As we enter the festive period, there is plenty for Watford supporters to be (cautiously) cheerful about. Their team, which finished 15th last season, find themselves challenging for the play-off places. There is still a long way to go of course but as things stand, it is hard not to be impressed with the job Tom Cleverley has been doing.
Watford fans will be hoping the former Man United and Everton midfielder can deliver more positive results over the festive period but, sadly, you can’t stick three points under the Christmas tree. You can, however, slide under a Watford FC Christmas gift. There are plenty of great options to choose from that are sure to put a smile on the face of any Hornets supporter, young or old.
The sheer volume of items in the official club store can make finding the perfect gift a little daunting but this is where we come in. We have handpicked what we believe to be the best picks from the online shop. Whether you are buying for a lifelong fan or someone not yet committed to the club, there should be something for everyone here.
Watford Home Shirt 24/25 – £60/£48
You can rarely go wrong with opting for the Watford home shirt featuring the club’s iconic yellow, red and black colours. Manufactured by Kelme, this year’s shirt is a stylish one in our opinion, featuring red and black pinstripes on the traditional Watford yellow. If you are not too keen on the Mr Q betting sponsor, the club sells an unbranded option for adults. All junior shirts come without the logo as standard due to UK law.
Watford Retro Shirt – £45-£55
For veteran Watford fans, who could well already have this year’s shirt, you may want to consider a retro shirt instead. Not only will such shirts come with a warm nostalgic feeling but some of them look fantastic. The 1982-85 and 1994-95 home shirts are two favourites of ours but for a proper vintage feel there is the 1974 top with its thick collar and a club badge actually featuring a hornet!
Watford Christmas Jumper £35/£28
The only trouble with replica shirts, retro or current, is they are on the pricey side. Official Watford clothing is available at a lower cost though. One option is the quite charming patchwork Christmas jumper. Featuring festive squares, WFC initials and the club’s hart (not moose) crest it finds the perfect balance between a typical Christmas jumper and a way of showing fondness for the club.
Bobble Beanie – £15
The final of our clothing picks is the beanie hat, designed to fit all head sizes. We all need to keep warm in winter and this type of thick hat is virtually guaranteed to keep heads toasty. There are various designs and colours to choose from, including a mixed grey, black and yellow, or even a pink one. A couple of versions are on sale for £10 but all the latest additions are available for £15. Our personal favourite is the waffle bobble beanie. The black hat features a red cuff with the Watford crest and name as well as a red, yellow and black stranded bobble.
Watford Masterpieces Book – £25
This newly released book is the ideal gift for anyone wanting to know more about the club’s history or just to reminisce about some of the great Watford players from years gone by. The book focuses on the 50 greatest players to have represented the club, featuring true legends such as Luther Blissett, John Barnes and Troy Deeney. As well as listing key details, such as appearances and goals, you get so much deep insight into players that you cannot find anywhere else.
Watford Forever Book – £22
The other book we are going to recommend goes by the name Watford Forever, written by John Preston and Elton John. You do not even need to be a Hornets fan to enjoy this wonderful book which was named the Sunday Times Sports Book of the Year. It tells the heartwarming tale of how Elton John and Graham Taylor helped transform the club and build a friendship in the process. We have put £22 as this is the price at the club store but you can buy it for around £10 at other online retailers – a real bargain!
Travel Pillow – £12
The lucky recipient of a Watford travel pillow can spread the word of the club further afield. Whether on a bus, train or plane, a travel pillow can support the neck and make the journey more comfortable. At the same time, the distinctive Watford crest may attract comments or questions from other football fans. This is a particularly great product for anyone likely to travel around Udine or surrounding areas as it will be a real conversation starter given Watford’s ties with Udinese.
Controller Skin – £9
Teenagers are not always the easiest to buy Christmas presents for. Often they are welded to video game consoles and communicate with grunts and glares. If this sounds familiar one solution is to pick up a controller skin. Offered for PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S controllers they give a boring plain controller a new Watford look. The skins come in a snazzy black and yellow and are easy to put on. For Nintendo Switch there is a more expensive skin bundle (£21) that also goes on the TV dock.
Personalised Stats Card – £24.99-£49.99
Although not sold directly through the club shop, Themed are an official partner authorised to produce Watford stats cards. Such cards are proving to be a very popular gift among football-mad children as they are used heavily within EA Sports FC (formerly FIFA). In the game, real footballers have their own card and through Themed you can get one in the same style. Cards are fully customisable so you can put whatever stats, position, country and number you like, along with any name and photo.
Dog Collar – £6-£9
Maybe the people you are buying Christmas presents already have a strong affiliation with another team so any Watford-branded gear is off the table. Fear not though as this is where a pet dog comes in handy. If you already have a collar, ‘accidentally’ lose the current one and offer to replace it, only with a Watford-branded one. Not only will the dog approve of the stylish look but it is a great conversation starter while taking the pup out for a walk. Why talk about the weather when you could be talking about Moussa Sissoko?
