Category Archives: May

13th May 2025- Paulo Pezzolano is appointed Watford Head Coach.

Official: Pezzolano Appointed Head Coach – Watford FCDownload

BBC: Pezzolano appointed Watford head coach

Guardian: Watford appoint Paulo Pezzolano as 18th permanent manager since 2013

Watford Observer: Watford appoint Uruguayan Pezzolano as their new head coach

Who is Watford’s new head coach, Paulo Pezzolano?

‘It is his work on the training ground that impressed the most’

Pezzolano On Joining Watford: “A Great Honour” – Watford FCDownload

6th May 2025- Tom Cleverley is sacked as Watford Head Coach

Club Statement: Tom Cleverley – Watford FCDownload

BBC: Watford have sacked head coach Tom Cleverley after the team failed to reach the Championship play-offs.

Sky: Though Cleverley’s dismissal represents Watford’s 10th sacking in the last five years, he leaves as the third-longest-serving manager since Gino Pozzo took over as owner in 2012.

Guardian: The sporting director, Gian Luca Nani, said: “We thank Tom for his service – not just in his role as head coach but for everything he has given Watford as a player and member of staff.

Watford Observer: Tom Cleverley sacked as Watford head coach

Blissett brands Cleverley sacking ‘a total and utter farce’

RECAP: reaction as Watford sack Tom Cleverley

Sorrow, sympathy and support – but sadly nothing Watford do shocks us anymore

‘Could this be the sacking that tips people over the edge?’

From the Rookery End: DCW was joined by Mike and Jas to discuss Gino Pozzo’s decision to sack one of the most popular Head Coaches in recent Watford history. The trio try to make sense of the decision, and in doing so question what future Watford can hope to have under the leadership of Pozzo, Duxbury and Nani.

The following day the club released a statement from Gino Pozzo

Owner Statement: Gino Pozzo – Watford FCDownload

BBC: Gino Pozzo: The man behind Watford’s manager churn

Watford Observer: Pozzo: ‘We believe we made correct decision for the good of the football club’

New name comes from nowhere to be bookies’ favourite for Watford job

‘94 per cent’ of Watford fans disagree with Cleverley sacking

3rd May 2025- Championship, Watford 1 Sheffield Wednesday 1

WFC.Net goal commentary: 1

Report: Watford 1-1 Sheffield Wednesday – Watford FCDownload

BBC: Moussa Sissoko’s fine equaliser ended Watford’s run of four consecutive defeats as they finished their season with a draw against Sheffield Wednesday, who clung on for point to stay above their hosts.

Sky: Josh Windass gave the Owls a 29th-minute lead but Moussa Sissoko replied in first-half added time to ensure a stalemate in a game between two teams with little left to play for.

Watford Observer: RECAP: Watford 1 Sheffield Wednesday 1

Five talking points as Watford end season with draw

Watford 1 Sheff Wed 1 minute-by-minute report

Cleverley pleased to end with positive performance if not result

‘Football is about feeling a part of something and I certainly do here’

Season summed up on final day amid extended glimpse into possible bleak future

BHappy: We bossed the second period, without creating much in the way of clear cut chances. For that, again, Wednesday get some credit… there was a degree of them losing their heads; Valéry and Otegbayo were rattled, Gassama spent most of the game sitting on the turf sulking as the action flowed indifferently around him. Nonetheless, they kept us at arm’s length… our one clear opening coming when Doumbia worked himself through only to be denied in a game of wink murder by Wednesday’s outstanding player, goalkeeper Pierce Charles.

Fran’s Watford Blog: It had been a spirited second half and the Hornets were unlucky not to come away with all three points. The draw meant that Wednesday took 12th place, and we finished in 14th. It was a bit of a disappointment that we didn’t manage a top half finish but, given that we were predicted to have a relegation struggle, it wasn’t a bad season. We finished a place and a point better than last season, mostly due to the tremendous start that we had. But it is testament to the wonderful job that Tom Cleverley did that we were never in a relegation battle.

From the Rookery End: Watford’s 2024–2025 Season Ends with a 1–1 Draw Against Sheffield Wednesday, Luton Town were relegated, and we marked a major milestone with a 15th birthday party for the podcast!

4th May 2024- Championship, Middlesbrough 3 Watford 1

https://www.skysports.com/football/middlesbrough-vs-watford/teams/485247

WFC.Net Goal Commentary: 1

Sky: Emmanuel Latte Lath continued his blistering form as Middlesbrough signed off for the summer with a 3-1 home victory over Watford.

BBC: Emmanuel Latte Lath gave Boro a half time lead before Wesley Hoedt’s equaliser on 73 minutes. But the home side made sure with quickfire goals from Alex Bangura and Isiah Jones.

Watford Observer: RECAP: Middlesbrough 3 Watford 1

If you’re worried, you’re not alone – things must change

Cleverley said his side lacked personality in possession

‘You have to score enough goals to be in the mix’ – Cleverley

BHappy: It’s not a bad game at all, as it turns out, for all that we lose it and deservedly so in the end, and for all that it is nonetheless unavoidably shaded in the colour scheme of end of season dead rubber.  The latter colours our interpretation too, since the same game in January would surely have featured a deal more frustration and rancour than the two lone voices who can’t help themselves but briefly explode into righteous fury at our failure to press high up the pitch in the wake of going behind.  And not just because January is wet and cold rather than, as here, finally, relatively mild.

Fran’s Watford Blog: The players all came over to applaud the travelling fans and were given a good reception, which was rewarded as most of them gave away their shirts.  Asprilla and Hamer both appeared to wave goodbye.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/c4n10ermz6zt#Tables

8th May 2023- Championship, Watford 2 Stoke City 0

Attendance: 20,100

BBC Sport: A quickfire second-half double from Imran Louza and Keinan Davis saw Watford earn a final day win over Stoke. The Hornets went in front with 20 minutes to go through Louza’s quality curled finish after Potters goalkeeper Matija Sarkic had denied Ismaila Sarr. Ken Sema was the architect of the second, with his run and pass finding Davis whose deflected shot spun out of Sarkic’s reach.

Sky Sports: The question remains as to whether Hornets boss Wilder will still be in charge at Vicarage Road next season but, if this was his last game, then at least he signed off with a win.

BHappy: The match is preceded by a low-key awards ceremony.  Difficult to get the tone right of course, but hard not  to feel that apologetically slipping the voting form out less than a week before the game (and inconsistently so, I wasn’t the only one not to receive one) contributes to the gloomy narrative.  In an unsurprising turn of events the team’s stand-out player, Brighton-bound João Pedro, walks away with the Player of the Season award.  He’s only two months older than Young Player of the Season James Morris, but the rules governing such things have always been pretty fluid and nobody seems to object.  JP’s acceptance speech is polite and perfunctory, with the rather detached efficiency of a Christmas card from an accountant (I don’t have an accountant, or know many accountants to receive cards from but I’m guessing). 

Fran’s Watford Blog: The previous day, Watford Women had a convincing win at Billericay and Ipswich did them a favour by beating Oxford, so the Women ended the season as champions of the National League Southern Premier Division.  Sadly, there is still one more game in their season as they have a promotion play-off against Nottingham Forest who won the Northern Division.  The game will be played in Milton Keynes on 20th May and will be a great chance for revenge after the narrow Cup defeat.  The Women’s championship was celebrated on the pitch before the game and Megan Chandler was given the women’s player of the season award.

22nd May 2022- Premier League, Chelsea 2 Watford 1

WFC.Net goal commentary: 1

Attendance: 32,089

BBC Sport: Kai Havertz converted a low cross from Kenedy – who was making his first Premier League start for the club since May 2017 – to give the hosts the lead early in the first half. Gosling’s header from Adam Masina’s delivery appeared to have earned Watford a share of the spoils, but Barkley scored with virtually the last moment of action to deny Roy Hodgson’s team.

Sky Sports: It looked like being a familiar tale for Chelsea, who came into the game on the back of just one home win in their last five league visits to Stamford Bridge, but Barkley was on hand to ensure the Blues ended the season on a winning note when his header from James’ cross squirmed past Daniel Bachmann in the Watford goal (90).

Fran’s Watford Blog: The players came over to applaud the travelling fans and were greeted with cheers, which was gratifying.  It had been a decent showing, the players had put a shift in, and, after the late equaliser, we felt as if we deserved a point from the game, so went home relatively happy.