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6th September 1980- Division Two, Shrewsbury Town 2 Watford 1

https://watford.fcdb.info/index.php?page=matches

Watford Observer match report

Sunday Mirror, 7 Sep 1980
Sunday People, 7 Sep 1980
https://www.soccerbase.com/matches/results.sd?date=1980-09-06
https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-two/06-september-1980/
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6th September 1977- Division Four, Watford 1 Grimsby Town 0

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The BBC were at the game to record a feature about Elton becoming chairman that was shown on the following Saturday’s edition of Football Focus during Grandstand. Although I can’t find it in full the footage taken at beginning of this video was from the feature. GT is shown on the bench saying “you don’t get cramp at this club” which would become a phrase forever associated with his time as manager of Watford.

http://watford.fcdb.info?id=3187
Grimsby Evening Telegraph, 7 Sep 1977

Daily Telegraph, 7 Sep 1977

Watford Observer match report

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6th September 1969-Division Two, Oxford United 2 Watford 1

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http://watford.fcdb.info?id=2792
Evening Standard, 6 Sep 1969
Sunday Mirror, 7 Sep 1969
Sunday Mercury, 7 Sep 1969

Watford Observer match report

https://www.soccerbase.com/matches/results.sd?date=1969-09-06
https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-two/06-september-1969/

scan-310.jpeg
Taken from 7 Sep 1974 Watford v Halifax Town programme

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6th September 1967- League Cup First Round Second Replay, Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic 1 Watford 2 (played at the County Ground, Swindon)

http://watford.fcdb.info/index.php?page=matches
Daily Telegraph, 6 Sep 1967

Watford Observer match report

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1967%E2%80%9368_Football_League_Cup

5th September 2026- Championship, West Bromwich Albion 1 Watford 0

Watford Observer: Dionisi on when Watford’s three deadline night signings will be match fit

Short recovery time is a challenge for Watford squad

Watford Observer: MATCHDAY AS IT HAPPENED: West Brom 1-0 Watford

Match Report: West Brom condemn Watford to back-to-back away defeats

Watford hopeful Bove avoided serious injury at West Brom

WATCH: Immediate reaction to West Brom 1-0 Watford

BBC: West Bromwich Albion had the free-scoring Jimmy-Jay Morgan to thank at The Hawthorns, the summer signing scoring the only goal as they defeated Watford in a tense contest to move up to fifth in the Championship table.

Sky: Watford are now winless away from home in their last nine trips, since February.

1st September 2026- Championship, Swansea City 2 Watford 0

Watford Observer: Match Report: Watford go down to first league defeat of the season at Swansea

WATCH: Immediate reaction to Swansea City 2-0 Watford

Dionisi ‘angry’ with Watford’s out-of-possession performance at Swansea

Three youngsters leave Watford at the end of summer window

BBC: Swansea’s blend of high tempo and quality on the ball proved too much for Watford to handle, with home debutant Stephen Eustaquio rolling a pass through for Idah to gallop in behind before centring for Eom to finish first time from point-blank range. It was roles reversed for the second goal, with Eom dancing into space on the halfway line before his delightful through-ball sent Idah scampering clear. The former Celtic striker – who was once again preferred to Zan Vipotnik up front – finished in style, rolling a shot between the legs of Hornets goalkeeper Federico Ravaglia.

Fran’s Watford Blog: It was a deserved defeat for the Hornets. Swansea are the best team that we have seen so far this season and were unplayable for a lot of the first half. Eom, Idah and Opoku caused us no end of problems, and their goals were both excellent moves. The second half was much more even as a contest and Watford did create chances, but Vigouroux wasn’t really tested. The positives for the Hornets were that Ravaglia pulled off a couple of good saves. I thought Zemura had another strong game. Mlačić made a good first impression, looking very assured despite his youth.

29th August 2026- Championship, Watford 1 West Ham United 1

Watford Observer: ‘Difficult but not impossible’ – Dionisi on how Watford can beat West Ham

Dionisi’s realistic tone tells the story ahead of West Ham visit

Watford Observer: MATCHDAY AS IT HAPPENED: Watford 1-1 West Ham United

Match Report: Watford extend unbeaten start to league season with 1-1 West Ham draw

Dionisi on Nabizada’s ‘moment’ and full of praise for Keben response

WATCH: Immediate reaction to Watford 1-1 West Ham United

Dionisi explains naming two goalkeepers on the bench against West Ham

BBC: Watford withstood huge second half pressure from West Ham to maintain their unbeaten start to the Championship season and keep the Hammers winless. The Hornets took the lead with a lovely solo effort from Amin Nabizada – his second goal of the new campaign.

Sky: It was a goal reminiscent of Gerard Deulofeu’s trick shot at Wembley in the Hornets’ FA Cup semi-final comeback against Wolves seven years ago, and West Ham were briefly rattled. But when the East-enders rattled the collection tin, Hornets defender Kevin Keben gave generously. Trying to shepherd the ball along the dead-ball line towards his own goal, Keben was robbed by Taty Castellanos and home skipper Mattie Pollock turned the ball into his own net from point-blank range.

BHappy: A crying shame, since for all the pressure that is to come, the visitors will register one shot on target of their own throughout the 90 – a piledriver from impressive teenage debutant centreback Airidas Golambeckis that Ravaglia is right behind. Which is to slightly underplay their threat.. there will be shots across the face of goal and saving tackles in there, details that “shots on target” kinda overlooks. Nonetheless, West Ham’s second half pressure isn’t so much banging on the door as wandering past it nonchalantly, trying to catch a glimpse of movement through the window, and asking the neighbour if anyone’s in. It’s difficult to argue with the take, voiced forcefully on the “Not the Top 20” podcast, that Nuno Espirito Santo isn’t perhaps the ideal choice of coach for a team destined to dominate possession and face a low block throughout the season.

Fran’s Watford Blog: When the fixtures came out, there was a lot of talk about how tough our start was. I don’t think any of us expected that we would have 5 points and be unbeaten after the first three games.

From the Rookery End: Watford remain unbeaten after a 1-1 draw with newly relegated West Ham — but should the Hornets have grabbed all three points? Jon, Jason, Charlie and DCW look back at a sold-out afternoon at Vicarage Road, from a superb Amin Nabizada finish to Kevin Keben’s choices that ended in an extraordinary own goal, and discuss the growing signs that Alessio Dionisi is building a team with a clear identity.

25th August 2026- League Cup Second Round, Watford 1 Peterborough United 5

Watford Observer: Dionisi could make up to 11 changes for Peterborough clash

Watford Observer: MATCHDAY AS IT HAPPENED: Watford 1-5 Peterborough

Match Report: Very inexperienced Watford suffer rough 5-1 Peterborough defeat

Dionisi: The young boys weren’t ready – but I had no choice

Dionisi not expecting new signings before West Ham on Saturday

Peterborough hammering was an ugly look for Watford

BBC: League One Peterborough swept aside a youthful Watford XI in a pulsating tie at Vicarage Road to book their place in the third round of the Carabao Cup. Hornets boss Alessio Dionisi changed all 11 starters from Saturday’s Championship draw at Wrexham, handing six players their full debut and naming a back-four entirely of academy graduates.

From the Rookery End: A 5-1 defeat at Peterborough was painful enough, but the result only tells part of the story. Mike is joined by Watford Observer’s Adam Drury to pick through a night that exposed just how thin Watford’s squad has become. How have Watford reached this point? What does it tell us about the club’s recruitment and financial strategy? And with the transfer deadline approaching, can the gaps be filled before they cause even more damage?

22nd August 2026- Championship, Wrexham 1 Watford 1

Watford Observer: Dionisi could make changes to counter Wrexham’s physical threat

Why Watford must deliver at Wrexham despite being down to bare bones

Dionisi out to change Watford’s away mentality

Watford Observer: MATCHDAY AS IT HAPPENED: Wrexham 1-1 Watford

Match Report: Watford take hard-earned point from Wrexham in 1-1 draw

Dionisi ‘very, very happy’ with Watford display at Wrexham

BBC: After being denied victory in the final moments in last week’s 1-1 draw at Cardiff City, Wrexham had to come from behind when Luca Kjerrumgaard glanced home a clever Omar Traore cross after just 12 minutes.

Sky: Lewis O’Brien led a slick breakout and Moore found Imray to beat both goalkeeper Federico Ravaglia and Matty Pollock’s despairing attempt on the goal-line.

Fran’s Watford Blog: It was another nervy second half for the Hornets, although not of Southampton proportions, but the lads put in another strong defensive showing. The loss of Traoré had been worrying, but Eames did very well, putting in an assured performance. The goal from Kjerrumgaard was well taken and showed what he can do if you play to his strengths. I was pleased for him, as it is always good for a striker to beat their duck. Bravo had another good game and looks as though he will be a very good addition to the squad. Maamma and Nabizada did not get into the game as much as the previous week, but all in all it was a decent performance away from home. I am loving Dionisi’s attacking approach and seeing the players all working hard for each other. The squad may be paper thin, but they are giving everything for the shirt.

From the Rookery End: Watford followed up victory over Southampton with a hard-earned point at Wrexham – and four points from the opening two games feels a long way from where many of us feared we might be.

16th August 2026- Championship, Watford 2 Southampton 1

Watford Observer: Dionisi on tough start: ‘It won’t be easy for the opposition either’

Watford Observer: MATCHDAY AS IT HAPPENED: Watford 2-1 Southampton

Match Report: Outstanding Watford produce memorable 2-1 win over Southampton

WATCH: Immediate reaction to Watford 2-1 Southampton

‘We were one team’ – Dionisi hails Watford mentality in Saints win

Dionisi: ‘Keben was probably better than everyone’

Keben and Bravo lead the way as Watford walk the walk

Nabizada: ‘I want to live this feeling every week’

BBC: Southampton were beaten in their first Championship match since the Spygate scandal, as Watford got off to a winning start under new boss Alessio Dionisi.

Sky: Summer signing Iker Bravo and teenage academy product Amin Nabizada gave new Watford manager Alessio Dionisi a fine win, while Southampton’s players were heckled, both on the pitch and from the stands, for their actions at the end of last season.

BHappy: The visitors look confident, capable, and are dominating the ball while we look a bit edgy. Dobbin escapes down the left and squares… we clear it unconvincingly, he’s flagged off anyway. Hector is booked for a clumsy foul… we can’t surely be this desperate, this stretched after only ten minutes? Then we score, and everything changes.

Fran’s Watford Blog: The pre-match tributes to Kevin Keegan and Kenny Jackett were both very emotional. Kenny is someone that I watched emerge from the youth team to become a legend. I was also lucky enough to meet him a few times and found him to be a lovely man who just wanted to chat to you about football. He was taken far too soon. The flag was a thing of beauty and the least that the fans could have done to honour Kenny. Special thanks to the 1881 for arranging it and to Roy and Phil for driving to Poland to collect it in time for the match.

From the Rookery End: A 2-1 win over Southampton gave Vicarage Road the sort of afternoon that has been in short supply recently, with two young players finding the net, a captain leading from the front and plenty of early signs of what Alessio Dionisi wants from his team.