2010–11 Watford F.C. season
Encyclopedia

Football League Championship

A total of 24 teams competed in the Football League Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...

 in the 2010–11 season. Each team played 46 matches; two against every other team, with one match played at each club's stadium. Three points were awarded for each win, one for a draw, and none for defeats. The provisional fixture list was released on 17 June 2010, but was subject to change in the event of clashes with other competitions, inclement weather, extraordinary circumstances, or matches being selected for television coverage. For instance, Watford's opening match of the season at Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...

 was moved from 7 August to 6 August, thus becoming the first game of the 2010–11 Football League.

August

In the televised opening game of the season, away to Norwich City, Watford captain John Eustace
John Eustace
John Mark Eustace is an English footballer who plays for Watford as a central midfielder. He has previously been contracted to Coventry City and Stoke City, and has spent time on loan at Dundee United, Middlesbrough, Hereford United and Derby County.-Coventry City:Born in Solihull, Eustace began...

 scored the first goal of the 2010–11 Football League, after 14 minutes of play. Striker Danny Graham
Danny Graham (footballer)
Daniel Anthony William "Danny" Graham is an English footballer who plays for Premier League side Swansea City as a striker. He started his professional career at Middlesbrough in 2003, making his debut for the club in a Premier League match against Manchester United the following year...

 doubled Watford's lead before half time. Norwich pulled a goal back shortly after the interval, before Graham restored Watford's two-goal cushion in the 82nd minute. Norwich defender Michael Nelson halved Watford's lead in injury time, but the Hornets held on to win 3–2. The team's next league fixture was a home match against Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...

, managed by former Watford boss Aidy Boothroyd. For the second match in succession, Watford took the lead, with winger Will Buckley
Will Buckley (footballer)
William Edward "Will" Buckley is an English footballer who plays either as winger or a striker. He currently plays for Brighton & Hove Albion, having moved from Watford during June 2011. He has previously played for Rochdale.-Career:Buckley started his career at Rochdale, becoming a youth scholar...

 opening the scoring just before half time. Former Coventry player Eustace scored Watford's second; an overhead volley that was later voted Goal of the Season by Watford fans. Watford led going into the last five minutes of the game, but Coventry secured a draw with late goals from David Bell
David Bell (footballer born 1984)
David Bell is an English-born Irish professional footballer. He plays as a midfielder for Coventry City. He previously played for Norwich City, Luton Town and Rushden & Diamonds, as well as having a brief trial with Middlesbrough...

 and Lukas Jutkiewicz
Lukas Jutkiewicz
Lukas Isaac Paul Jutkiewicz is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Championship club Coventry City.-Southampton:...

.

The Hornets extended their unbeaten start to the season a week later. Their 0–0 draw at Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...

 marked Watford's first clean sheet of 2010–11, but also the first time that the team had failed to score. Their unbeaten run ended in their final game of the month, at home to newly-promoted Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...

. Leeds captain Richard Naylor
Richard Naylor
Richard Alan Naylor is an English footballer who plays as a centre back for Doncaster Rovers after leaving Leeds United where he had been Captain...

 scored the only goal of the game in the 6th minute, while Troy Deeney
Troy Deeney
Troy Matthew Deeney also known as Saul Deeney by Sky Sports Football is an English footballer who currently plays for Watford as a striker...

 made his first start for Watford in the absence of Graham.

September

After a two week break for international matches, Watford hosted Doncaster Rovers on 11 September. Watford trailed 1–0 at half time, before taking a 2–1 lead with a brace from Marvin Sordell
Marvin Sordell
-External links:*...

. Although behind after 90 minutes, Doncaster salvaged a draw with an injury time equaliser from George Friend. Sordell scored an early goal three days later at Bristol City. Graham doubled Watford's advantage shortly after half time, to give his team a second league win of the season.

The team's next opponents were Millwall, a side managed by ex-Watford player and manager Kenny Jackett
Kenny Jackett
Kenny Jackett is a former Wales international football player, who has since moved into management. He is the current manager of Millwall, the longest serving manager in the Football League Championship and eleventh longest serving manager in England.A skilful player, equally at home in defence or...

.
The Hornets thrashed their opponents 6–1. Central defenders Adrian Mariappa
Adrian Mariappa
Adrian "Aidy" Joseph Mariappa is an association football player. Born in England, and of Fijian descent, Mariappa plays as a defender for Watford in the Football League Championship. He progressed through Watford's youth academy, and has spent his entire professional career at the club...

 and Martin Taylor and loanee Jordon Mutch
Jordon Mutch
Jordon James Edward Sydney Mutch is an English footballer who plays for Birmingham City. He plays as a midfielder. Mutch made his first-team debut for Birmingham in the League Cup in August 2008, and made his debut in the Football League while on loan to Hereford United, spending subsequent loan...

 scored their first goals of the season, while Graham, Sordell and Eustace also scored for Watford. This result took Watford into the playoff places, and was later voted by supporters as the Team Performance of the Season.

Watford's wait for a first home league win of the campaign ended on 25 September, against Middlesbrough. Graham scored the opening goal after 17 seconds, and Watford were 3–0 up after 20 minutes. Middlesbrough scored a late consolation through an own goal
Own goal
An own net occurs in goal-scoring games when a player scores a goal that is registered against his or her own team. It is usually accidental, and may be a result of an attempt at defensive play that failed or was spoiled by opponents....

 from Mariappa, to make the final score 3–1. In the last game of the month, Watford hosted Swansea City, managed by Malky Mackay
Malky Mackay
Malcolm George "Malky" Mackay is a Scottish football manager and former player, who played as a central defender. He is currently the manager of Cardiff City. Mackay began his playing career in Scottish football, with Queen's Park and Celtic. He joined English side Norwich City in 1998, remaining...

's predecessor, Brendan Rodgers
Brendan Rodgers
Brendan Rodgers is a Northern Irish former footballer, who is currently the manager of Swansea City.After retiring as a footballer at the age of 20, Rodgers stayed at Reading and was appointed as youth team coach. He joined Chelsea, under the leadership of José Mourinho, as youth team manager in...

. In contrast to the previous game, Watford trailed 2–0 at half time, and 3–0 after 70 minutes. Goals from substitute Troy Deeney and Martin Taylor reduced Watford's deficit to one goal, but Rodgers' side held on to win 3–2. Despite the defeat, Watford finished the month in a playoff position.

October

Watford started October with a 1–0 away win at Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...

, with Sordell scoring the game's only goal. After a two-week gap in the fixture list for international matches, the Hornets travelled to Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...

. Watford trailed 1–0 at half time, to a goal from Hayden Mullins
Hayden Mullins
Hayden Ian Mullins is an English footballer who plays for Portsmouth. He plays as a sweeper and at right-back in addition to his preferred midfield-holding position.-Crystal Palace:...

. They equalised through Martin Taylor after 67 minutes, and Stephen McGinn
Stephen McGinn
Stephen McGinn is a Scottish professional association football player currently playing for English Football League Championship side Watford.-Career:...

's first league goal of the season three minutes later gave Watford the lead. However, Portsmouth equalised shortly afterwards, and Michael Brown scored Portsmouth's winner in the 80th minute. McGinn doubled his league tally three days later, opening the scoring at home to Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....

, before Sordell doubled Watford's advantage. Ipswich improved in the second half, following the introduction of substitute Connor Wickham
Connor Wickham
Connor Neil Ralph Wickham is an English footballer who plays for Sunderland as a striker.He played youth football at Reading before being released and moving to Ipswich Town in 2006 where he continued in the youth structure. He made his full professional debut for the club in April 2009...

. After conceding in the 69th minute, Watford held on for a 2–1 win.

The team's next opponents were Scunthorpe United
Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....

, who along with Watford had been tipped for relegation in 2010–11. Scunthorpe started strongly. They took the lead on 28 minutes, doubling their advantage shortly before half time. Watford improved after the break, but where unable to prevent a 2–0 defeat. Watford's final match of October was a trip to Pride Park
Pride Park Stadium
Pride Park Stadium is an all-seater football stadium located on the Pride Park business park on the outskirts of Derby, England. It is the current home of Football League Championship club Derby County, who moved to the stadium from the Baseball Ground upon its opening in 1997...

, to face Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...

. In front of 27,119 spectators, the home side took a two-goal lead in the first half. Matthew Whichelow
Matthew Whichelow
Matthew Robert Whichelow is a professional footballer who is currently playing for Watford.-Career:He made his Championship debut against Scunthorpe United on 23 October 2010 as a late substitute, and again came on at half time in the match against Derby County on 30 October 2010, scoring within...

's first senior goal reduced Watford's deficit, but goals from Tomasz Cywka
Tomasz Cywka
Tomasz Cywka , is a Polish footballer who plays for Derby County.-Club career:Cywka was part of the winning U-19 Gwarek Zabrze team which captured the 2006 Polish U-19 Championship.-Wigan:...

 and Shefki Kuqi
Shefki Kuqi
Shefki Kuqi is a Kosovar-born Finnish professional footballer who is currently playing for League One side Oldham Athletic. Kuqi plays predominately as a striker. He has spent most of his career in the English league, and has played for clubs including Stockport County, Sheffield Wednesday, Ipswich...

 consigned Watford to a 4–1 defeat, which took them out of the playoff places.

November

After defeat at Derby County, Watford hosted Derby's rivals, Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...

. Mutch scored the opening goal with a header after three minutes, before Lewis McGugan
Lewis McGugan
Lewis Shay McGugan is an English professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Championship side Nottingham Forest...

 equalised mid-way through the first half. Both teams created goal scoring opportunities in the second half, but the match finished 1–1.

Watford's next two games were away from home, to Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...

 and Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...

. The two matches followed a very similar pattern. In each match, the home side scored the opening goal in the first half. Watford were able to take 2–1 leads shortly into the second halves, but on each occasion the home side came back to win 3–2. Mackay expressed frustration at his side's inability to score goals against Palace, after creating nine chances in the first half. He was critical of the referee's decision to award Burnley a penalty, but made clear that there is "no room for hard luck stories" in football.

Results

Summary

Key
H: Home fixture

A: Away fixture

Correct .
Game01020304050607080910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546
Ground A H A H H A A H H A A H H A H A A H A H A H H A H A H A H H A H A H A H A A A H H A H A H A
Result W D D L D W W W L W L W L L D L L D D W W W W W W L D L L D D L D W D W W L L L D D W L L L
Points 3 4 5 5 6 9 12 15 15 18 18 21 21 21 22 22 22 23 24 27 30 33 36 39 42 42 43 43 43 44 45 45 46 49 50 53 56 56 56 56 57 58 61 61 61 61
Position 1 6 8 13 13 12 5 3 4 4 5 3 5 9 11 13 13 14 14 10 8 8 6 6 6 7 7 9 11 11 11 12 12 12 11 11 8 9 10 12 11 13 11 12 13 14

FA Cup

The FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...

 is an annual knockout competition. It began in August with two preliminary rounds, followed by four qualifying rounds. The successful qualifiers progressed to the First Round, when teams from League One and League Two entered the competition. Watford, along with other Premier League and Championship clubs, entered at the Third Round stage. They were joined by the 20 winners from the Second Round for a total of 64 clubs in the Third Round draw.

The Third Round draw took place on 28 November 2010. It saw Watford drawn at home to the winners of the Second Round tie between League One teams Hartlepool United
Hartlepool United F.C.
Hartlepool United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Hartlepool that currently play in League One. The team won promotion to League One in the 2006–07 season...

 and Yeovil Town
Yeovil Town F.C.
Yeovil Town F.C. are an English association football team based in Yeovil, Somerset. The club play in League One after having won the League Two championship in 2004–05...

; Hartlepool eventually progressed. Watford designated the game as the club's "Marie Curie Match", in support of Marie Curie Cancer Care
Marie Curie Cancer Care
Marie Curie Cancer Care is a charitable organisation in the United Kingdom which provides nursing care, free of charge, to terminally ill people, giving them the chance to choose to be cared for at home...

. In an English league football first, the club pledged to donate its share of the ticket sale profits to the charity, and launched a separate online fundraiser for fans who wanted to support the charity but couldn't attend the fixture, as well as those who wished to make an additional donation.

Football League Cup

The draw for the first round of the Football League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...

 took place on 16 June 2010, and saw Watford drawn away to League Two side Aldershot Town. Coincidentally, the two sides were due to play one another at Aldershot's stadium in a pre-season match at the end of July; that fixture was cancelled by mutual agreement following the draw. The ten outfield players that started Watford's opening match against Norwich kept their places in the starting line-up, while Rene Gilmartin
Rene Gilmartin
Rene Patrick Gilmartin is an Irish footballer, currently playing as a goalkeeper for Yeovil Town on loan from Watford. He started his professional career at Walsall, and also spent time on loan at Hednesford Town and Worcester City...

 kept a clean sheet on his competitive Watford debut. A brace from Danny Graham and a first goal of the season from Marvin Sordell gave Watford a 3–0 victory.

In the second round, the Hornets faced League One outfit Notts County at Vicarage Road. Watford made five changes from the team that started in the 0–0 draw against Hull City; Hodson, Taylor, Eustace, Graham and Loach were rested. Among the replacements were Troy Deeney, who made his first start for Watford, and academy scholar Adam Thompson, who was playing his first ever game of senior football. After a goalless first half, Notts County took a 2–0 lead. Deeney scored to reduce their lead to 2–1, but Watford were unable to score an equaliser. Ex-Watford player Jon Harley
Jon Harley
Jon Harley is an English footballer who has played for Chelsea, Wimbledon, Fulham, Sheffield United, West Ham United, Burnley, Watford and Notts County.-Chelsea:...

 came on as a late substitute for Notts County, and was applauded by fans of his former club.

Statistics

No. = Squad number

Pos = Playing position

P = Number of games played

G = Number of goals scored

= Yellow cards

GK = Goalkeeper

DF = Defender
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....



MF = Midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...



FW = Forward

= Red cards

Yth = Whether player went through Watford's youth system

Club career = Period that player spent as a Watford first team player

Age = Age of player on final day of season (7 May 2011)
Statistics correct . Only players that were named in at least one matchday squad are listed.
2010–11 Watford player details
No. Pos Name P G P G P G P G
Age Club career Yth Notes
Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...

FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...

League Cup
League Cup
In association football, a League Cup or Secondary Cup generally signifies a cup competition for which entry is restricted only to teams in a particular league. The first national association football tournament to be called "League Cup" was held in Scotland in 1946/47 and was entitled the Scottish...

Total Discipline
GK 46 0 0 0 0 0 46 0 3 0 2006– No
DF 29 1 1 0 1 0 31 1 1 0 2009– Yes
DF 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2011– Yes
DF 19 1 0 0 0 0 19 1 4 0 2010–2011 No At Watford on loan from Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...

.
MF 41 6 0 0 1 0 42 6 11 1 2008– No
DF 46 6 2 0 1 0 49 6 1 0 2010– No
DF 45 1 2 0 2 0 49 1 2 1 2005– Yes
MF 37 4 0 0 2 0 39 4 3 0 2009– No
MF 5 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 2010– No Also played a League Cup game for Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...

, prior to signing for Watford.
FW 36 2 2 0 2 1 40 3 2 0 2010– No
10 FW 45 24 2 1 2 2 49 27 4 0 2009– No
11 MF 33 4 2 0 2 0 37 4 3 0 2010– No
12 DF 36 0 2 0 2 0 40 0 2 0 2001– Yes
13 GK 0 0 2 0 2 0 4 0 0 0 2010– No
14 MF 19 1 1 0 2 0 22 1 2 0 2008– Yes
15 MF 29 2 2 0 2 0 33 2 0 0 2010– No
16 MF 5 0 0 0 2 0 7 0 0 0 2009– Yes
17 DF 10 0 1 0 1 0 12 0 1 0 2008– Yes
18 MF 23 5 0 0 0 0 23 5 3 0 2010–2011 No At Watford on loan from Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...

.
19 FW 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2007– Yes
20 FW 42 12 2 2 2 1 46 15 3 0 2009– Yes
21 MF 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2009– Yes
22 FW 18 4 1 0 0 0 19 4 2 0 2011– No At Watford on loan from Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...

.
23 MF 5 0 2 1 0 0 7 1 0 0 2010– Yes
24 FW 19 3 2 0 0 0 21 3 0 0 2010– Yes
25 DF 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 2009– Yes
26 MF 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 2010– Yes
27 FW 3 0 1 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 2010– Yes
28 DF 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2010– No
29 DF 10 1 0 0 1 0 11 1 3 0 2010– Yes
30 GK 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2010– Yes
31 MF 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 2011 No At Watford on loan from Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....

.
31 MF 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2011– Yes
32 MF 12 0 0 0 0 0 12 0 1 0 2011– No
33 MF 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2011– Yes
34 MF 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2011– Yes

Transfers

Unless a country is specified, all clubs play in the English football league system
English football league system
The English football league system, also known as the football pyramid, is a series of interconnected leagues for association football clubs in England, with six teams from Wales also competing...

.

In

Date Player From Fee
1 July 2010 Rene Gilmartin
Rene Gilmartin
Rene Patrick Gilmartin is an Irish footballer, currently playing as a goalkeeper for Yeovil Town on loan from Watford. He started his professional career at Walsall, and also spent time on loan at Hednesford Town and Worcester City...

 
Walsall
Walsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...

 
Undisclosed
1 July 2010 Tom Aldred
Tom Aldred
Thomas Michael Aldred is an English-born Scottish defender with Football League One side Colchester United, joining on a free transfer after being released by Watford. He has represented Scotland at under-19 level....

 
Carlisle United  Undisclosed
6 August 2010 Troy Deeney
Troy Deeney
Troy Matthew Deeney also known as Saul Deeney by Sky Sports Football is an English footballer who currently plays for Watford as a striker...

 
Walsall
Walsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...

 
£500,000
20 August 2010 Josh Walker
Josh Walker
Joshua "Josh" Walker is an English footballer. He currently plays as a midfielder for Championship side Watford....

 
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...

 
Free

Out

Date"End of season" denotes players who were available for the final game of the season, and subsequently left upon the expiry of their contracts. Player To Fee
21 June 2010 Jordan Parkes
Jordan Parkes
Jordan David Parkes is an English professional association footballer, playing as a full-back for Barnet.Parkes left Parmiter's School in Garston, Hertfordshire aged sixteen in order to pursue a football career at Watford...

 
Barnet
Barnet F.C.
Barnet Football Club is an English football team from High Barnet, London, England, currently playing in Football League Two. The ground is in the town of Barnet within the London Borough of Barnet....

Mutual termination
30 June 2010 Richard Lee
Richard Lee (footballer)
Richard Anthony Lee is an English footballer. He is a goalkeeper and currently plays for Brentford.-Playing career:...

 
Brentford Free (end of contract)
Pre-season Jay DeMerit
Jay DeMerit
Jay Michael DeMerit is an American soccer player who plays for Vancouver Whitecaps FC in Major League Soccer, and for the United States national team...

 
Vancouver Whitecaps FC (Canada
Canadian soccer pyramid
The Canadian soccer pyramid is a term used in soccer to describe the structure of the league system in Canada. The governing body of soccer in the country is the Canadian Soccer Association , which oversees the system and domestic cups but does not operate any of its component leagues...

)
Free (end of contract)
Pre-season Billy Gibson  Yeovil Town
Yeovil Town F.C.
Yeovil Town F.C. are an English association football team based in Yeovil, Somerset. The club play in League One after having won the League Two championship in 2004–05...

 
Free (end of contract)
Pre-season Jon Harley
Jon Harley
Jon Harley is an English footballer who has played for Chelsea, Wimbledon, Fulham, Sheffield United, West Ham United, Burnley, Watford and Notts County.-Chelsea:...

 
Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...

Free (end of contract)
Pre-season Will Hoskins
Will Hoskins
William Richard "Will" Hoskins is an English football player who plays for Brighton & Hove Albion as a striker. He came through the youth scheme at Rotherham United and has represented England at many levels up to under-20....

 
Bristol Rovers
Bristol Rovers F.C.
Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....

Free (end of contract)
Pre-season Jonathan North Wealdstone
Wealdstone F.C.
Wealdstone Football Club are an English semi-professional football club who formed in Wealdstone, in the London Borough of Harrow, but are currently based a few miles away in Ruislip, in the London Borough of Hillingdon. At present, the club are members of the Isthmian League Premier Division. They...

 
Free (end of contract)
Pre-season Lewis Young
Lewis Young
Lewis Jack Young is English footballer. He can play either as a striker or on the right wing. Lewis currently plays for Northampton Town.-Playing career:...

 
Burton Albion
Burton Albion F.C.
Burton Albion Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire. The club's home ground is the Pirelli Stadium, having moved from Eton Park in 2005...

 
Free (end of contract)
31 August 2010 Scott Severin
Scott Severin
Scott Derek Severin is a Scottish professional footballer, currently playing for Dundee United. Severin has previously played for Heart of Midlothian and Aberdeen, where he was club captain for two seasons. He has also made 15 appearances for Scotland national football team...

 
Dundee United
Dundee United F.C.
Dundee United Football Club is a Scottish professional football club located in the city of Dundee. Formed in 1909, originally as Dundee Hibernian, the club changed to the present name in 1923...

 (Scotland
Scottish football league system
The Scottish football league system is a series of generally unconnected leagues for Scottish football clubs. The Scottish system is more complicated than many other national league systems, consisting of two completely separate systems of leagues and clubs, senior football and junior football...

)
Free
28 January 2011 Jure Travner
Jure Travner
Jure Travner is a Slovenian football defender, who currently plays for Bulgarian A PFG side Ludogorets Razgrad.- Career :Travner began his playing career with NK CM Celje in 2004....

St Mirren
St. Mirren F.C.
St Mirren Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Paisley, Renfrewshire who play in the Scottish Premier League, having been promoted from the First Division in 2005–06.St...

 (Scotland
Scottish football league system
The Scottish football league system is a series of generally unconnected leagues for Scottish football clubs. The Scottish system is more complicated than many other national league systems, consisting of two completely separate systems of leagues and clubs, senior football and junior football...

)
Free

In

Start Player From End
August 2010 Jordan Mutch  Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...

 
5 January 2011
31 August 2010 Andrew Taylor
Andrew Taylor (footballer born 1986)
Andrew Derek Taylor is an English footballer who plays for Cardiff City as a left wingback. He has previously played for Middlesbrough, Bradford City and Watford on loan.-Club career:Taylor was born in Hartlepool, County Durham...

 
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...

 
5 January 2011
19 January 2011 Andreas Weimann
Andreas Weimann
Andreas "Andi" Weimann is an Austrian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League side Aston Villa.-Rapid Vienna:...

 
Aston Villa  End of season
20 January 2011 Andros Townsend
Andros Townsend
Andros Darryl Townsend is an English footballer, currently playing for Tottenham Hotspur.-Career:Townsend is a product of the Tottenham Hotspur academy, joined Spurs at the age of nine. In March 2009, he went on loan to Yeovil Town and made his football league debut against Milton Keynes Dons...

 
Tottenham Hotspur  23 February 2011
28 January 2011 Danny Drinkwater
Danny Drinkwater
Daniel Noel "Danny" Drinkwater is an English footballer who plays as a midfielder for Barnsley on loan from Manchester United...

 
Manchester United  End of season

Out

Start Player To End"End of season" denotes players that returned to Watford after their last game of the season.
1 January 2010 Nathan Ellington
Nathan Ellington
Nathan Levi Fontaine Ellington is an English footballer who plays a striker for Championship side Ipswich Town.-Non-league and Bristol Rovers:...

Skoda Xanthi
Skoda Xanthi
Skoda Xanthi F.C. , or F.C. Skoda Xanthi Athletic Club, is a Greek football club, based in the city of Xanthi. The club currently competes in the Super League Greece.-History:...

 (Greece
Greek football league system
The Greek football league system includes five levels in which teams can possibly make it to Super League Greece, Greece's highest division of football.-Promotion and relegation:Super League Greece: Bottom three clubs relegated to Football League....

)
1 January 2011
13 January 2011 Preston North End End of season
7 July 2010 Mat Sadler Shrewsbury Town End of season
10 July 2010 Jure Travner
Jure Travner
Jure Travner is a Slovenian football defender, who currently plays for Bulgarian A PFG side Ludogorets Razgrad.- Career :Travner began his playing career with NK CM Celje in 2004....

St. Mirren (Scotland
Scottish football league system
The Scottish football league system is a series of generally unconnected leagues for Scottish football clubs. The Scottish system is more complicated than many other national league systems, consisting of two completely separate systems of leagues and clubs, senior football and junior football...

)
28 January 2011
28 July 2010 Rob Kiernan
Rob Kiernan
Robert Samuel Kiernan is an Irish association footballer who plays as either a centre back or central midfielder for Wigan Athletic. He previously played for Watford, and spent time on loan at Kilmarnock, Yeovil Town, Bradford City and Wycombe Wanderers...

Yeovil Town
Yeovil Town F.C.
Yeovil Town F.C. are an English association football team based in Yeovil, Somerset. The club play in League One after having won the League Two championship in 2004–05...

25 August 2010
12 November 2010 Bradford City
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....

22 January 2011
23 February 2011 Wycombe Wanderers
Wycombe Wanderers F.C.
Wycombe Wanderers Football Club is an English professional football team from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, which has been promoted to Football League One after finishing third in Football League Two in the season 2010–11. The club's nicknames are "The Chairboys" and "The Blues", and they play...

End of season
14 September 2010 Liam Henderson
Liam Henderson
Liam Marc Henderson is an English footballer who plays for Forest Green Rovers as a striker, on loan from York City.-Watford:...

Colchester United
Colchester United F.C.
Colchester United Football Club is an English football club based in Colchester. The club was formed in 1937, and briefly shared their old Layer Road home with now defunct side Colchester Town who had previously used the ground from 1910....

Early January 2011
6 January 2011 Aldershot Town
Aldershot Town F.C.
Aldershot Town Football Club is an association football club based in Aldershot, Hampshire, England, founded in the spring of 1992 just after the closure of debt-ridden Fourth Division club Aldershot Football Club...

6 February 2011
16 February 2011 Rotherham United
Rotherham United F.C.
Rotherham United Football Club are an English professional football club based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, who compete in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club's colours have traditionally been red and white, although these have evolved through history...

End of season
13 November 2010 Tom Aldred
Tom Aldred
Thomas Michael Aldred is an English-born Scottish defender with Football League One side Colchester United, joining on a free transfer after being released by Watford. He has represented Scotland at under-19 level....

Stockport County
Stockport County F.C.
Stockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport...

5 January 2011
25 November 2010 Eddie Oshodi
Eddie Oshodi
Edward Abdullai M. O. "Eddie" Oshodi is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender. He is currently with Conference National outfit Forest Green Rovers...

Dagenham & Redbrige
Dagenham & Redbridge F.C.
Dagenham & Redbridge Football Club , informally known as Daggers, is an English association football club based in Dagenham, in the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham, East London. It was formed in 1992 after a merger between Redbridge Forest and Dagenham...

5 January 2011
26 January 2011 Rushden & Diamonds
Rushden & Diamonds F.C.
Rushden & Diamonds Football Club was an association football club based in Irthlingborough, Northamptonshire, England. Formed by a merger of Rushden Town and Irthlingborough Diamonds in 1992, the club played in the Conference National following a short spell in the Football League at the start of...

26 April 2011
26 November 2010 Josh Walker
Josh Walker
Joshua "Josh" Walker is an English footballer. He currently plays as a midfielder for Championship side Watford....

Stevenage 23 December 2010
28 January 2011 Northampton Town
Northampton Town F.C.
Northampton Town Football Club are an English professional football club based in Northampton, Northamptonshire. They currently play in Football League Two, the lowest league division, after being relegated from League One on the last day of the 2008–09 season...

End of season
7 March 2011 Gavin Massey
Gavin Massey
Gavin Massey is an English footballer who plays for Yeovil Town on loan from Watford of the Championship.-Playing career:Massey began his career with his hometown club, Watford...

Wealdstone
Wealdstone F.C.
Wealdstone Football Club are an English semi-professional football club who formed in Wealdstone, in the London Borough of Harrow, but are currently based a few miles away in Ruislip, in the London Borough of Hillingdon. At present, the club are members of the Isthmian League Premier Division. They...

21 April 2011



Management and coaching staff

Position Staff
Manager Malky Mackay
Malky Mackay
Malcolm George "Malky" Mackay is a Scottish football manager and former player, who played as a central defender. He is currently the manager of Cardiff City. Mackay began his playing career in Scottish football, with Queen's Park and Celtic. He joined English side Norwich City in 1998, remaining...

Assistant manager Sean Dyche
Sean Dyche
Sean Dyche is an English former footballer. Dyche played for six clubs in his career, with his longest spell being with Chesterfield. He is currently the manager at Watford having previously been assistant manager to Malky Mackay. Dyche cites current Sheffield Wednesday manager Gary Megson as an...

First team coach David Kerslake
David Kerslake
David Kerslake , London is an English former professional footballer who played in the Football League for Queens Park Rangers, Swindon Town, Leeds United, Tottenham Hotspur, Ipswich Town and Wycombe Wanderers. He later became a coach.Kerslake won 29 England youth caps, a record at the time...

Goalkeeping Coach Alec Chamberlain
Alec Chamberlain
Alec Francis Roy Chamberlain is a former English goalkeeper currently employed by Watford as the club's goalkeeping coach. He made 788 league appearances during his 25-year playing career, the final 11 years and 247 appearances of which were with Watford.-Career:Chamberlain started his career at...

Head of Football Business and Development John Stephenson
Head of Conditioning/coach Matt Springham
Head of Medical Richard Collinge
Strength and Conditioning coach Mathew Monte-Colombo
Youth coach Joe McBride
Joe McBride (footballer born 1960)
Joe McBride is a former Scottish footballer who played for several clubs, including Everton, Rotherham United, Hibernian, and Dundee...


Reserves and academy

Watford's reserve side compete in the Totesport.com Combination East Division, which they won in 2009–10. They play their home games at Meadow Park, home of Conference South
Conference South
Conference South is one of the second divisions of the Football Conference in England, taking its place immediately below the Conference National...

 side Borehamwood. They also played in the Herts Senior Cup
Herts Senior Cup
The Herts Senior Cup, officially titled the Hertfordshire County Football Association Senior Challenge Cup, is the oldest County-based football Cup competition based exclusively in Hertfordshire, UK. It was first contested in the 1886-87 season and won by Hoddesdon Town. It has been contested every...

, where they went out to Stevenage.

Watford's academy consists of 22 scholars:
  • In the second year, goalkeepers Jonathan Bond and Jamie Irving, defenders Oliver Archer, Adam Fenwick, Faisal Hemati and Adam Thompson
    Adam Thompson
    Adam Lee Thompson is a Northern Ireland international footballer who plays as a defender for Watford of the Championship.-Club career:A member of the Watford academy, he was handed the number 29 jersey for the 2010–11 season...

    , midfielders Greg Deer, Chez Isaac and Britt Assombalonga and strikers Gavin Massey
    Gavin Massey
    Gavin Massey is an English footballer who plays for Yeovil Town on loan from Watford of the Championship.-Playing career:Massey began his career with his hometown club, Watford...

     and Jake Rosier.
  • In the first year, goalkeeper Jack Bonham, defenders Chimdi Akubuine, Matt Bevans, Tommie Hoban, Brandon Horner and Aaron Tumwa, midfielders Stephan Hamilton Forbes and Sean Murray
    Sean Murray (footballer)
    -External links:*...

    , and strikers Dereece Gardner, Michael Kalu and Connor Smith.

Schoolboys Mohamed Bettamer, Kamaron English and Bernard Mensah also played for the academy side, along with trialist Peter Grant. Hoban, Massey, Murray and Thompson have made first-team appearances in 2010–11, while Assombalonga, Bond, Isaac and Smith have been unused substitutes.

Massey, Murray and Bond signed professional contracts during the 2010 pre-season, with Murray signing his alongside his scholarship forms. Bonham and Thompson signed contracts in September and November respectively. In April Watford announced the fates of the remaining second year scholars; Assombalonga and Isaac were given professional contracts and Archer, Deer, Fenwick, Hemati, Irving and Rosier were released.

The under-18s play their home games at Watford's training base at the UCL training ground, London Colney. They are members of the FA Premier Academy League. They also played in the FA Youth Cup
FA Youth Cup
The Football Association Youth Challenge Cup is an English football competition run by The Football Association for under–18 sides. Only those players between the age of 15 and 18 on 31 August of the current season are eligible to take part...

, where they defeated Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...

 (at home), Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...

 (at home) and Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...

 (away), before losing to Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...

 2–1 at Stamford Bridge
Stamford Bridge (stadium)
Stamford Bridge is a football stadium in Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, West London, and is the home of Chelsea Football Club. The stadium is located within the Moore Park Estate also known as Walham Green and is often referred to as simply The Bridge...

 in the quarter-finals. Watford also sent an under-15 side to the 2010 Milk Cup
2010 Milk Cup
The 2010 Milk Cup was the 2010 edition of a prestigious youth association football tournament that has been running annually since 1983. Teams from around the world competed in a week-long tournament in the North Coast area of Northern Ireland. The teams were divided into three categories: Elite,...

 in Northern Ireland, where they finished seventh.

Ownership and finance

Watford Football Club is owned by the holding company Watford Leisure Plc (LSE
London Stock Exchange
The London Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located in the City of London within the United Kingdom. , the Exchange had a market capitalisation of US$3.7495 trillion, making it the fourth-largest stock exchange in the world by this measurement...

: WFC). The holding company's 2009–10 financial year ran from 1 July 2009 until 30 June 2010. It released its audited accounts and annual report on 31 October 2010, which included details of the club's major shareholders. At the time of the report Fordwat Limited, the investment company of Michael Ashcroft
Michael Ashcroft
Michael Anthony Ashcroft, Baron Ashcroft, KCMG, , is an international businessman, philanthropist and politician. He holds dual British and Belizean nationality, and is a Belonger of the Turks & Caicos Islands. Ennobled as a life peer in 2000, he sits in the House of Lords on the Conservative benches...

, owned 37.16% of Watford Leisure. Valley Grown Salads (VGS), owned by former Watford Leisure directors Jimmy and Vince Russo, held a 29.98% stake. Previous Watford chairman Graham Simpson had a 16.79% share. No other individual or organisation held more than 3% of the company's shares.

As 2009–10 was the club's third consecutive season in the Championship, it stopped receiving parachute payments from the Premier League. Consequently, money received from the Premier League fell from £12,298,000 in 2008–09 to £993,000 in 2009–10. This was the primary contributor in Watford Leisure's total revenue dropping by 51.2% from £23.049 million to £11.258 million. A reduction in salary costs of £4.121 million and a profit of £4.111 million on player trading helped to mitigate the reduction in revenue. Nonetheless, the company's loss before taxation was £4.063 million, up from a loss of £1.987 million in the previous financial year.

In December 2010, the Board of Directors announced to the stock exchange that discussions were underway between Ashcroft and a potential buyer of his shares, but stressed that these discussions were at an early stage. If a buyer were to acquire over 30% of Watford Leisure's shares, they would be required by stock exchange rules to make an offer for all remaining shares.

A takeover offer for Watford Leisure plc was initiated on 10 March 2011, by newly-formed holding company Watford FC Limited, owned by Laurence Bassini.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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