Watford started off their football career in the third division and the club suffered from severe financial troubles over the next 30 years and it was the generosity of the local brewers Benskins (who amongst other things helped purchase Vicarage Road) that kept the club afloat. It was during this era that Watford acquired the nickname as the ‘brewers’, and it was the name preferred by many after the club adopted their other name – the ‘Hornets’ in the 1950’s. The Hornets enjoyed very little football success during the early years, failing to reach far in the FA Cup and did not play in the first tier of English football during the pre 1950 era.