Old Watford is a day by day scrapbook style history of Watford Football Club told through programmes, newspapers, books, fanzines, videos and weblinks.
Category: August
| 26 Aug 2017 | AFC Bournemouth | 1:2 | Manchester City | |
| 26 Aug 2017 | Crystal Palace | 0:2 | Swansea City | |
| 26 Aug 2017 | Huddersfield Town | 0:0 | Southampton | |
| 26 Aug 2017 | Manchester United | 2:0 | Leicester City | |
| 26 Aug 2017 | Newcastle United | 3:0 | West Ham United | |
| 26 Aug 2017 | Watford | 0:0 | Brighton and Hove Albion | |
| 27 Aug 2017 | Chelsea | 2:0 | Everton | |
| 27 Aug 2017 | Liverpool | 4:0 | Arsenal | |
| 27 Aug 2017 | Tottenham Hotspur | 1:1 | Burnley | |
| 27 Aug 2017 | West Bromwich Albion | 1:1 | Stoke City |
clips of Jon Marks BBC 3CR commentary Goals: 1 2
Bristol City come from behind to knock Watford out of Carabao Cup
GALLERY: A selection of images from Watford’s Carabao Cup defeat to Bristol City
Watford boss Marco Silva annoyed with players’ ‘mentality’ in Carabao Cup defeat to Bristol City
| 22 Aug 2017 | Accrington Stanley | 1:3 | West Bromwich Albion | |
| 22 Aug 2017 | Aston Villa | 4:1 | Wigan Athletic | |
| 22 Aug 2017 | Birmingham City | 1:2 | AFC Bournemouth | |
| 22 Aug 2017 | Bolton Wanderers | 3:2 | Sheffield Wednesday | |
| 22 Aug 2017 | Brighton and Hove Albion | 1:0 | Barnet | |
| 22 Aug 2017 | Cardiff City | 1:2 | Burton Albion | |
| 22 Aug 2017 | Carlisle United | 1:2 | Sunderland | |
| 22 Aug 2017 | Crystal Palace | 2:1 | Ipswich Town | |
| 22 Aug 2017 | Doncaster Rovers | 2:0 | Hull City | |
| 22 Aug 2017 | Fulham | 0:1 | Bristol Rovers | |
| 22 Aug 2017 | Leeds United | 5:1 | Newport County | |
| 22 Aug 2017 | Middlesbrough | 3:0 | Scunthorpe United | |
| 22 Aug 2017 | Milton Keynes Dons | 1:4 | Swansea City | |
| 22 Aug 2017 | Norwich City | 4:1 | Charlton Athletic | |
| 22 Aug 2017 | Queens Park Rangers | 1:4 | Brentford | |
| 22 Aug 2017 | Reading | 3:1 | Millwall | |
| 22 Aug 2017 | Sheffield United | 1:4 | Leicester City | |
| 22 Aug 2017 | Watford | 2:3 | Bristol City | |
| 23 Aug 2017 | Blackburn Rovers | 0:2 | Burnley | |
| 23 Aug 2017 | Cheltenham Town | 0:2 | West Ham United | |
| 23 Aug 2017 | Huddersfield Town | 2:1 | Rotherham United | |
| 23 Aug 2017 | Newcastle United | 2:3 | Nottingham Forest | |
| 23 Aug 2017 | Southampton | 0:2 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | |
| 23 Aug 2017 | Stoke City | 4:0 | Rochdale |
clips of Jon Marks BBC 3CR commentary Goals: 1 2
RELIVE: Richarlison and Capoue strike as Watford beat Bournemouth 2-0 at Vitality Stadium
GALLERY: Enjoy these images from Watford’s opening win of the season at Bournemouth
Eddie Howe critical of Bournemouth following home loss to Watford
Hornets showed character & confidence – Silva
Richarlison nets first Watford goal as Hornets keep Bournemouth winless
Football, there’s nothing quite like it really is there? My weeks are always spent waiting and counting down until the next game. When someone asks me for the date of important events or vice versa, I only know when that is in relation to the football fixtures. “When do you go on holiday, mum?” “16th December, Andrew”
“…Ah, Huddersfield at home, gotcha”
Jon is joined by Kelly Somers, Kieran Thievam and Colin Mace as they talk through the away win at the Cherries. How have the Hornets moved on from the home draw to Liverpool and have the new boys started to make an impact on the squad? Oh and yes, you can hear that chant and keep it stuck in your head until Bristol City at home.
clips of Jon Marks BBC 3CR commentary Goals: 1 2 3
RELIVE – Watford v Liverpool: Hornets begin life under Silva with six-goal thriller at Vicarage Road
Stefano Okaka praised by Watford head coach Marco Silva after scoring opener against Liverpool
RATINGS: How did Watford’s players get on in their Premier League draw against Liverpool?
Watford are BACK, BACK, BACK! Jon and Jason are joined this week by friend of the pod Paul from Denver to go through the performance and the huge sums of money Watford have been playing this transfer window. They also talk to David Butler, Chairman of Watford Enables, about the work of the committee and Sarah Preiestlym Curator of Watford Museum about the One Graham Taylor exhibition. Plus see how you score in another round of Going for Golden.
Premier League results and table from 11v11.com
| 11 Aug 2017 | Arsenal | 4:3 | Leicester City | |
| 12 Aug 2017 | Brighton and Hove Albion | 0:2 | Manchester City | |
| 12 Aug 2017 | Chelsea | 2:3 | Burnley | |
| 12 Aug 2017 | Crystal Palace | 0:3 | Huddersfield Town | |
| 12 Aug 2017 | Everton | 1:0 | Stoke City | |
| 12 Aug 2017 | Southampton | 0:0 | Swansea City | |
| 12 Aug 2017 | Watford | 3:3 | Liverpool | |
| 12 Aug 2017 | West Bromwich Albion | 1:0 | AFC Bournemouth | |
| 13 Aug 2017 | Manchester United | 4:0 | West Ham United | |
| 13 Aug 2017 | Newcastle United | 0:2 | Tottenham Hotspur |
Brighton claimed their first ever Premier League point despite failing to break down 10-man Watford at Vicarage Road.
Brighton picked up their first Premier League point with a 0-0 draw at Watford on Saturday – but will feel they should have taken all three against their 10-man hosts.
While a first ever Premier League point is not to be sniffed at Brighton will wonder how they did not tick off all the mini missions they need to convince themselves they mean business at the highest echelon of the English game. Three matches in and a goal still eludes them. A confidence-boosting win is still needed as soon as possible. It was not for want of trying, here, particularly when Watford’s numbers were depleted in the 24th minute after Miguel Britos was sent off when his dangerous, hotheaded challenge left Anthony Knockaert floored.
Miguel Britos was shown an early red card after his dangerous tackle on Anthony Knockaert but the visitors were unable to capitalise on their advantage
So. August Bank Holiday, then. End of the first bit of the season prior to the first international break, first chance to take stock. End of the transfer window approaches too, a transfer window during which we’ve been linked to well over 100 players and have revised the squad significantly.
The game was flipped on its head on 24 minutes however. As Knockaert and Britos were involved in a foot-race on the right-hand-side, the Watford defender put on his best Jackie Chan impression and lept through the air, studs showing and clattered into the Frenchman. It was, without doubt, one of the worst tackles I can remember at Vicarage Road, rivaled only by Heidar Helguson on Blackburn’s John Curtis in 2001. 
Watford claimed a well deserved point against Brighton after Miguel Britos’ horror challenge had reduced them to 10-men at Vicarage Road.
Bristol City secured a memorable 3-2 victory as Marco Silva’s promising start to life at Watford came to a shuddering halt in the Carabao Cup.
You have to ask yourself, at what point does an odd pattern stop being an odd pattern and start becoming accepted as “the new normal”, to adopt a horrible phrase. When does it stop being surprising? I suppose it depends on the circumstances… Britain’s naval supremacy was unchallenged until the advent of the submarine, which changed the game entirely but at least there was an event. Something to point at and say “this has changed because of that”. Difficult to accept, difficult to reconcile to, but nonetheless cause and effect. Easy to understand.
After the cracking performances in the first two games of the season, it was a happy band who met at the West Herts prior to this match. Those who had been at Bournemouth were assuring those who hadn’t that the game had been as much fun as it sounded on the radio and in reports. We also took time to teach them the new chant for Doucouré.
The Hornets’ poor league cup record continued after Bristol City came from behind to book their place in the third round with a 3-2 victory at Vicarage Road. The big question going into the tie was how strong a starting eleven Silva would field and the answer was comprehensive, he would be taking the competition seriously.
Brazilian winger Richarlison was described as “a great talent” by manager Marco Silva after his first Premier League goal helped Watford to victory over Bournemouth at Vitality Stadium.
Second-half goals from Richarlison and Etienne Capoue handed Watford a deserved 2-0 win over Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The miracle Eddie Howe has managed to pull off at Bournemouth was brought into stark relief once again with an early home defeat at the hands of a Watford side who look ready to kick on from a disappointing end to last season.
Miguel Britos scored a controversial 93rd-minute equaliser for Watford as Liverpool were held in a thrilling game at Vicarage Road.
Miguel Britos struck deep into stoppage time as Watford secured a late point following a 3-3 draw with Liverpool at Vicarage Road on Saturday.
The expression on Jürgen Klopp’s face as Watford celebrations broke out all around him said it all. A testing 24 hours for Liverpool, dominated by Philippe Coutinho’s emailed transfer request, ended with the sort of injury-time equaliser that drives managers insane. Miguel Britos, looking at least a yard offside, bundled the ball home from a corner in the 93rd minute, denying Liverpool the victory that would have brought some much-needed respite during the Coutinho saga.
New season, same old problems for Liverpool. Against Watfordthey were made to pay the price for an all too familiar defensive horror show, as Miguel Britos headed home a 94th-minute equaliser to deny Jurgen Klopp victory in his 100th competitive game in charge of the club.
It’s a classic First Day of the Season. Sunshine on your face walking down Vicarage Road. Touts after tickets, programme vendors, charity buckets. 50/50 scarves on sale for a tenner (“who buys them?”). Friends rock up, you’ve not seen them for three months… “how was your summer?”. Albert is here for the first time in even longer, it’s good to see him. He’s stunned by how tall the girls are, they are nonplussed but grin anyway. There are flags, and noise, a tremendous montage on the big screens. And then, then the football. As has been said many times if you rely solely on the sport itself for your enjoyment you’re going to be disappointed more often than not but still, football. And it’s just brilliant…
The first day of the season and, on arriving in Watford, it was grey and drizzly. I was at the Hornet Shop before 9:30, so it was rather bizarre to see the programme sellers and burger stands already setting up. Having bought the new home and away shirts, a woolly hat (just in case) and a Watford coffee cup, I headed to the museum to get in line for the Graham Taylor exhibition.
Football’s bloody brilliant, isn’t it? We’ve waited the whole summer and our patience was rewarded in the most emphatic way.
Whatever it was the Premier League defenders were doing over the summer it certainly wasn’t improving their defence.
Matchday Review
First and foremost, we’re here for GT. There’s yellow everywhere, including in the Rookery where, if the donated tributes get a bit lost the sentiment is evident and a mighty GT banner dominates. And that’s the theme really… what’s important is not the substance, not the what, but the motivation behind it. Everyone… club, supporters, guests… want to do this justice. So there’s all sorts of entertainment going on behind the Rookery by all accounts – and whilst I grouchily resent not being allowed to sit in my seat, let alone my stand for any fixture on this occasion allowances must be made.