Watford Football Club is an English association football club from Watford, Hertfordshire. Formed as Watford Rovers in 1881, the club entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886. In the same year, they also entered the county-wide Herts Senior Cup, reaching the final six times over the next ten years. Watford Rovers became West Hertfordshire in 1893, and joined the Southern League for the 1896–97 season. The team started to change from one entirely of amateurs, to one including paid professionals. In 1898, West Hertfordshire merged with Watford St Mary's to form Watford Football Club.