May 27, 2021

During the lockdown one of the biggest losses for myself was the football & being able to watch my team Watford. However, one of the silver linings was the creation of ‘Cycling GK’ a YouTube channel set up by the goalkeeper Ben Foster. In the videos he showcases behind the scenes of the football club and everything that goes on before and after the games.

Over lockdown, Ben has accumulated over 550,000 subscribers and posted 70 videos ranging from Match Day vlogs, fitness videos and cycling videos. Ben commented “It was just kind of getting the seeds sown for the cycling career after football, that is what it was originally. But it has garnered a lot of views, a lot of interest, a lot of media attention,” to the Watford Observer.
However, the biggest draw of the videos is the ‘Go Pro in the net’ footage, being able to have that angle during a time where we felt so disconnected from the game we all love was great.

Being able to see behind the scenes of Watford FC, especially during a season where we had come down from the Premier League, the mood was down, and to come straight back up through the Championship coming 2nd via automatic promotion. Being able to see the after party in the changing rooms, backroom staff and bus drivers we never would have been introduced to, was a silver lining to the year that we had all had.

Very excited to be going back up to the Premier League, it feels like Watford are edging closer and closer to becoming an established Premier League club and earning our spot at the top of football.
Even if you’re not a Watford fan, I would definitely recommend watching his videos, it’s a completely different viewpoint to the business that Football has become, seeing the players and coaching staff behind the scenes and understanding what it’s like to be a sportsman at the top of his game in the Championship, truly a great watch.

Some other recommendations for WFC podcasts / videos would be; WD18, really great YouTube channel setup by a Watford fan who has gone onto work with the Hornets & ‘From The Rookery End’, which is another fan start up podcast I highly recommend, The Rookery being the loudest stand at Vicarage Road.