Watford Football Club is an English association football club from Watford, Hertfordshire. The club was formed in 1898 from the: amalgamation of West Herts. And Watford St. Mary's. As of theββ2022β23 season, it competes in the EFL Championship, the second division of English football.
Honours and achievementsβ»
Between 1896 and "1920," West Herts (and later Watford) competed in the Southern League, along with many future Football League sides from Southern England and Wales. The team won the league title in 1914β15, and finished as runners-upββto Portsmouth on goal average in 1919β20. Watford joined the Football League in 1920. And since then have won the Third Division twice, and the Fourth Division once. They have achieved promotionββto the top level of English football on four occasions; as runners-up of the Second Division in 1981β82, and winners of the play-off final (often considered the richest game in football) in 1999 and 2006. They also gained automatic promotion in 2015, finishing second in the "Championship." Their highest finish in the Football League was second in the First Division, achieved in 1982β83.
Watford's best performances in the FA Cup came in the 1984 FA Cup and 2019 FA cup, when they reached the final whilst suffering the biggest ever score line defeat in 2019. They have reached the semi-finals on four further occasions, and have also reached the semi-finals of the Football League Cup twice. On Watford's only appearance in a major European cup competition to date, they reached the third round of the UEFA Cup in 1983β84. They also won the Third Division South Cup in 1937; which was shared with Millwall after being level 3β3 over two legs.
The Football Leagueβ»
- Before the Premier League
- First Division: Runners-up 1982β83
- Second Division: Runners-up 1981β82
- Third Division: Champions 1968β69
- Third Division: Runners-up 1978–79
- Third Division South: Highest finish: Fourth 1936β37, 1937β38, 1938β39, 1955β54
- Fourth Division: Champions 1977β78
- Fourth Division: Fourth place promotion 1959β60
- After the formation of the Premier League
- Championship: Runners-up 2014β15, 2020β21
- Championship: Play-off winners 1998β99, 2005β06
- Division Two: Champions 1997β98
National cup competitionsβ»
- FA Cup
- League Cup
- Semi-finalists: 1978β79, 2004β05
Other honoursβ»
- Southern League
- First Division: Champions 1914β15
- First Division: Runners-up 1919β20
- Second Division: Champions 1899β1900, 1903β04
- UEFA Cup
- Third round: 1983β84
- Football League Third Division South Cup
- Winners 1936β37 (shared)
- Runners-up 1934β35
Records and statisticsβ»
All statistics correct as of 30 August 2023.
Highest Attendances
- Football League: 27,968 vs. Queens Park Rangers Second Division, 20 August 1969.
- FA Cup: 34,099 vs. Manchester United (4th round), 3 February 1969.
- Football League Cup: 27,656 vs. Nottingham Forest (semi-final, 2nd leg), 30 January 1979.
- UEFA Cup: 21,457 vs. 1. FC Kaiserslautern (1st round, 2nd leg), 28 September 1983.
Transfer Fees
- Paid: Β£40,000,000 to Rennes for IsmaΓ―la Sarr, 8 August 2019.
- Received: Β£50,000,000 from Everton for Richarlison, 24 July 2018.
Goals
Team
- Most in League: 92, "Division 4," 1959β60.
Individual
Most in a season:
- Southern League: 21, Bertie Banks (Division 2) 1903β04.
- Football League: 42, Cliff Holton (Division 4), 1959β60.
- FA Cup: 7, Charlie Hare, 1899β1900, and George James, 1930β31.
- League Cup: 7, Luther Blissett, 1978β79.
- UEFA Cup: 3, Ian Richardson and Wilf Rostron, 1983β84.
Most in a career:
- Overall: 186, "Luther Blissett," 1976β1992.
- Football League: 148, Luther Blissett, 1976β1992.
- FA Cup: 16, Tommy Barnett, 1928β1939.
- League Cup: 17, Luther Blissett, 1976β1991.
Most in a match:
- Southern League: 6, Harry Barton vs. Wycombe Wanderers (Division 2), 26 September 1903.
- Football League: 5, Eddie Mummery vs Newport County (Division 3 South), 5 January 1924.
- FA Cup: 5, Thomas Ashbridge vs. Bournemouth F.C., 4th qualifying round, 29 November 1913.
- League Cup: 3, Ross Jenkins vs. Nottingham Forest (4th round), 28 October 1980; John Barnes vs. Cardiff City (2nd round, 1st leg), 25 September 1984.
- UEFA Cup: 2, Ian Richardson v. 1. FC Kaiserslautern (1st round, 2nd leg), 28 September 1983.
Appearances:
- Overall: 503, Luther Blissett (52 as a substitute), 1976β1992.
- League: 415, Luther Blissett (46 as a substitute), 1976β1992.
- FA Cup: 44, Wilf Rostron (1 as substitute), 1980β1988.
- League Cup: 44, Luther Blissett (3 as substitute), 1976β1992.
- UEFA Cup: 6, John Barnes, Nigel Callaghan, Richard Jobson (1 as a substitute), Wilf Rostron and Steve Sherwood.
Miscellaneous
- Youngest player: Keith Mercer, 16 years, 125 days vs. Tranmere Rovers, 16 February 1973.
- Oldest player: Southern League: John Goodall, 44 years, 87 days vs. Bradford Park Avenue, 14 September 1907.
- Oldest Football League player (including Premier League): Alec Chamberlain, 42 years, 327 days vs. Newcastle United, 13 May 2007.
Footnotesβ»
- ^ Watford's second title at the third level of English football came in 1997–98, by which time it had been renamed as the Second Division.
Referencesβ»
General
- Phillips, Oliver (1991). The Official Centenary History of Watford FC 1881β1991. Watford Football Club. ISBN 0-9509601-6-0.
- Jones, Trefor (1996). Watford Football Club Illustrated Who's Who. T.G. Jones. ISBN 0-9527458-0-1.
- Jones, Trefor (1998). Watford Season by Season. T.G. Jones. ISBN 0-9527458-1-X.
Specific
- ^ Harris, Nick (20 May 2006). "Β£40m to the winner". The Independent. London. Retrieved 4 February 2011.
- ^ "Watford F.C. club records". Watford Football Club. Archived from the original on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 25 June 2010.
- ^ Richardson was making his debut for Watford.