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7th March 2023- Slaven Bilic leaves and Chris Wilder is appointed Head Coach until the end of the season

https://www.watfordfc.com/news/club-statement-bilic-departs

https://www.watfordfc.com/news/official-wilder-appointed-head-coach

Watford Observer: Bilic goes, Wilder arrives – and supporting Watford gets harder

BBC Sport: Watford: Chris Wilder replaces sacked Slaven Bilic as head coach

The Guardian: Seventeen minutes after Bilic’s departure was confirmed, Wilder was announced as their new manager.

Official site: Wilder: Meet Our New Head Coach

Chris Wilder’s First Press Conference | “Let’s Take The Handbrake Off!”

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7th March 2020- Premier League, Crystal Palace 1 Watford 0

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Referee: Anthony Taylor
Attendance: 25,461

Watford lose by one goal away at Crystal Palace

Jordan Ayew goal condemns Watford to Crystal Palace defeat

Nigel Pearson’s laments Watford’s missed chances in Crystal Palace defeat

Watford players rated after Crystal Palace defeat

Craig Cathcart felt Watford deserved points in Crystal Palace defeat

Cathcart insists Watford are still confident after Crystal Palace defeat

Crystal Palace recorded a third successive Premier League victory as they beat relegation-threatened Watford to climb into the top half of the table.

In a bitty and niggly encounter with eight yellow cards, including one for Wilfried Zaha who was in the thick of things not for the first time against Watford, Jordan Ayew’s stunning first-half goal (28) separated the teams.

The match had begun in the style of two zealously polite individuals standing in a doorway; after you, sir; no, please, after you. With both teams preferring to counterattack, neither really wanted the ball. For a while this suited Watford better as they created the early chances. But the clarity they showed in driving forward was not matched by decisiveness in front of goal.

So, after the euphoria of last week, this was an unwelcome return to what has been the reality of most of this season. It was a very disappointing game. The Hornets had been the better team for most of the first half but, as so often this season, did not make the most of their chances and the home side scored after a counterattack. Once they were ahead, Palace defended well and, apart from a brief spell in the second half, Watford never really looked like winning the point that their performance deserved. Thankfully results elsewhere meant that we stayed out of the relegation zone on goal difference, but it felt like a wasted opportunity and, again, I worry that we won’t get the points that we need from the upcoming “winnable” games.

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7th March 2015- Championship, Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 Watford 2

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Watford captain Troy Deeney saved his side as he rescued a point against promotion rivals Wolves in a pulsating 2-2 Sky Bet Championship draw at Molineux.

Tommie Hoban was shown a second yellow for Watford before Wolves’ Bakary Sako was given a straight red after raising his hand to Fernando Forestieri.

After the game a Watford fan, Nic Cruwys, was the victim of an unprovoked attack by six teenagers. He was left in a critical condition, spent three weeks in a medically induced coma and had life changing injuries as a result of the assault.

Watford FC dedicated all subsequent games that season to Nic, using the phrase ‘For Nic, For Promotion’.

‘Every win for the rest of this season is dedicated to Nic Cruwys’

In autumn 2016 the teenagers were found guilty of various offences relating to the attack and four of them were jailed.

Watford’s official website gave an update about Nic in 2018.

In Good Nic: Hornets’ Fan Cruwys “Doing Okay” But Will Miss Molineux

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7th March 2012- Championship, West Ham United 1 Watford 1

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Highlights: West Ham 1-1 Watford

West Ham needed a late Ricardo Vaz Te goal to earn a point as they blew their chance to go top of the Championship. Teenager Sean Murray fired Watford ahead midway through the second half with a fierce low drive.

Substitute Vaz Te struck with three minutes of normal time to play and West Ham laid siege on the Watford goal throughout nine minutes of stoppage time following a nasty injury to Dale Bennett.

Sean Dyche’s Watford, by contrast, were fearless. Outclassed on paper, they defended heroically and “looked after each other”, as Dyche put it. Leaders stood tall all over the pitch. Captain John Eustace shed blood for the cause. Goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak, in his third game on loan from Manchester United, kept Watford in the game with some excellent saves. “We believe in what we do,” Dyche said. “We’re realistic, you know you’re in for a tough task at a place like this. But the mentality of the team is fantastic, and that was on show tonight.”

A clash of heads between John Eustace and Dale Bennett, Watford team-mates, forced a seven-minute delay. Eustace left the pitch, returning with a large bandage on his head, but Bennett, his neck in a brace, was taken off on a stretcher and then to hospital. “We suspect it’s not as serious as it looked,” Sean Dyche, the Watford manager, said. “We’re waiting on the doctors to see if he’ll be kept in overnight.”

Away matches are brilliant. Evening kick-offs are brilliant. Nothing-to-lose, dammit games are brilliant. So an evening kick off at the Boleyn Ground, preceded by several hours of build-up… verbal, nutritional (Nathan’s Pie and Mash shop a thing of rare beauty) and liquid is something to savour. Yet more so given that astonishingly sensible stewarding permits actual standing for the entire ninety minutes. That’ll never catch on. And of course that the Boleyn Ground is a claustrophobic, suffocatingly intense venue. Industrial-scale bubble machines of a size that would cause my daughters to combust with excitement are stationed at the side of the pitch, propelling countless swarms of the things into the night sky. I must have seen that here before, but I can’t believe it’s anything like as effective when the floodlights aren’t catching them. Not sure it would work quite as well with Hornets, one to mull over though. I’m sure there are financial reasons for leaving Upton Park, reasons that might even benefit the football club, but you’d have to be bloody mental to want to abandon this place. If the atmosphere is slightly subdued before the game, from kick off onwards it positively crackles.

More games from 7th March at https://oldwatford.com/tag/mar7

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7th March 2009- Championship, Charlton Athletic 2 Watford 3

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

Watford eased their relegation fears with a win against a Charlton side who slipped further towards the drop.

Don Cowie had given the Hornets a 17th-minute lead before on-loan striker Tresor Kandol’s well-taken brace turned the game in Charlton’s favour before half-time. Watford drew level through Grzegorz Rasiak before Priskin struck seven minutes from time to secure a fourth win in five games for Brendan Rodgers’ side.

Both clubs have new managers since they met in August with higher ambitions. Two seasons ago they played a goalless draw here in the Premier League in front of 27,000. Under the sinking circumstances it says much for Charlton and their fans that they have not fallen below 20,000.

Some blinding goals for the Golden Boys. Make sure that you catch Rasiak’s if you weren’t there. Or even if you were. Wallop. And Priskin’s wonderful winner… my brother’s celebratory text informing a friend of developments contained a single word that said everything. Dink.

https://www.soccerbase.com/matches/results.sd?date=2009-03-07

https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-championship/07-march-2009/

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7th March 1992- Division Two, Watford 0 Ipswich Town 1

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Scan 77 Scan 78 Scan 79 Scan 80 Scan 81 Scan 82 Scan 83 Scan 84 Scan 85 Scan 86 Scan 87 Scan 88 Scan 89 Scan 90 Scan 91 Scan 92

Screen Shot 2018-03-07 at 10.14.38

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7th March 1990- Division Two, Middlesbrough 1 Watford 2

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https://www.soccerbase.com/matches/results.sd?date=1990-03-07

https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-two/07-march-1990/

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7th March 1981-Division Two, Watford 4 Cardiff City 2

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

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7th March 1978- Division Four, Watford 1 Reading 0

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https://www.soccerbase.com/matches/results.sd?date=1978-03-07

https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-four/07-march-1978/

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7th March 1975- Watford Observer

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7th March 1969- Watford Observer

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7th March 1964- Division Three, Watford 1 Coventry City 1

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Watford Observer match report

https://www.soccerbase.com/matches/results.sd?date=1964-03-07

https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-three/07-march-1964/

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7th March 1959- Division Four, Watford 2 Aldershot 1

https://www.soccerbase.com/matches/results.sd?date=1959-03-07

https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-four/07-march-1959/

27th February 2026- Championship, Bristol City 1 Watford 2

Watford Observer: Team news: Goglichidze should return and ‘probably too early’ for Bove to start

Watford aiming to maintain good record after referee named for City trip

Still on back three option and where Bove and ‘class act’ Ekwah fit

Still: ‘It’s up to me to get Chakvetadze shining again’

Still claims Mfuni’s potential compares to current Man City centre-back Khusanov

Bristol City have one fit centre-back for Watford clash

Still addresses the need for Watford to string wins together quickly

Watford Observer: MATCHDAY AS IT HAPPENED: Bristol City 1-2 Watford

Match Report: Ngakia stunner earns crucial 2-1 win at Bristol City

Still: Watford starting to believe in each other after Ngakia ‘worldie’

Still asked ‘knackered’ players and staff for one more push at half-time

Head coach on Selvik’s response to Ipswich and Kjerrumgaard’s ‘high-level’ movement

Mfuni: ‘I’m loving every second of it’

In the race? Assessing Watford’s play-off chances

BBC: Jeremy Ngakia’s sublime second-half strike gave Watford victory at Championship play-off rivals Bristol City, who they leapfrogged in the table up to seventh.

Sky: The visitors took a seventh-minute lead when Giorgi Chakvetadze’s penetrating run down the right found Edo Kayembe, who pulled the ball back from the byline for Luca Kjerrumgaard to fire home from six yards. But City were level in the 36th minute when Scott Twine powered a close-range header past Egil Selvik from an inviting Adam Randell cross from the right.

Fran’s Watford Blog: The celebrations after the final whistle were joyous. The crowd was bouncing and, once the pleasantries with the officials and the opposition had been completed, the players all came over to greet the crowd. Ed Still came over pumping his fist at the crowd. Then Irankunda and Mfuni joined in, taking it in turns and fist pumping in unison as the crowd cheered. Finally, after finishing their interviews with Sky Sports, Ngakia and Kjerrumgaard came over to celebrate. Ngakia was beaming as he clutched his man of the match award. His smile broadened even further when he was serenaded with “Came from West Ham on a free. His name is Jeremy.” Wonderful stuff. I may have gone to the game on my own, but I was treated to lots of smiling faces and hugs on my way out of the ground.

From the Rookery End: Back at their spiritual home of The Railway Arms in Oxhey, Jon, Jordi and Jason reflect on a week that perfectly sums up Watford’s season so far. From the frustrating 2-0 home defeat to Ipswich to the much brighter 2-1 response away at Bristol City, the lads dig into what Ed Still tweaked — and what it might mean going forward.

24th February 2026- Championship, Watford 0 Ipswich Town 2

Watford Observer: Team news: Maamma and Baah unlikely to feature against Ipswich

How Still has changed the way Watford train, with 45 minutes on pitch pre-Ipswich

Watford Observer: MATCHDAY AS IT HAPPENED: Watford 0-2 Ipswich Town

Five talking points from Watford’s defeat to Ipswich

Match Report: Ipswich inflict first defeat on Still with 2-0 win at Watford

WATCH: Immediate reaction to Watford 0-2 Ipswich Town

Still reflects on ‘game of two halves’ after Watford beaten 2-0 by Ipswich

Still explains change in system was due to injured wingers

Watford striker Doumbia handed three-match ban for Ipswich shove

BBC: Ipswich Town revived their hopes of automatic promotion as Sindre Walle Egeli and George Hirst gave them victory over Watford at Vicarage Road.

Sky: Kieran McKenna’s visitors moved up to third by getting the better of Ed Still’s play-off hopefuls, who saw Tom Ince’s late penalty saved by Town goalkeeper Christian Walton.

Fran’s Watford Blog: It was a disappointing performance after the great showing against Derby. Still started with five at the back, but we didn’t really get going in the first half. There was a better showing in the second half, and we created some decent chances, but Ipswich were worthy winners. I have to say that in both games that we have played against them, I thought that Ipswich were the best team that I have seen this season. While the team performance left something to be desired, Mfuni was outstanding again, his composure on the ball is remarkable in one so young. Abankwah, who had been outstanding on Saturday had a few dodgy moments on this occasion. Our attacking play definitely suffered due to the absence of Maamma. The news that he will be missing for some time is a cause for concern. It was good to see Bove get some time on the pitch. He is clearly a talented footballer, and I look forward to seeing a lot more of him in the future.

21st February 2026- Championship, Watford 2 Derby County 0

Watford Observer: Eustace is winless from his five matches against Watford as a manager

Derby County preview: Play-off hopes on the line in three-game week

Irankunda ‘itching’ to return and accepts blame for suspension

‘The Matchday Edition’ – Watford launch new physical post-match publication

Team news: Pollock ‘touch-and-go’, Ngakia returns, Baah trains ‘really well’

Still knows it’s a big week for play-off hopes – but wants to stay present

Still wants balance between patience and ‘vertical football’ to beat Derby

https://www.watfordfc.com/news/2026/february/21/digital-digest-derby-edition

Watford Observer: MATCHDAY AS IT HAPPENED: Watford 2-0 Derby County

Five talking points as Watford beat Derby to give Still first victory

Match Report: Kjerrumgaard and Doumbia end winless run as Derby beaten 2-0

WATCH: Immediate reaction to Watford 2-0 Derby County

Still believes Watford are ‘connecting again’ after Derby win

Maamma and Baah to be assessed after Derby injuries

Derby shut-out proved Abankwah is becoming the complete defender

Still on ‘winner’ Goglichidze, ‘big brother’ Kayembe and scoring strikers

Derby boss Eustace: Watford wanted it more than us

Still identifies where Watford can improve further after first win

BBC: Watford ended a run of seven Championship games without victory by beating play-off rivals Derby County.

Sky: It also extended a remarkable streak in this fixture, with Watford recording their sixth successive win over their opponents.

BHappy: So it’s hugely reassuring when we score within the first few minutes. It’s never anything but a delight to score at any time of course but here it’s particularly pivotal… the goal affords us the luxury of being able to hold Derby at arm’s length and, when they’re forced to commit forward to recover the game, to hit them with blistering counterattacks. Pretty much exactly what Derby would have chosen to be able to do to us, you suspect, and one caveat to the afternoon is the uncertain answer to the question, “How well would we have coped with having to chase the game?”.

From the Rookery End: After a winless run of 7 games, Watford marked Ed Still’s first home game in charge with a comprehensive win over fellow Play Off hopefuls Derby County.

14th February 2026- Championship, Preston North End 2 Watford 2

Watford Observer: Still calls on Watford to unite for play-off push

Bove will be on the bench at Preston as Still targets front-foot style

Preston preview: Still needs wins straight away, that’s the reality

Match Wrap: Preston North End 2-2 Watford – Watford FC Download

Watford Observer: MATCHDAY AS IT HAPPENED: Preston North End 2-2 Watford

Match Report: Still’s Watford bow ends in ding-dong 2-2 at Preston

Still felt Watford did enough to win after Baah changed the game at Preston

Bove received dressing-room applause after emotional return to football

Still on why he selected four centre-backs: ‘It’s Preston away’

Preston verdict: How did Ed Still fare in his first match as Watford head coach?

BBC: Second-half substitute Milutin Osmajic rescued a draw for Preston to deny Ed Still victory in his first game as Watford’s new head coach.

Sky: Preston had taken the lead through a well-taken Lewis Dobbin strike in the 19th minute but were pegged back by Othmane Maamma’s cool 55th-minute leveller and fell behind due to an unfortunate own goal from Odel Offiah two minutes later.

BHappy: Since the half is characterised by North End being run ragged, they end the game utterly exhausted as every passing minute brings the possibility of victory closer. They’ll argue that the blocks and the deflections and the bodies earned their point, but nobody could have argued if one of the many chances had gone in to decide the game, least of all a sublime volley from Formose Mendy which span off the inside of the post, rolled along the goalline, by-passed the far post and went out for a goal kick. By this time a fine chant (new to my ears) had gained traction, celebrating Big and Little Mendy in turn to the tune of 2 Unlimited’s “No Limit”.

From the Rookery End: Watford travelled to Deepdale and returned with a 2-2 draw against Preston — a result that, for a first game under a new Head Coach, looks decent… but still leaves the same lingering annoyance. With the season entering the business end, draws aren’t enough, and the pressure is building to start turning draws into wins.

9th February 2026- Ed Still appointed as new Watford Head Coach

Official: Hornets Appoint Still As Head Coach – Watford FC Download

Watford Observer: Ed Still profile: Find out more about Watford’s new head coach

Watford announce Ed Still as their new head coach

Ed Still and Scott Duxbury’s first words on head coach appointment

Scepticism is understandable – but Pozzo’s left-field appointments often work best

National journalists and Troy Deeney react to Ed Still appointment

Still’s coaching staff takes shape as duo stay on

Still: ‘I know I’m not the biggest name – but stick with us’

BBC: Championship side Watford have appointed Edward Still as their head coach on a two-and-a-half-year contract.

Ed Still has promised Watford fans “fast, attacking football” from his team as he looks to make a winning start as head coach.

From the Rookery End: Ed Still Special: In Conversation with Watford’s new Head Coach

7th February 2026- Championship, Southampton 1 Watford 0

Watford Observer: Why Southampton v Watford will kick off at 12.31 on Saturday

Referee named for Watford’s trip to Southampton

Daniels demanding ‘same energy, enthusiasm and quality’ at Saints

‘We want to be effective with the ball’ – How Daniels wants Watford to play

When we next play them it would be lovely if we could come up with a similar image for that leaflet that now masquerades as a programme featuring the 7-1, the 4-1 win in 1982, the Chris Nicholl nightmare in 1983, the 3-2 in 1999, the 5-2 in 2004 and the 5 consecutive wins against them from 2005-2008.