Featured post

13th March 2022- Premier League, Southampton 1 Watford 2

WFC.net Jon Marks Goal Commentary: 1  2

Attendance: 28,863

BBC Sport: Cucho Hernandez scored twice as Watford boosted their hopes of securing Premier League survival with victory over Southampton at St Mary’s.

Sky Sports: Watford opened the scoring in the 14th minute when Hernandez pounced on Southampton defender Mohammed Salisu’s weak back-pass and found the net from a tight angle after rounding goalkeeper Fraser Forster.

The Guardian: Watford piled down the left and Juraj Kucka’s delicious first-time cross dropped at the back post, where the unmarked Hernández smacked in his second. It could have been 3-0 a few minutes later had Kucka taken the imposing Moussa Sissoko’s pass in his stride.

Fran’s Watford Blog: The celebrations in the away end and among the players were joyous.  Cucho and Kamara took it in turns to get the away stand cheering and many of the players came over to hand their shirts to the Junior Hornets.  Their day out had been a cracker.

Featured post

13th March 2021- Championship, Cardiff City 1 Watford 2

BBC Sport: Watford claimed a dramatic 2-1 victory at Cardiff City to move back into the automatic promotion places as Mick McCarthy lost for the first time as Bluebirds boss.

Sky Sports: Cardiff had resisted wave after wave of pressure in the second period and looked to have held out for a point after Francisco Sierralta’s early own goal was cancelled out by a solo strike from Nathaniel Chalobah.

BHappy: Heaven knows we’ve come not to expect too much from free kicks. Five years and so on and so forth.  There have been likelier candidates to break our duck in the interim than Adam Masina.  Roberto Pereyra perhaps.  Tom Cleverley.  Zinckernagel. Troy, even.  As he lined it up I was hoping for a touch off the bodies flying across the face of the goal.  As he ran up it occurred to me that if this went in we were definitely going up.  Masina absolutely smacked it straight at the keeper but Phillips was distracted with bodies running at and past him.  The shot went straight through…

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56302518

Featured post

13th March 2020- Suspension of the Premier League until April

In the week after our game with Crystal Palace the Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak that had started in January and had rapidly spread around the world started to effect football in England. Nottingham Forest’s owner tested positive followed two days later by Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta. Three Leicester players reported symptoms and at a meeting of the Premier League on 13th March it was agreed to postpone all remaining games until April. It was the first time football had been suspended since the Second World War.

Before the decision was announced Nigel Pearson gave his usual pre-match press conference ahead of our planned game with Leicester which was due to be played on 15th March.

Featured post

13th March 2016-FA Cup Sixth Round, Arsenal 1 Watford 2

Programme images courtesy of Matt Hall

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

imgres.png Watford stunned FA Cup holders Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium to book their place in the semi-finals at Wembley.

sky.png  Odion Ighalo and Adlene Guedioura goals dump holders out of FA Cup

BHappy image It’s 4pm.  We’ve opted against the scrum for the tube in favour of a leisurely walk in the sunshine back to Kings Cross.  There’s a workman painting a doorway on Caledonian Road, the Kinks’ “Sunny Afternoon” rumbles out of his radio.  It’s a perfect soundtrack for what is a necessary but overlooked feature of stunning days like this one… the dazed post-match taking-it-all-in thing.

The second goal was a thing of beauty.  Deeney did tremendously well to hold the ball up in the box then he passed it out to Guedioura and WELLY!!!  The shot nearly burst the net and would have knocked out someone in the upper tier if it had.  If the first goal celebration had been joyous, this one was truly mental and, suddenly, the Watford fans started thinking that we could actually win this, and those of us who had been calling for Adlene’s replacement were left with egg on our faces.

As it happened

Watford’s joy was unfettered at the end of it all and rightly so. What a coup to accompany a promising Premier League season as a newly promoted side! Their players danced in front of the supporters after the final whistle. Even some of the home fans felt able to applaud them off, appreciative of their efforts on the day.

Screen Shot 2017-03-13 at 19.30.11.png
https://oldwatford.com/2019/03/16/16th-march-2019-fa-cup-sixth-round-watford-2-crystal-palace-1/
Featured post

13th March 2010- Championship, Watford 0 Peterborough United 1

Relegation-threatened Peterborough saw off fellow strugglers Watford to claim their first away win of the season.

Defeat also dragged the Hornets closer to the relegation mire, with Malky Mackay’s men having lost their last four matches. The Hornets could have no complaints and only woke up after Dickinson had found the net.

Worth remembering, first of all, that this is what this season was supposed to be like from the start. Or from the end of August, at any rate. Having sold off our most sellable assets in August the real surprise is not that we stumble to a clumsy defeat against Peterborough but that this season has lifted expectation levels to an extent that made this look like a home banker beforehand, even given our recent form.

https://www.soccerbase.com/matches/results.sd?date=2010-03-13
https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-championship/13-march-2010/
Featured post

13th March 2004- New Division One, Watford 0 Sheffield United 2

Hell, does anyone really want to pick over these bones? Will it tell us anything new, anything that we don’t know already? If you’re still holding out hope for Tuesday, then I applaud your optimism…and you might take some heart from a moderately rousing finale, even if its stirring passion was mainly manifested in Heidar Helguson narrowly escaping another red card for a stupid elbow and Paul Devlin being pointlessly petulant with anyone who came near him, friend or foe. And Paul Mayo had a competent, quietly impressive home debut too. Otherwise, though, there ain’t much that you’d want to look at, good or bad. It just was, and oppressively so. Frankly, Tuesday can’t come slowly enough.

Featured post

13th March 1999- New Division One, Oxford United 0 Watford 0

http://watford.fcdb.info/index.php?page=matches
Sunday Mirror, 14 Mar 1999
Sunday People, 14 Mar 1999

BSAD: It is impossible to be completely bored at the Manor Ground, a wonderfully bizarre creation of the “pin the tail on the donkey” school of architecture. It’s a Tommy Cooper kinda stadium, if you know what I mean, and I have an inexplicable fondness for it (although possibly not eleven quid’s worth of fondness). Perhaps I like the place because there’s clearly no room for it in modern football, or perhaps it’s just that it can provide momentary distraction from a soggy, tasteless pudding of a game.

https://www.soccerbase.com/matches/results.sd?date=1999-03-13
https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-1/13-march-1999/
Featured post

13th March 1985- London Five-a-side Football Championship (at Wembley Arena)

We beat Crystal Palace 2-0 in the First Round but then went out to Charlton 3-1. The YouTube video shows a couple of seconds of our game with Crystal Palace.

Evening Standard, 13 Mar 1985

Comicus Article- Football Nostalgia: London Evening Standard 5-A-Side Tournament

Evening Standard, 13 Mar 1985
Featured post

13th March 1982- Division Two, Norwich City 4 Watford 2

http://watford.fcdb.info/index.php?page=matches
Sunday Mirror, 14 Mar 1982
The People, 14 Mar 1982
Daily Telegraph, 15 Mar 1982

Watford Observer match report

https://www.soccerbase.com/matches/results.sd?date=1982-03-13
https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-two/13-march-1982/
Featured post

13th March 1971- Division Two, Watford 0 Bristol City 3

Despite being involved in a car accident that morning City’s right-back Trevor Jacobs still played in the match.

http://watford.fcdb.info/index.php?page=matches
Bristol Evening Post, 13 Mar 1971
Evening Standard, 13 Mar 1971
Sunday Mirror, 14 Mar 1971
Sunday People, 14 Mar 1971

Watford Observer match report

https://www.soccerbase.com/matches/results.sd?date=1971-03-13
https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-two/13-march-1971/
Featured post

13th March 1965- Division Three, Watford 2 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic 0

Sunday People, 14 Mar 1965

Watford Observer match report

https://www.soccerbase.com/matches/results.sd?date=1965-03-13
https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-three/13-march-1965/

10th March 2026- Championship, Sheffield Wednesday 1 Watford 1

Watford Observer: Pollock touch-and-go as Still seeks best display of his reign at Sheff Wed

How Still has used 11-day break as a ‘mini pre-season’

Kjerrumgaard has been ‘one of the standout players’ under Still

Watford need two months of stable, solid football – starting tonight

Still: ‘We’re aware of what a difficult opponent Sheff Wed will be’

Watford Observer: MATCHDAY AS IT HAPPENED: Sheffield Wednesday 1-1 Watford

Match Report: Watford equalise late but fall short in poor 1-1 draw at Sheff Wed

WATCH: Immediate reaction to Sheffield Wednesday 1-1 Watford

Still points to missed chances and second-half mistakes after Hillsborough draw

Lack of composure and ideas saw fragile Watford fall into Sheff Wed’s trap

Ngakia set for weeks on the sidelines with hamstring injury

Fixing possession problems a tougher job mid-season, says Still

BBC: Sheffield Wednesday were denied only their second league win of the season right at the death as Vivaldo Semedo’s late equaliser earned Watford a 1-1 draw at Hillsborough.

Sky: Wednesday, who have been in administration since October and are already relegated from the Championship following an 18-point deduction by the EFL, were minutes away from ending a wretched winless run going back to September when Jerry Yates’ second-half header put them in front.

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

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

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