Several questions to deal with. This may be an opportunity to post something I had originally planned for my website, but did not publish in the end. It briefly explains my history as a supporter, and a bit about when I started to get some autographs -
"I have followed the game since the beginning of the 70s. I grew up in a household that did not follow football, so originally I was a tv viewer with Match Of The Day, etc. I did not follow a team as such, but just loved watching the amazing players at clubs like Liverpool, Man Utd, Leeds, Chelsea, etc. It was not until the 1978/79 season that I was deemed old enough to attend a game, and saw Watford play Nottingham Forest in the league cup semi final 2nd leg. Watford lost on aggregate, drawing 0-0 on the night, but I was hooked on live football. I also decided that Watford were my team based on geography, and have never looked back. Watford 'til I die and always will be, but I will never forget the great footballers of the past who I watched on tv as a kid. They got me into this wonderful sport.
I was a die hard home and away supporter of Watford until family problems curtailed my attendance, and I have not been to a game since May 2008. I still miss the games and hope circumstances will allow me to get back to live football some time in the future. Although I had been a season ticket holder for most of the years I watched Watford, and travelled away regularly, my attendance peaked with a 5 season purple patch where I saw every Watford game home and away apart from 3 games one season (when my mother was ill prior to her passing away). It meant I saw every kick of two promotion seasons, and two relegation seasons - the ultimate rollercoaster ride of emotions. I also attended other games with friends, and local non league games wherever I was living at the time. Despite seeing something close to 1500 football matches over 30 years, I never really collected too many autographs myself although had bought some, but they got sold. I have tried to put that right in recent years by collecting Watford player signatures on printed 8x5 inch cards, and this last year have started writing to the football legends I admired on tv growing up."
As you see, I am late to collecting football autographs. I appreciate the help of people on this forum which has been wonderful, and helped me no end.
#12 - I am trying to get as many of my printed 8x5 cards signed as possible. I like collecting in themes, and currently have 167 different cards signed to date, with number 168 coming from Jamie who kindly got me one I was struggling with ttm.
#13 - Barry Endean - a legend at Watford. I did have quite a few team pics/items from various years signed including an old 60s one but never Barry's sig. They all got sold in 2007 when I had to sell a load of stuff to fund the house move we needed to get our daughter in a better day centre. It's a post code lottery, so you have to live somewhere before you can get access to services. As you can see, I understand why things get sold sometimes.
#15 - Thanks Ralph. I do the website to help me keep track of my own collections more than anything, but I also hope it is useful or fun to others as well. I will take you up on your offer if that is ok - many thanks, most appreciated, it is very kind of you.
#16 - Jamie - many thanks, you are a top man.
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