Major disruption on the line up to Waterloo means that those going by train need to read this for more information.
The Stadium
It's changed a little since we visited them a few years ago back in the Championship as those who went to the last game we played there back at the start of last season and indeed has now completely changed since they first got into the top flight back in the 1980's, the only thing that remains since those days is the location of the pitch with there now being four new stands built over the past three decades.
The newest stand opened in 2014 is called The Sir Elton John stand and it doesnt take Rocket Man Science to work out why. This has now taken the capacity up to 20,877
Â
By Car
A fairly simple trip by road which shouldn't take more than about 90 mins even accounting for the horrendous stretch of the M25 as you go past Heathrow. Take the M3 and then head on the m25 signposted Heathrow, stay on the motorway for around 20 miles, you come off at junction 17 for Rickmansworth and then follow signs to the A412 towards Watford, after about 2 miles take the A4145 in the direction of watford and follow this for around 4 miles, this road will bring you right to Vicarage Road which is situated to the South of the town centre.
Parking
Being not far from the Town Centre you can use the car parks there, or otherwise its the usual match day car parks that spring up in nearby schools and industrial estates, as normal if you park on the street watch out for the parking restrictions etc.
By Train
The train is usually a simple option but railworks are affecting the Southampton to London line on Saturday meaning that the trains are being rerouted via the Gatwick line and now take 2 hrs or so to reach Clapham rather than the usual 1hr 15.
If you want to go that route far cheaper to use Southern Railways who use this route normally, they are half the price.
From Clapham you can get a train to Watford although you have to change at Willesden Junction, the journey will take just under an hour.
The quickest route is to go on the Cross Country service to Reading and then to Watford via Paddington and Euston
In simple terms there are no trains between Basingstoke and Woking at all on Saturday so all trains are being rerouted.
Watford Junction Station is about a 20 minute walk from the ground, you would be cutting it fine to take a train after 12.25am. Alternatively you can go to Waterloo, take the tube to Euston and then a train to Watford Junction, although this has just about the same travel time as the first route.
Away Section
Saints fans will be housed in the Vicarage Road Stand, in times gone by away supporters would get a bigger proportion of the end than the half that we get now, however Watford allocate half of it to there own supporters, meaning this will be another of those games when we will fill out the 2,200 capacity away section whilst in other parts of the ground there will be empty seats judging by their recent home games, most of which will be in the other half of our end. Underneath the stand is the smallest concourse ever, its basically a tunnel running the width of the stand about 6ft wide at best, leaving little room for queues for toilets and catering facilities. Alcohol is not sold in the away section of the ground.
Eating Drinking Etc
Given the availiability in the ground its advisable to eat and drink before you get in, luckily enough being near the town centre there are plenty of outlets to let you do so, just behind the Vicarage Road end there is a retail street with plenty of takeaways etc as well as several pubs, the Oddfellows Arms always being popular wth away fans, walk another five minutes and you are right in the town Centre which has the usual selection of chain pubs etc