Watford F.C.
Watford F.C. are an English football club who play in Watford, near London.[1]
| Full name | Watford Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Hornets | ||
| Founded | 1881 | ||
| Ground | Vicarage Road Watford (capacity: 21,438) | ||
| Chairman | Scott Duxbury | ||
| Manager | Roy Hodgson | ||
| League | Championship | ||
| 2019–20 | Premier League, 19th of 20 (relegated) | ||
| |||
They wear yellow and black shirts and black shorts when they play at their home ground, Vicarage Road. For away games they wear green shirts and shorts. The club was founded in 1881.[2] Roy Hodgson is the current manager.
History
The club was at first called "Watford Rovers." It changed its name to "West Hertfordshire" in 1893, and "Watford F.C." in 1898. Watford won the Southern League in 1915 and joined the Football League in 1920. They stayed in the Football League's bottom division until 1960 when they were promoted to the Third Division as champions. Watford played in the Second Division for the first time in 1969 when Ken Furphy was the manager.[3]
Watford are best known for what they did between 1977 and 1987. Singer Elton John bought the club and made Graham Taylor manager in 1977. The team won the Fourth Division in 1978. They then came 2nd in the Third Division in 1979, and 2nd in the Second Division in 1982. Finally, they came 2nd in the First Division in 1983, and Luther Blissett was the league's top scorer. Watford also got to the FA Cup final in 1984. John Barnes, Nigel Callaghan, Tony Coton and Ross Jenkins were among Watford's star players during the period.
Taylor left Watford in 1987 and Watford were relegated to the then Second Division the following year. In the last 30 years they have mostly played in the second tier of English football. However, they enjoyed two seasons in the Premier League under Taylor, in his second spell as manager (1999/2000), and Aidy Boothroyd (2006/07), before Slaviša Jokanović again led them to promotion in 2015 to begin their current spell in the top flight.
League position
| Season | League | Position |
| 2000/01 | First Division | 9th |
| 2001/02 | First Division | 14th |
| 2002/03 | First Division | 13th |
| 2003/04 | First Division | 16th |
| 2004/05 | League Championship | 18th |
| 2005/06 | League Championship | 3rd |
| 2006/07 | Premier League | 20th |
| 2007/08 | League Championship | 6th |
| 2008/09 | League Championship | 13th |
| 2009/10 | League Championship | 16th |
| 2010/11 | League Championship | 14th |
| 2011/12 | League Championship | 11th |
| 2012/13 | League Championship | 3rd |
| 2013/14 | League Championship | 13th |
| 2014/15 | League Championship | 2nd |
| 2015/16 | Premier League | 13th |
| 2016/17 | Premier League | 17th |
| 2017/18 | Premier League | 14th |
| 2018/19 | Premier League | 11th |
| 2019/20 | Premier League | 19th |
| 2020/21 | League Championship | 2nd |
Former position
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Watford F.C. Media
Long-serving Skilly Williams was Watford's first choice goalkeeper between 1914 and 1926.
Chart of yearly table positions of Watford in the English football league.
Nyron Nosworthy celebrates a goal against Cardiff City in the 2011–12 season.
Watford fans at Vicarage Road, on the last day of the 1999–2000 season
Graham Taylor took Watford from the Fourth Division to the First, between 1977 and 1982.
Victory in the 2006 Football League Championship play-off final against Leeds United gained Watford promotion to the Premier League
References
- ↑ "Football: How consistency and caution made Arsenal England's greatest team of the 20th century". The Independent (newspaper). https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-how-consistency-and-caution-made-arsenal-englands-greatest-team-of-the-20th-century-1133020.html.
- ↑ "History - Club History". www.watfordfc.com.
- ↑ "They shaped the club". www.watfordfc.com. Archived from the original on 3 December 2008. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
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