Tag Archives: Dec20

20th December 2025- Championship, Watford 1 Stoke City 0

Watford Observer: Referee set to take charge of Watford game for second time this season

Gracia on planning for the festive period and the absence of Kayembe

‘I remember him really well’ – Gracia comes up against former player on Saturday

Watford Observer: MATCHDAY RECAP: Watford 1-0 Stoke City

Match Report: Kjerrumgaard goal earns Watford 1-0 win over Stoke City

Gracia proud that Watford ‘stuck to the plan’ in Stoke win

Gracia explains playing Chakvetadze centrally and praises forwards

Stoke verdict: Wholehearted Pollock typifies hard-earned victory

Alleyne: ‘We think we can beat everyone – we want promotion’

BBC: Watford extended their unbeaten Championship run to four games with a narrow victory over out-of-form Stoke City.

Sky: The Danish striker was on target in the 74th minute to stretch the Hornets’ unbeaten home run to nine matches, and they have lost just once in their last 10 home and away.

Fran’s Watford Blog: At the end of the game a couple of players had collapsed to the ground, which is not unusual, but then the physios came on and it was apparent that Semedo was in some trouble. Pollock had gone to applaud the Rookery while the rest of the players surrounded the stricken Semedo, and he was called back to join them. It looked really worrying, so it was a relief when Vivaldo got to his feet and walked off the pitch. The highlights showed him taking a nasty elbow to the face in the last action of the game.

From the Rookery End: Watford fans were treated to an early Christmas gift as Javi and the boys delivered a hard-fought 1–0 win over Stoke City — and this week, Jon, Jordi, Kieran and the Brigadier are in festive spirits as they break it all down.

20th December 2020- Xisco Muñoz Appointed Head Coach

BBC Sport: Former Valencia, Levante and Real Betis winger Xisco, 40, becomes the Hornets’ fifth manager in just over a year.

Sky Sports: Senior club figures have been hugely impressed with Munoz, despite a relative lack of managerial experience. They believe the club has the players necessary to return to the Premier League at the first attempt, but feel a new manager was needed to change tactics and formation, putting an emphasis on attack, rather than defence first. It is expected Munoz will revert to a 4-4-2 formation.

The Guardian: The 40-year-old Spaniard – with an attacking philosophy to his coaching – was most recently manager at Dinamo Tbilisi, where he guided the club to a second successive Georgian league title in 2020.

20th December 2008- Championship, Derby County 1 Watford 0

Rob Hulse’s late header secured Derby’s first win in seven league games as they overcame Watford at Pride Park. Both sides had plenty of chances, but a draw looked on the cards until Hulse’s winner seven minutes from time.

https://www.soccerbase.com/matches/results.sd?date=2008-12-20
https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-championship/20-december-2008/

20th December 2003- New Division One, Watford 1 Stoke City 3

Ade Akinbiyi scored twice to help Stoke complete a superb comeback at Watford. Heidar Helguson had put the Hornets ahead as early as the fourth minute, but on-loan defender Gerry Taggart levelled just 11 minutes later with a firm header.

Good taste precludes me from attempting to compare it with the worst of this and other managers’ reigns, but we can’t have seen much worse for a while, especially given the importance of the fixture and, no offence, the quality of the opponents. As we’ve discovered in recent weeks, victories can turn into draws and draws can turn into defeats by the merest playful twist of fate. Results are fragile things, easily changed by accident as well as design. None of that applies here, though. Stoke didn’t need a late goal. We were beaten, and by a margin that ought to embarrass us into a considerable and immediate improvement.

With five minutes to go, we decided we’d seen enough. “When did you last leave the game before the final whistle?” I asked a twenty-year season ticket holder as we walked back to the car. “Can’t remember – a long time ago,” came the sullen reply.

https://www.soccerbase.com/matches/results.sd?date=2003-12-20
https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-1/20-december-2003/