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24th March 2012-Championship, Watford 2 Ipswich Town 1

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 Sean Murray and Troy Deeney scored second-half goals to cancel out Jay Emmanuel-Thomas’s opener as Watford fought back to beat Ipswich at home.

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 Watford hit back to beat Ipswich and extend Town’s long wait for victory over their Hertfordshire rivals with a 2-1 win at Vicarage Road.

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We walk to the ground in warm spring sunshine amid the kind of careless end-of-season haze which seemed so distant barely a few weeks ago and so utterly implausible before Christmas.

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25th February 2023- Championship, Sheffield United 1 Watford 0

Attendance: 29,132

BBC Sport: Sheffield United restored a seven-point cushion in the race for automatic promotion after an own goal from Ryan Porteous sealed victory against Championship play-off hopefuls Watford.

Sky Sports: After 73 minutes, United finally found the net for what proved to be the winner. Norwood’s corner found McBurnie at the far post, whose header back across goal caused an unfortunate Porteous to turn the ball into his own net.

BHappy: For all that we’re going to leave Bramall Lane far grumpier than we walked into it, there are positives to take from the afternoon.  The first is that whilst Ferreira and Kamara are perhaps the two of the remaining absentees most obviously candidates for a swift return to the starting eleven, both deputy full-backs excelled again here and will take some displacing.  Mario Gaspar suddenly looks very far from the busted flush that we feared we’d been lumbered with earlier in the season, whilst James Morris has lost all of his tentativeness and is confident enough to play himself out of trouble with his weaker foot at one point.  He also hammers up and down the left flank relentlessly, frequently the source of the ball into the box displaying an aggression in attacking areas that we need rather more of.  His wonderful ball from the touchline on the sprint in the second half finds Davis at the far post, who chests the ball lamely at Foderingham.  This is a dreadful miss – dumping in a far post header like this should be food and drink to a big centre forward.

Fran’s Watford Blog: As we reflected on the day, and the season so far, there was a lack of enthusiasm for the play-offs or for us to get promoted.  We are not strong enough and another season of consolidation and growth would be preferable to getting beaten every week.  Anyway, most of us old folk quite like going to games in the Championship.

20th February 2023- Championship, Watford 3 West Bromwich Albion 2

WFC.Net goal commentary: 1  2  3

Attendance: 18,634

BBC Sport: Watford saw off a spirited West Bromwich Albion side in an entertaining contest at Vicarage Road to move back into the Championship play-off places.

Sky Sports: There was little sign of the drama to follow when Watford were jeered by their own support barely 10 minutes into a lifeless start at Vicarage Road, between two sides short of form and confidence.

BHappy: Slaven Bilić had intimated that it was time we started scoring a few more goals;  this was as true off the pitch as much as on it since an official crowd of 18634 failed to reflect the increasingly sparse home stands (not so the right hand side of the Vic Road End, where Albion have taken every seat).  There’s a cumulative effect of, in practice, watching successive relegation seasons and flattering to deceive in this, what should be the one fun season in two.

Fran’s Watford Blog: The Hornets opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, Gaspar played the ball across to Davis whose shot was blocked, and the ball fell to Sema who turned it in.

14th February 2023- Championship, Burnley 1 Watford 1

WFC.Net goal commentary: 1

Attendance: 18393

BBC Sport: Burnley’s hopes of a record-breaking 11th straight Championship win were dashed as they were held to a draw by Watford at Turf Moor.

Sky Sports: A first-half finish from Joao Pedro gave the Hornets the lead but Vincent Kompany’s men escaped with a point after Obafemi popped up deep into stoppage time.

Fran’s Watford Blog: In the end, a draw was a fair result, although it was very disappointing to concede right at the end having defended resolutely.  The second half had been a real rearguard effort, but the chances for Burnley were again restricted.  Hoedt and Porteous are looking really solid in the centre of defence, you would think that they had been playing together for years.  What was especially pleasing was that it was a real team effort.  The past couple of performances have been building to this and it was great to see the Hornets matching the team that are running away with the division.  I was interested to hear the views of the Happy Valleys, who generally only see the games we play in the North.  They were all very impressed and said that they hadn’t seen anything like that performance so far this season.  It was certainly in stark contrast to their last match in Middlesbrough.  The signs were very encouraging indeed and, with performances like that, we now need fear nobody in this division.

11th February 2023- Championship, Watford 1 Blackburn Rovers 1

WFC Net Goal Commentary: 1

Attendance: 19,294

BBC Sport: Bradley Dack scored his 50th league goal for Blackburn as they earned a point against play-off rivals Watford at Vicarage Road.

Sky Sports: Head coach Slaven Bilic bought on Tom Cleverley, who made his first appearance since Burnley in August 2022. The change gave Watford a boost and they equalised in the 73rd minute. Blackburn failed to clear a free-kick, and Hoedt marked his debut with a fine first-time effort on the edge of the area which Pears could not deal with.

BHappy: There’s no avoiding the game’s star turn. João Pedro doesn’t so much run as skate around the pitch;   he’s the first to draw blood, breaking on the right after a one-two with Martins and sliding an evil low ball in towards Araújo that absolutely needs to be cut out  at the near post and is, on the slide, by a Rovers centre back.   Later, both Daughters will reply “João Pedro” with an unspoken “obviously” subtext when their Grandad asks them who their current favourite player is at the top of Occupation Road.  Daughter 1 will be sullen at her ongoing unwanted record of (thanks to two relegation seasons and unfortunate match selection) not having seen a win since New Years Day 2020 – she’d been excitedly incredulous (“really???”) when I recklessly suggested at kick off that today could be the day.

Fran’s Watford Blog: At half time, there was a lovely tribute to Oli Phillips.  His family were guests of the club and his daughter said a few words.  Then Andrew French spoke very warmly about Oli who had been both a mentor and a friend.  The dedication of the media suite to his memory was a lovely gesture and the decorations both at the entrance and inside showing Oli wearing his trademark fedora were just gorgeous.

Taken by Alan Cozzi
https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/sport/23316909.watford-pays-tribute-legendary-reporter-blackburn-rovers-draw/

Watford Observer: Watford pays tribute to legendary reporter in Blackburn Rovers draw

4th February 2023- Championship, Reading 2 Watford 2

Attendance: 13,861

BBC Sport: Ismaila Sarr’s close-range effort put the Hornets in front after half an hour as Watford had the better of the first period. The visitors doubled their lead shortly after the break as debutant Ryan Porteous headed in a corner, while Sarr had a third disallowed soon after for offside.

Sky Sports: Reading, though, reduced the deficit in the 66th minute from a Tom Ince penalty and levelled 10 minutes from time through a superb Jeff Hendrick volley.

BHappy: I can’t claim to have had a close relationship with Oli Phillips.  We met a couple of times, he was kind enough to provide some appropriate words for the back of the book. Others have written meaningful and informed testimonies about the man himself. I often find my reaction to the passing of people that I didn’t know personally… stilted.  Limited, even if they were people I kind of respected.  I remember my now wife being aghast at my lack of hand-wringing  when Diana passed away, horrible and tragic as that was.  But the passing of someone who…  you rely on in some sense, or have relied on, is different. 

Fran’s Watford Blog: Last week we heard the sad news of the passing of Oli Phillips.  His reports about the Hornets in the Watford Observer were a vital ingredient to my falling in love with the club.  I had the paper on order at the local newsagents and, when I was away at university, my Mum would keep the pile of papers for my return.  Later, when I was on the board of the Supporters’ Trust, Oli was very helpful to me, calling from France to chat through his knowledge of some of the behind the scenes stuff that we were looking into.  It is fitting that the Media Suite at Vicarage Road has been named after Oli and I am so glad that he was made aware of it before he died.

2 Feb 2023- Watford Observer’s Oliver Phillips passes away

Oli was the chief writer about Watford FC for the Watford Observer for many many years. In the days before the internet fans would buy the paper in their thousands on a Friday to get all the latest news from Vicarage Road and read Oli’s ‘Just a Thought’ column. In 1991 he wrote the Official Club Centenary book. To those of us of a certain age he was as well known and linked with the club as Luther Blissett or Graham Taylor.

Official site tribute

Former sports editor Oli Phillips dies aged 81

The gifted journalist who became a Watford legend

‘A light has gone out in the press box at Vicarage Road’

Readers and ex-colleagues remember legendary Watford FC correspondent

Just one week before he died the club announced that they would be naming the Media Suite after Oli.

Official site: Media Suite: Club Honours Oliver Phillips

28th January 2023- Championship, Middlesbrough 2 Watford 0

Attendance: 25,469

BBC Sport: Michael Carrick’s Middlesbrough side leapfrogged Watford and moved up to third in the Championship table by winning the meeting of two play-off hopefuls.

Sky Sports: First-half goals from Chuba Akpom and Marcus Forss enabled Boro to bounce back in impressive fashion following last weekend’s North East derby defeat by Sunderland.

Fran’s Watford Blog: The travelling fans who were still in the stand at the end of the game offered sympathetic support to the players when they came over to applaud us, but that didn’t mask the fact that it had been a poor performance.  There had been a promising spell midway through the first half and a very good start to the second, but Middlesbrough were on top for most of the game, were incredibly dangerous when they attacked and, once they scored the second goal, the Hornets never looked like getting back in the game.

21st January 2023- Championship, Watford 1 Rotherham United 1

WFC.Net Goal Commentary: 1

Attendance: 18,911

BBC Sport: Watford were left to rue a host of missed chances as they were held to a draw by Rotherham. Mario Gaspar hit the outside of the post early on for the hosts, before Shane Ferguson gave the Millers the lead as he blasted in from close range. Vakoun Bayo grazed the Rotherham bar soon after, while Matheus Martins also struck the upright for the promotion-chasing Hornets shortly after the restart.

Sky Sports: Joao Ferreira rescued a point for Watford in a 1-1 draw with Rotherham but the result did little to help their automatic promotion chances. In addition to Ferreira’s superb equaliser from 20 yards, which cancelled out Shane Ferguson’s first-half opener, Watford clipped the visitors’ woodwork on two occasions on what proved to be a frustrating afternoon for the Vicarage Road crowd.

BHappy: Rotherham aren’t dirty or particularly defensive, but they are strong and organised and, frankly, bigger than us.  With new, young signings and promising youngsters and that we are relatively lightweight…  Choudhury, stamping all over the midfield once again, and Sierralta stand out for their ability to give some back but Koné, whilst he has a good touch and the nous to spot and execute a long range pass isn’t nearly robust enough.  We get bullied once again, as we have far too often this season;  there’s a lack of physical presence up front in particular, where we simply don’t have a target for a direct ball and aren’t clever enough in trying to play through, but also in midfield despite Hamza’s best efforts.

Fran’s Watford Blog: At half time, Richard Johnson was talking about the week that the Academy players have had with the appearances in the FA Cup, the Youth Cup win against Everton and the league appearances including Adeyemo’s tremendous goal against Blackpool.  One thing that he didn’t mention was an event that the under 15s attended on Monday at which Eve Kugler, a child Holocaust survivor, spoke of her experiences during the rise of Nazi Germany.  I was lucky enough to be invited to join them.  Eve kindly spent her 92nd birthday talking to the group.  Her story was both chilling and very moving.  It is wonderful that the club educate the youngsters in this history and encourage them to learn about different communities.

14th January 2023- Championship, Watford 2 Blackpool 0

WFC.Net Goal Commentary: 1  2

Attendance: 19,679

Official site: Watford fans inside The Vic marked the GT Matchday by paying tribute to the club’s greatest ever manager before kick-off, raising their scarves aloft as the teams walked out onto the pitch, while all in attendance honoured the late Gianluca Vialli with a minute’s applause.

BBC Sport: Teenage substitute Tobi Adeyemo helped send Watford up to third in the Championship with his first senior goal in a win against strugglers Blackpool.

Sky Sports: The striker, 17, looked as stunned as he was elated to have found the net in the 72nd minute – just four minutes after replacing Vakoun Bayo for his first taste of league action. 

BHappy: His celebration is magnificent, and mirrors the response in the stands – pure joy to start with, he has the armspan of an albatross.  Then giddy disbelief as he clutches his fingers to his scalp before being mobbed, youth team colleague Jack Grieves first on the scene from his touchline warm-up.  The youngster’s popularity is evident from the reaction of his teammates, who make a bee-line for the mob in the corner.

Fran’s Watford Blog: As if a goal from a 17 year-old making his league debut wasn’t pleasing enough, he scored it in the 72nd minute on the GT matchday.  I am sure that the great man was celebrating with the rest of us. 

7th January 2023- FA Cup Third Round, Reading 2 Watford 0

No programme was produced for the game.
Attendance: 7,954

BBC Sport: Goals from Kelvin Abrefa and Shane Long were enough to beat a below-par Watford side and earn Reading a place in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Fran’s Watford Blog: Before kick-off there was a minute’s applause in memory of Gianluca Vialli, whose tragically early death was announced this week.  The players also wore black armbands as a mark of respect for a man that was admired and loved throughout English (and Italian) football.