Andrea Carid To Leave Watford

Andrea Carid, after the FA Photo: Andrew Waller match between Watford Ladies FC and Keynsham Town Ladies FC at the Orbital Fasteners Stadium, Kings Langley, England on 17 November 2019. Photo by Andrew Waller.

It’s 3:04 pm on Monday, I’ve just finished a job and sit in my van. The Messenger App gives me a notification, It’s from our Watford Ladies Fan Group Admin group chat.

In my mind I’m thinking what now, has Aidan noticed Paul’s spelt something wrong, has Suren sent us more pictures from his sweet shop or has someone declined another fake profile or bitcoin miner from joining our group.

It was none of these, it was Mark, aka Moobsie “Have you guys seen the breaking news Andrea is moving back to Spain this summer and leaving the club?” My phone then keeps going off, Aidan “no way!” Moobsie “Its on the Twitter account now”, followed by Paul “Noooooooooooo”.

There’s more notifications on my phone, from Twitter and the Watford Ladies Official account, it read “Thanks for everything, you deserve the best and I wish you all good luck next season. I will forever be a Watford fan!” We can confirm that Andrea Carid will leave the club this summer as she returns to Spain.

I never replied to the group chat, I was quite stunned!

Players come and go at football clubs. When they join, one thing is certain, at some point, their time at the club will come to an end. Some you like, some you wonder what they’re doing on the pitch and some just fit the club perfectly, so much so that you will treasure them in your heart forever. The latter is Andrea Carid!

Photo: Andrew Waller

Many know Watford Football Club as the Original Family club, values that are still ingrained in the club today, both on the Men’s and Women’s part of the club. Andrea just matched this perfectly, she was great with fans young and old. Signing programmes, selfies with the kids, having a chat, even when she struggled with the language and just smiling all the time!

Andrea joined Watford roughly two years ago after moving to London with her partner Duna. This wasn’t a first time she had left friends and moved, when she was 11 her family moved from Ourense to Santiago de Compostella, she told Watford’s website how she used to cry as she missed her friends but couldn’t let her parents see.

She had a successful time in Spain, starting playing football, but switched to Futsal, where she played in the National League First Division and got called up by her Country.

Andrea and her partner Duna wanted a new challenge in life, so as Duna had been in England before and knew the language she suggested London.

Andrea had a trial at Watford, in which she was instantly signed up, she got a job in McDonald’s, just saying “Yes” most of the way through the interview.

Times were hard, the hours were long, not much cash, she even brought a pair of boots that were too big, but they were the only pair she could get for £10. Many of us fans have said that we wish we would have known this, we could have grouped together and got some for her!

During her first season, you could see how skilful she was, plenty of effort, but something was stopping her from playing at her full potential. None of us knew her struggles, lack of money, time, and struggling to adjust, anxiety and stress kicked in.

Time for change, after Duna told her how good her English had become, Andrea went for a job in a Special Needs School and was successful, it suited her. She had more time for football and even got new boots!

Her second season, the season that never was, she was absolutely fantastic! Running through players like a hot knife through butter. She hands down won the Supporters Player of the Year, she might have won more, but the club is yet to do any awards for the season.

So Andrea has chosen to return to Spain, she misses her family, she’s to have a break for a while and I don’t blame her!

That’s fantastic news for defenders in the National League although bad news for her teammates, coaches and the fans!

Photo: Andrew Waller

I saw so many nice messages for Andrea, I thought I’d put this piece together. I messaged a few (a lot) of people to put together some words about her. I have lots to share with you all from teammates, ex-teammates, coaches, staff and fans.

Head coach Clint Lancaster had this to say “She has been an outstanding player for us and will be no doubt remembered for that winning goal against Plymouth”. “Andrea was someone that acted like a professional during her time at Watford. She trained hard, ate well and turned up with the right work ethic every session”. “She was always open to learning, and that is something that a coach always likes to see in a player”. “I wish her all the best for the future”.

Grace Williams, The General Manager told me, “Andrea was an amazing part of our team and will be truly missed. This doesn’t just mean we will miss her assists, her goals, her energy on the ball but also her passion, her determination and respect off the pitch. Something you can always guarantee from Andrea is commitment, and her willingness to always improve. My favourite memories of Andrea is turning up to training, sometimes an hour before, just to get in some extra running! We would come into the training ground and there she is, just doing laps of the pitch. She set herself a goal to improve her fitness and be able to run for longer and she took it upon herself to achieve this! She has an amazing attitude and her positivity and friendliness has inspired us all”.

Photo: Andrew Waller

Former Hornet keeper, Amy Martin, now at Tottenham Hotspur wrote “I would love to wish her all the best in Spain in her next chapter!! It was a great experience being able to play alongside her!!! she is a very technical player and is one of the nicest people! She will be very missed at Watford!

Midfielder Danielle Scanlon said, “Andrea is one of a kind; extremely hard-working, cheeky and loveable (not so much the latter if you’re the opposition and she’s running rings around you)! She is the ultimate teammate and I’m so grateful to have played alongside her. Beyond teammates, she has been and will always be a good friend and I will especially miss greeting her with my best Spanglish, every training session and game day! All the best, mi amiga!”

Full back Afiya Johnson, who joined around the same time as Andrea said, “I have a lot of funny memories with Andrea. She’s grown so much as a person from the day we first met, she hardly spoke a word of English to now becoming a core part of the team and a great friend who’s down with the English slang. She’s always there to push you when your struggling in training. My best memories of Andrea would be her dramatic slide tackles and her Spanish rave music which always makes us laugh. I wish her all the best back home and I know she will succeed in whatever she does next because she gives 110% and that has shown on and off the pitch over her time at Watford.”

Former Charlton and Crystal Palace midfielder Megan Chandler told me, “My favourite memory of Andrea was when she scored her legendary salmon goal against Plymouth! what a goal that was, and what a player she is! she epitomises hard work and determination to be the best. There wasn’t a moment at training or in a game where she wasn’t giving 110%. I wish you nothing but the best Andrea, any team will be lucky to have you Mi Amiga 💛.”

Attacker Eshe Davies said “Funniest memory was from when it was all of our first season together. Me and Afiya would teach her English phrases and she would try to teach us Spanish. Which we had many laughs and me and Afiya were terrible! One time I was trying to pronounce a word in Spanish which I thought was a place but Andrea quickly told me I was actually saying a rude word by accident 😩🤣 One of the best players I have come across and she has the kindest heart! Will miss her very much!”

Former Spurs full-back Ryah Vyse wrote “It’s been a please to play with Dre this season she is such a talented player who bought so much flare to the game. Her presence and abilities on the pitch will be so missed. She is such a bubbly a positive person and always showed this in training and on game days! All the best in Spain and go smash it!”

Photo: Andrew Waller

Nevertheless, Andrea quickly and firmly established herself in the Watford team and her skills were remarkably noticeable and abundant.

During 2019 Andrea found herself a job that she loved, English had improved and she rapidly became the inspired player that she is. Her speed and accuracy with passing and her outstanding tenancy and determination to obtain and keep possession of the ball earned her the nickname amongst some fans of ‘pit bull’. With a superb last-minute goal against Plymouth Argyle in Dec 2019 it endeared her to every Watford supporter. Furthermore Watford FC were now going places full steam ahead in 2020 with top of the League in their sight and possible promotion.

What a terrible blow then Covid 19 has been for all us, affecting all of our lives in one way or another and none more so than Andrea.with her family miles away in Spain. a country heavily affected by the disease. The FA Women’s National League for 19/20 was nullified – training and team bonding therefore lapsed and when players and coaches had put in so much. Possible feelings of abandonment are not pleasant.

It if course completely understandable that Andrea’s desire to return to her homeland has been keenly aroused. It has been my pleasure for my small business to sponsor Andrea for the 19/20 Season and I have been so proud of what she has achieved both for herself and as part of the Watford team and I wish her good luck and every success for the future.

As you can tell, Andrea was a well loved member of the football club. She will be missed. If she ever comes back to England there will be lots of homes ready to welcome her!

She came here with just her partner and has left being loved by a community. Her next club will be extremely lucky to have her!

Andrea, te amamos, nunca te olvidaremos, ¡por favor no nos olvides y no olvides venir a visitarnos nuevamente!

 
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