8:46pm Thursday 11th March 2010
By Frank Smith
Watford legend Graham Taylor has called on the Vicarage Road crowd to get behind their side as they attempt to climb away from the relegation zone.
The Hornets are 19th in the Championship with 13 games to go, although they do have at least one game in hand on most the teams around them.
Tuesday night's 1-0 defeat to Swansea City ended with sections of the Vicarage Road crowd booing the players off the pitch but Taylor has pleaded with the fans to “remember we are all in it together.”
Taylor said: “On the pitch, results haven’t been as we’d like away from home and of course the last two home results against good teams wasn’t what we needed, but we all must stick together. It is easier to support a winning team, but in times of adversity it’s a question of sticking together.
“Footballers are part of the human race and respond the same as we all do to criticism and encouragement. In life people usually react to encouragement better than criticism and footballers are no different.
“During the games the crowd can feed off the team and vice-versa, I believe that’s the case at Watford, we’re all in this together, whether that be good or bad. We all have to stick together – we have some good young players, some of whom are on loan, but when that team is put together you have a group who desperately want to win.
“I have been in football all of my life and I know that when things go wrong you have to react positively. It is so important that players feel appreciated and valued.
“People who can let the players know their feelings are of course the supporters. At Watford I do think the crowd can motivate the team, especially when they see a moment of magic or sheer hard work on the pitch. Our team needs our support for all 90 minutes at the moment so I would ask those groups in The Rookery Stand to be vocal from the off and get the rest of the ground going.
“We are doing everything we can to support the team. The off-the-pitch problems have to be addressed and we are doing that and I’m playing my part as Chairman of the Football Club, but the importance right now is out there on the park.
“Please give the team everything you’ve got. Remember we are all in it together.”
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