tomb1793
"we had 4 managers in 2 weeks the first time we got up and 3 in a season the second"
A very good friend of mine is a pro punter & has made fortunes backing the Watford Managers as "Next to get sacked". The very day Ranieri was appointed he backed him as "Next to be sacked". Think it took about 8 weeks.
@tomb1793
I've not forgotten your last two questions, but I'm a little busy right now & want to watch the football, so I'll reply later or in the morning.
Well I was in my mid-thirties, so I'm not sure I'd call that "young". I had a good job, & was fortunate enough to be very well paid for my efforts. In fact I was soon to lose every single penny due to a rather odd & somewhat unfortunate set of events, but that's another story...
So that put paid to my degenerate activities such as greyhound racing & the like until I got back on my feet.
@tomb1793
He's a professional punter so he can't get a bet online with any sites, or at least not directly. I'm not sure it would be wise to go into too much detail here, but there are various ways that pro punters can get bets placed Online.
He can get on in shops of course, which he does himself, plus he has a team of "putter-onners" as he calls them who put his bets on in LBO's.
In the bookies on a Saturday morning we would take piles of through the card forecast doubles at Hackney. As you say, 8 races, 112 reversed forecast doubles, or 28 straight forecast doubles.
Over the years there were many things that slowly killed off through the card forecast double betting. The introduction of Crayford alongside Hackney not so much, but the increase to 10, then twelve, and in some cases 14 races hugely increased the stakes to cover all of the races.
8 dog races were one of the final nails in the coffin (not least because there would only be a few of them on a card), along with the popular trap numbers being weighted to reduce the forecast dividends for the combinations you used to do.
Good memories though.
It seems you have led a fascinating life thus far. I think you should write an autobiography.
And yes, pro-punters. Gub-gate. I've heard many a story.