Very Specific Football Question No.21: Is Harry the Hornet out of control?
Four wins in a row, seventh in the table and the most dangerous front two in the league. The last time Watford were this cool, Elton John was still straight. But along with the club’s famous musical president and its deadly strike force, there is another figure at Vicarage Road milking this magic moment for all it’s worth. As Watford have risen up the Premier League table, club mascot Harry the Hornet has emerged as one of the stars of the season.
When the yellow-faced talisman slid onto his knees and joined Odion Ighalo in celebrating Watford’s third goal against Liverpool last weekend, it was symbolic of the feel-good factor reverberating around Hertfordshire. Ighalo looked slightly surprised when he turned to his left, mid-prayer, to see a gigantic furry insect mimicking his earnest salute to God. But that’s the kind of thing you can get away with when you’ve got a big round fuzzy head and a permanent cheeky grin.
The fans lapped up Harry’s antics, but the incident has since sparked debate among other mascots about whether Harry is getting too big for his boots (which would be particularly serious in this instance because his boots are already massive).
This subject also reared its furry head last month following the Paris terror attacks. As the Watford players stood arm-in-arm with their Manchester United counterparts for a minute’s silence to mark the tragedy, Harry decided to take his place in the huddle. Standing between solemn stars Memphis and Daley Blind with his antennae bowed respectfully, the cheeky grin still plastered across Harry’s face was deemed by some to be inappropriate in the circumstances.
But should we be concerned about the mascot’s increasingly brazen behaviour?
It has been an eventful, sometimes traumatic, journey to the top for Harry since he first appeared on the scene in the mid-1990s. The scruffy, intimidating creature that plodded around the Vicarage Road turf in those dark days was unrecognisable from the charismatic character currently taking the Premier League by storm.
Harry looked more like an actual hornet in this period, with prominent wings and a pendulous sting. However, a bitter dispute between the club and the man inside the suit ended with Harry’s head being “retained” by the disgruntled employee. The crisis necessitated a Robocop-style operation, said to have been personally sanctioned by Sir Elton. Although Harry appeared to make a full recovery from the procedure, we can only speculate about the long-terms effects to his psyche.
In 1998, Harry found love. His marriage to fellow club mascot Harriet the Hornet took place on the Vicarage Road pitch. Harry and Harriet had so much in common - they worked together, supported the same football team, had the same interests and even looked uncannily similar - that they seemed like the perfect couple. But gradually Harriet’s public appearances became rarer, sparking rumours that their relationship had encountered problems. Although Harry maintained a cheerful exterior in this period, those who know him best noted that his character changed in the subsequent years.
Decapitation, life-changing surgery and the break-up of a marriage would be enough to finish off most of us. But whatever inner turmoil Harry has suffered, it is clear he has emerged the other side of it with a renewed vigour for life.
In April, he ran the London Marathon in a world record time for a football mascot, finishing the race in an impressive 3 hours 42 minutes. The following month, Watford were promoted to the Premier League, and Harry has relished the chance to perform on English football’s biggest stage.
His shenanigans on the field have become increasingly bold, whether he’s mucking about with expensive sprinkler systems or hovering menacingly behind opposing managers. This tomfoolery culminated with his cocky display in front of the TV cameras when Ighalo scored against Liverpool. But was this an expression of joy, or a cry for help?
It’s possible that Harry suffers from the self-esteem issues that afflict many hornets - an insect that is part of the wasp family but aspires to be a bee. A wannabee, if you will - a condition deriving from the fact that people love bees but hate wasps.
While he seems like a carefree and fun-loving individual, Harry’s increasingly insatiable lust for attention shows signs of possible insecurity. And without Harriet by his side, Harry must face these demons alone.
England fans acclaimed Paul Gascoigne for his “dentist chair” celebration after scoring against Scotland in Euro 1996, but it was a warning sign of the midfielder’s struggles with alcohol. Harry the Hornet is also living life in the fast lane while Watford ride high, but tougher times will inevitably come this season. It will be down to Quique Sanchez Flores to get his players through it, but who will be there for Harry when his buzz wears off?
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