Monthly Archives: January 2026

24th January 2026- Championship, Blackburn Rovers 1 Watford 1

Watford Observer: Preview: Blackburn face injury problems and fan boycott for Watford clash

Match Wrap: Blackburn Rovers 1-1 Watford – Watford FCDownload

Watford Observer: MATCHDAY AS IT HAPPENED: Blackburn Rovers 1-1 Watford

Match Report: Watford draw 1-1 again at Blackburn

Gracia rues ‘soft’ defending after fast start and explains tactical approach

Gracia hopes for signings and injury doubts delayed Baah sub

No risk was taken with Vata and update on Louza and Pollock

It’s time for Watford to flex their muscles after sticky week

Ngakia ‘couldn’t believe’ he was handed Watford captaincy

BBC: Having dominated the opening stages, Edo Kayembe drove home to give Watford the lead, but just two minutes later Blackburn hit back courtesy of Lewis Miller.

Sky: The clash against the Hornets marked the start of a “phased strategic boycott of home fixtures” organised by the Blackburn Rovers Supporters Coalition aimed at forcing Venky’s to sell the club.

Fran’s Watford Blog: The Rovers fans had decided to boycott this game as a protest against their owners, so the stadium was eerily empty. I had listened to their grievances and, while their owners are not particularly engaged, their actions have not been particularly egregious, so I decided not to participate in the boycott myself.

From the Rookery End: Mike, Jon and Watford Observer reporter Adam Drury sit down after a frustrating week that saw Watford held to two 1–1 draws – first at home to Portsmouth, then away at Blackburn.

21st January 2026- Championship, Watford 1 Portsmouth 1

Watford Observer: Gracia pleased to have another home game so quickly after Millwall loss

Watford aiming to ‘take each game by the scruff of the neck’

https://www.watfordfc.com/supporters/digital-digests

Match Wrap: Watford 1-1 Portsmouth – Watford FCDownload

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

Five talking points after Watford held by Pompey

Match Report: Doumbia equalises but Watford held to Pompey point

WATCH: Immediate reaction to Watford 1-1 Portsmouth

Gracia ‘very upset and disappointed’ with Portsmouth performance

Gracia confirms Chakvetadze sub was tactical but Pollock had muscle issue

BBC: Portsmouth climbed out of the Championship relegation zone, despite being denied a rare Vicarage Road victory by Watford substitute Mamadou Doumbia.

Sky: Adrian Segecic put Portsmouth ahead in the 73rd minute but Watford levelled through substitute Mamadou Doumbia six minutes later.

17th January 2026- Championship, Watford 0 Millwall 2

This game was designated as the annual Graham Taylor Matchday.

Watford Observer: ‘Expect them to press high’: Millwall reporter previews game at Watford

Millwall preview: Watford must prove they are here to stay on big afternoon

Team news: Gracia on Chakvetadze’s fitness and Formose Mendy’s playing prospects

Gracia on Graham Taylor: ‘Not just what he did, but the way he did it’

https://www.watfordfc.com/supporters/digital-digests

Match Wrap: Watford 0-2 Millwall – Watford FCDownload

Watford Observer: MATCHDAY AS IT HAPPENED: Watford 0-2 Millwall

Five talking points as Hornets beaten by Lions

Match Report: Watford’s unbeaten home run ended by 2-0 Millwall defeat

Watford ‘have to learn’ about physical side of the game

Gracia on Millwall defeat: ‘We couldn’t find a way to play our football’

BBC: Millwall striker Josh Coburn came off the bench to score his second Championship goal of the season as the Lions beat promotion rivals Watford at Vicarage Road.

Sky: Femi Azeez returned to the club which once released him to inspire Millwall to a 2-0 victory over promotion rivals Watford at Vicarage Road.

Fran’s Watford Blog: Then there was a bizarre incident after a defensive header dropped for De Norre whose shot was flying well wide of the target when the ball boy decided to run on to the pitch to retrieve the ball right in front of the Millwall fans. The visitors were awarded a drop ball allowing Ivanovich a shot that flew wide of the target. The home fans started chanting “one of our own” at the ball boy, which I found a bit strange as his actions had ensured that the visitors regained possession. Meanwhile, the travelling Millwall support were giving him grief, so he was eventually moved to a safer space in front of the SEJ stand. This move was greeted with a chant of “We want our ball boy back” from the Millwall fans.

From the Rookery End: Mike, Jas and DCW headed to the Mad Squirrel to have a beer and look back at Watford’s 2–0 home defeat to Millwall, another miserable afternoon against the Lions and yet more frustration for the Hornets. They discuss how the momentum built over Christmas appears to have vanished, whether any players came out of the performance with credit, and what it all means as the January transfer window continues to tick on.

10th January 2026- FA Cup Third Round, Bristol City 5 Watford 1

Watford Observer: Team news: Gracia to give squad players a chance at Bristol City

Gracia reminisces about Woking visit and 2018/19 FA Cup run

Match Wrap: Bristol City 5-1 Watford – Watford FCDownload

BBC: Emil Riis scored his first Bristol City hat-trick as the Robins claimed an emphatic win over fellow Championship side Watford to sail into the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Watford Observer: MATCHDAY AS IT HAPPENED: Bristol City 5-1 Watford

Match Report: Watford out of the FA Cup after 5-1 Bristol City hammering

Watford defended ‘really badly’ at Bristol City, says Gracia

Gracia on Pollock, Louza and bouncing back from FA Cup defeat in the league

Bristol City verdict: Response needed in more ways than one to maintain momentum

First senior goal is ‘very proud’ moment for boyhood Watford fan Grieves

Fran’s Watford Blog:  It was a truly abject second half performance. The first half had been competitive, and the Hornets had created some decent chances and could have been 2-1 up at one point. But once the third goal went in, the Hornets fell apart. This coincided with the substitutions and showed a worrying lack of depth in the squad. Once Pollock went off, the defence disappeared, which highlighted how much we rely on him and what a great asset Max Alleyne had been.

From the Rookery End: In the first – and last – FA Cup podcast of the season, Mike is joined by the Watford Observer’s Adam Drury to reflect on Watford’s 5–1 defeat away at Bristol City

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025–26_FA_Cup

4th January 2026- Championship, Hull City v Watford, Match postponed

The game was called off just 23 minutes before kick off. The Watford players came over to the away fans to tell them that the game was off before any announcement had been made in the ground. The news then started to appear on social media before finally confirmation was given in the stadium that the match was postponed.

Watford Observer: Hull City preview: Gracia expects winning run to energise one more push

News: Hull City Match Postponed – Watford FCDownload

The club released a further statement later in the evening.

Watford Observer: MATCHDAY RECAP: Hull City v Watford postponed

Watford’s game at Hull City postponed at VERY short notice due to safety concerns

‘We were ready to play’ – Watford release statement after Hull City postponement

EFL to ask Hull City and Watford for observations after late postponement

Hull City v Watford postponement saga – what happened and what next?

Referee and safety officials – not clubs – must agree to postpone EFL match

Ince explains ‘strange’ Hull postponement from Watford players’ perspective

From the Rookery End: Watford’s away trip to Hull City was dramatically called off just 18 minutes before kick-off, leaving hundreds of travelling Hornets fans frustrated after making a 400-mile round trip. Among them was our own Mike, who left home at 7am and didn’t make it back until his 7pm train that evening. With no full From The Rookery End podcast this week, we’re sharing Mike’s appearance on BBC Radio Humberside, where he joined host James Hoggarth on Monday night to give the Watford fans’ perspective. Mike talks through the disappointment, the logistics, and the emotions felt by supporters left stranded after a long day of travel — and asks what more could (and should) have been done.

1st January 2026- Championship, Watford 3 Birmingham City 0

Watford Observer: Birmingham preview: Gracia believes Watford squad ‘feel part of something’

https://www.watfordfc.com/supporters/digital-digests

Match Wrap: Watford 3-0 Birmingham City – Watford FCDownload

Watford Observer: MATCHDAY RECAP: Watford 3-0 Birmingham City

Match Report: Ince hat-trick inspires relentless Watford to 3-0 Birmingham win

Gracia on Birmingham win: ‘The squad believe in what we are doing’

Hat-trick hero Ince: ‘I never doubted that I could be exciting again’

Birmingham City verdict: Powerful Watford let rip at Vicarage Road

Gracia on Irankunda’s return to form and ‘high quality’ Ince

BBC: Tom Ince scored a hat-trick as Watford made it four successive Championship wins with a comprehensive victory over a lacklustre Birmingham City.

Sky: Ince should even have added a fourth goal when he fired over an open net inside the six-yard box with 20 minutes remaining.

BHappy: You really don’t want to be falling behind against this Watford side. Admittedly we’ve not taken the lead in games often enough to demonstrate the veracity of this theory conclusively (though, whisper it, one goal conceded in four games in case you missed that detail) but… rarely, perhaps not since our promotion season of 20 years ago (eek) under Aidy Boothroyd have we had a side so well-equipped for attacking on the break.

Fran’s Watford Blog: There were great celebrations in the stands and on the pitch. The players spent some time on the lap of honour and it was lovely seeing Tom Ince walking around with the matchball and a huge smile on his face. He was deservedly man of the match after scoring a hat trick and taking them all well.

From The Rookery End: On this week’s episode, Jon, Mike and DCW revel in Watford FC’s red-hot start to the year as the Hornets make it four consecutive victories and confidence begins to surge. There’s plenty of love for Tom Ince after a stunning hat-trick, with the lads discussing what his form means for the balance and belief within the side. Attention also turns to the hugely important return of Georgi Chakvetadze, whose influence has brought control, cohesion and calm back into midfield, helping to ignite an electric atmosphere at Vicarage Road.