2008–09 Watford F.C. season
2008–09 season | |||
---|---|---|---|
Chairman | Graham Simpson (until December 2008) Jimmy Russo (from December 2008) | ||
Manager | Aidy Boothroyd (until October 2008) Malky Mackay (caretaker in November 2008) Brendan Rodgers (November 2008 – June 2009) Malky Mackay (June 2009) | ||
Stadium | Vicarage Road | ||
Football League Championship | 13th | ||
FA Cup | Fifth round (eliminated by Chelsea) | ||
League Cup | Fifth round (eliminated by Tottenham Hotspur) | ||
Top goalscorer | League: Tommy Smith (17) All: Tommy Smith (17) | ||
Highest home attendance | 16,386 (vs Wolverhampton Wanderers, 25 October 2008) | ||
Lowest home attendance | 13,193 (vs Burnley, 27 January 2010) | ||
Average home league attendance | 14,858 | ||
| |||
Watford Football Club are an association football team from the county of Hertfordshire, England. Waford has played in the Championship since being relegated from the Premier League in 2006–07. The club finished the season in 13th position out of 24 Championship teams. The club went through four managers during the season.
Background, review and events
[edit]The 2008–09 season was their second consecutive one in the Football League Championship, following relegation from the Premier League in 2006–07.[1]
They reached the fifth round of both the League Cup and FA Cup, where they were eliminated by Premier League sides Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea respectively. Both teams went on to reach the finals of the corresponding competitions, with Chelsea going on to win the 2009 FA Cup Final.[2]
Off the pitch, there were a series of personnel changes through the course of the season. Chairman Graham Simpson and chief executive Mark Ashton resigned, and were replaced by Jimmy Russo and Julian Winter respectively. Following a decline in form throughout 2008, manager Aidy Boothroyd left the club by mutual consent, and was replaced by Brendan Rodgers. In turn, Rodgers controversially left the club a few weeks after the last game of the season, having previously suggested that rumours linking him to Reading were "questioning his integrity".[3] His replacement was first team coach and former player Malky Mackay.[4]
The season is perhaps best remembered for the "ghost goal" incident, which occurred in a league match against Reading on 20 September 2008. Following a corner from Reading player Stephen Hunt, John Eustace kicked the ball across the line, level with the six-yard box. Initially, linesman Nigel Bannister seemed to signal for a goal kick, and players from both sides ran away from the penalty area, waiting for goalkeeper Scott Loach to take it. However, Bannister walked over to referee Stuart Attwell, and after a brief discussion, Attwell awarded Reading a goal. The match eventually finished 2–2. The match also marked Loach's debut; the "ghost goal" was the first goal he conceded in his Watford career.[5][6]
Match results
[edit]League Championship
[edit]League results
[edit]Date | Stadium | City | Opponent | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers | Source | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Watford | Opponent | |||||||
9 August 2008 | Selhurst Park | London | Crystal Palace | 0–0 | 15,614 | |||
16 August 2008 | Vicarage Road | Watford | Charlton Athletic | 1–0 | 14,413 | Smith | ||
23 August 2008 | City Ground | Nottingham | Nottingham Forest | 2–3 | 20,005 | Smith (2) | ||
30 August 2008 | Vicarage Road | Watford | Ipswich Town | 2–1 | 16,345 | Eustace, O'Toole | ||
13 September 2008 | Hillsborough | Sheffield | Sheffield Wednesday | 0–2 | 17,066 | |||
16 September 2008 | Vicarage Road | Watford | Plymouth Argyle | 1–2 | ||||
20 September 2008 | Vicarage Road | Watford | Reading FC | 2–2 | ||||
27 September 2008 | A | Sheffield United | 1–2 | |||||
30 September 2008 | A | Burnley FC | 2–3 | |||||
4 October 2008 | Vicarage Road | Watford | Preston North End | 2–1 | ||||
18 October 2008 | A | Southampton FC | 3–0 | |||||
21 October 2008 | Vicarage Road | Watford | Cardiff City | 2–2 | ||||
25 October 2008 | Vicarage Road | Watford | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2–3 | ||||
28 October 2008 | A | Preston North End | 0–2 | |||||
1 November 2008 | Vicarage Road | Watford | Blackpool FC | 3–4 | ||||
9 November 2008 | A | Swansea City | 1–3 | |||||
15 November 2008 | A | Barnsley FC | 1–2 | |||||
22 November 2008 | Vicarage Road | Watford | Queens Park Rangers | 3–0 | ||||
25 November 2008 | A | Bristol City | 1–1 | |||||
29 November 2008 | Vicarage Road | Watford | Doncaster Rovers | 1–1 | ||||
6 December 2008 | A | Birmingham City | 2–3 | |||||
10 December 2008 | Vicarage Road | Watford | Norwich City | 2–1 | ||||
13 December 2008 | Vicarage Road | Watford | Coventry City | 2–1 | ||||
20 December 2008 | A | Derby County | 0–1 | |||||
26 December 2008 | Vicarage Road | Watford | Bristol City | 2–4 | ||||
28 December 2008 | A | Queens Park Rangers | 0–0 | |||||
9 January 2009 | A | Reading FC | 0–4 | |||||
17 January 2009 | Vicarage Road | Watford | Sheffield United | 0–2 | ||||
27 January 2009 | Vicarage Road | Watford | Burnley FC | 3–0 | ||||
31 January 2009 | A | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1–3 | |||||
17 February 2009 | Vicarage Road | Watford | Swansea City | 2–0 | ||||
21 February 2009 | A | Blackpool FC | 2–0 | |||||
28 February 2009 | Vicarage Road | Watford | Crystal Palace | 2–0 | ||||
3 March 2009 | A | Plymouth Argyle | 1–2 | |||||
7 March 2009 | A | Charlton Athletic | 3–2 | |||||
10 March 2009 | Vicarage Road | Watford | Nottingham Forest | 2–1 | ||||
14 March 2009 | Vicarage Road | Watford | Sheffield Wednesday | 2–2 | ||||
18 March 2009 | A | Cardiff City | 1–2 | |||||
21 March 2009 | A | Ipswich Town | 0–0 | |||||
4 April 2009 | A | Doncaster Rovers | 2–1 | |||||
7 April 2009 | Vicarage Road | Watford | Southampton FC | 2–2 | ||||
11 April 2009 | Vicarage Road | Watford | Barnsley FC | 1–1 | ||||
13 April 2009 | A | Norwich City | 0–2 | |||||
18 April 2009 | Vicarage Road | Watford | Birmingham City | 0–1 | ||||
25 April 2009 | A | Coventry City | 3–2 | |||||
3 May 2009 | Vicarage Road | Watford | Derby County | 3–1 |
Results summary
[edit]Overall | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
46 | 16 | 10 | 20 | 68 | 72 | −4 | 58 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 42 | 32 | +10 | 5 | 4 | 14 | 26 | 40 | −14 |
Last updated: 17 March 2013.
Source: Fussballdaten.de
Final league table
[edit]Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
11 | Queens Park Rangers | 46 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 42 | 44 | −2 | 61 |
12 | Sheffield Wednesday | 46 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 51 | 58 | −7 | 61 |
13 | Watford | 46 | 16 | 10 | 20 | 68 | 72 | −4 | 58 |
14 | Doncaster Rovers | 46 | 17 | 7 | 22 | 42 | 53 | −11 | 58 |
15 | Crystal Palace | 46 | 15 | 12 | 19 | 52 | 55 | −3 | 56[a] |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
Notes:
FA Cup
[edit]Match | Date | Stadium | City | Opponent | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers | Source | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Watford | Opponent | ||||||||
3 | 3 January 2009 | Vicarage Road | Watford | Scunthorpe United | 1–0 | 8,690 | Rasiak ![]() |
— | [MR 1] |
4 | 24 January 2009 | Vicarage Road | Watford | Crystal Palace | 4–3 | 10,006 | DeMerit ![]() Cork ![]() Hoskins ![]() Rasiak ![]() |
Hill ![]() Ifill ![]() |
[MR 2] |
5 | 14 February 2009 | Vicarage Road | Watford | Chelsea | 1–3 | 16,851 | Priskin ![]() |
Anelka ![]() |
[MR 3] |
League Cup
[edit]Match | Date | Stadium | City | Opponent | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers | Source | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Watford | Opponent | ||||||||
1 | 12 August 2008 | Vicarage Road | Watford | Bristol Rovers | 1–0 | 5,574 | Hoskins ![]() |
— | [MR 4] |
2 | 28 August 2008 | Vicarage Road | Watford | Darlington | 2–1 | 5,236 | Francis ![]() O'Toole ![]() |
Blundell ![]() |
[MR 5] |
3 | 23 September 2008 | Vicarage Road | Watford | West Ham United | 1–0 | 12,914 | Mullins ![]() |
— | [MR 6] |
4 | 11 November 2008 | Liberty Stadium | Swansea, Wales | Swansea City | 1–0 | 9,549 | Williamson ![]() |
— | [MR 7] |
5 | 3 December 2008 | Vicarage Road | Watford | Tottenham Hotspur | 1–2 | 16,501 | Priskin ![]() |
Pavlyuchenko ![]() Bent ![]() |
[MR 8] |
Player information
[edit]First-team squad
[edit]- Squad at end of season[8]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Left club during season
[edit]Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
Transfers
[edit]In
[edit]Date | Nationality | Position | Name | Club From | Fee | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
18 July 2008 | ![]() |
DF | Jon Harley | Burnley | Free | [9] |
26 January 2009 | ![]() |
DF | Mike Williamson | Wycombe Wanderers | Undisclosed | [10] |
2 February 2009 | ![]() |
MF | Don Cowie | Inverness CT | Nominal | [11] |
Out
[edit]Date | Nationality | Position | Name | Club To | Fee | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
30 May 2008 | ![]() |
MF | Jordan Stewart | Derby County | Free | [12] |
8 July 2008 | ![]() |
MF | Toumani Diagouraga | Hereford United | Undiclosed | [13] |
22 July 2008 | ![]() |
FW | Darius Henderson | Sheffield United | £2,000,000 | [14] |
6 August 2008 | ![]() |
DF | Danny Shittu | Bolton Wanderers | Undisclosed | [15] |
23 January 2009 | ![]() |
FW | Lionel Ainsworth | Huddersfield Town | Undisclosed | [16] |
27 February 2009 | ![]() |
FW | Moses Ashikodi | Shrewsbury Town | Free | [17][18] |
Loan In
[edit]Date | Nationality | Position | Name | Club From | Length | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
15 August 2008 | ![]() |
FW | Grzegorz Rasiak | Southampton | Full-Season | [19] |
27 November 2008 | ![]() |
MF | Liam Bridcutt | Chelsea | One Month | [20] |
31 December 2008 | ![]() |
DF | Gavin Hoyte | Arsenal | Until end of season | [21] |
2 January 2009 | ![]() |
MF | Jack Cork | Chelsea | Until end of season | [22] |
2 February 2009 | ![]() |
MF | Aleksandrs Cauņa | Skonto FC | Until end of season | [11] |
24 March 2009 | ![]() |
DF | Danny Rose | Tottenham Hotspur | Until end of season | [23] |
Loan Out
[edit]Date | Nationality | Position | Name | Club To | Length | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
30 May 2008 | ![]() |
FW | Nathan Ellington | Derby County | Full-Season | [12] |
5 August 2008 | ![]() |
FW | Moses Ashikodi | Hereford United | Until January | [24] |
21 November 2008 | ![]() |
FW | Lionel Ainsworth | Hereford United | One Month | [25] |
12 January 2009 | ![]() |
DF | Leigh Bromby | Sheffield United | Until end of season | [26] |
23 January 2009 | ![]() |
DF | Cédric Avinel | FC Gueugnon | Until end of season | [27] |
Squad, appearances and goals
[edit]No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Championship | FA Cup | League Cup | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||||||
Goalkeepers | |||||||||||||
1 | GK | ![]() |
Mart Poom | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
14 | GK | ![]() |
Scott Loach | 38 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
16 | GK | ![]() |
Richard Lee | 11 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
Defenders | |||||||||||||
2 | DF | ![]() |
Gavin Hoyte | 10 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
3 | DF | ![]() |
Mat Sadler | 16 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
6 | DF | ![]() |
Jay DeMerit | 38 | 1 | 32 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | ||
12 | DF | ![]() |
Lloyd Doyley | 43 | 0 | 37 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
15 | DF | ![]() |
Jon Harley | 43 | 1 | 37 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
23 | DF | ![]() |
Adrian Mariappa | 47 | 1 | 39 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||
24 | DF | ![]() |
Mike Williamson | 17 | 1 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
Midfielders | |||||||||||||
4 | MF | ![]() |
Jack Cork | 21 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
7 | MF | ![]() |
Don Cowie | 11 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
11 | MF | ![]() |
Jobi McAnuff | 45 | 3 | 40 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
14 | MF | ![]() |
Lee Williamson | 38 | 3 | 34 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | ||
Forwards | |||||||||||||
9 | FW | ![]() |
Tamas Priskin | 41 | 14 | 36 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | ||
21 | FW | ![]() |
Tommy Smith | 49 | 17 | 44 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
Bookings
[edit]References
[edit]Match reports
[edit]- ^ "Watford 1–0 Scunthorpe". BBC. 3 January 2009. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
- ^ "Watford 4–3 Crystal Palace". BBC. 24 January 2009. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
- ^ "Watford 1–3 Chelsea". BBC. 14 February 2009. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
- ^ "Watford 1–0 Bristol Rovers". BBC. 12 August 2008. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
- ^ "Watford 2–1 Darlington (aet)". BBC. 26 August 2008. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
- ^ "Watford 1–0 West Ham". BBC. 23 September 2008. Retrieved 17 March 2008.
- ^ "Swansea 0–1 Watford". BBC. 11 November 2008. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
- ^ "Watford 1–2 Tottenham". BBC. 3 December 2008. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
Other references
[edit]- ^ Chris Bevan (21 April 2007). "Watford 1–1 Man City". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 June 2010.
- ^ Chris Bevan (30 May 2009). "Chelsea 2–1 Everton". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 June 2010.
- ^ Frank Smith (22 May 2009). "'No contact at all' from Reading for Rodgers". Newsquest.
- ^ "Mackay appointed Watford manager". BBC Sport. 15 June 2009. Retrieved 21 June 2010.
- ^ "Watford 2–2 Reading". BBC Sport. 20 September 2008. Retrieved 21 June 2010.
- ^ Richard Evans (30 June 2010). "England's future stars – ones to watch for the 2014 World Cup squad". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 September 2010.
- ^ "Crystal Palace have one point deduction for fielding ineligible Rui Fonte". The Guardian. 1 June 2009. Archived from the original on 12 June 2009. Retrieved 1 June 2009.
- ^ "FootballSquads - Watford - 2008/09".
- ^ "Defender Harley signs for Watford". BBC Sport. 18 July 2008. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
- ^ "Watford sign defender Williamson". BBC Sport. 26 January 2009. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
- ^ a b "Watford swoop for double signing". BBC Sport. 2 February 2009. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
- ^ a b "Rams sign Ellington and Stewart". BBC Sport. 30 May 2008. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
- ^ "Bulls sign midfielder Diagouraga". 8 July 2008. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
- ^ "Henderson makes switch to Blades". BBC Sport. 23 July 2008. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
- ^ Staff (6 August 2008). "Bolton sign defender Shittu". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
- ^ "Huddersfield make double signing". BBC Sport. 23 January 2009. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
- ^ "Watford terminate Ashikodi deal". BBC Sport. 3 February 2009. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
- ^ "Shrewsbury sign striker Ashikodi". BBC Sport. 27 February 2009. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
- ^ "Rasiak joins Watford". Eurosport. 15 August 2008. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
- ^ "Watford land Chelsea's Bridcutt". BBC Sport. 27 November 2008. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
- ^ "Watford swoop for defender Hoyte". BBC Sport. 31 December 2008. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
- ^ "Chelsea's Cork loaned to Watford". BBC Sport. 2 January 2009. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
- ^ "Watford sign Rose from Tottenham". BBC Sport. 24 March 2009. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
- ^ "Hereford snap up Ashikodi on loan". BBC Sport. 5 August 2008. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
- ^ Carley, Steve (20 November 2008). "Ainsworth returns to boost Bulls". Worcester News. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
- ^ Smith, Frank (13 January 2009). "Bromby: 'I didn't want to leave Sheffield United in the first place'". Watford Observer. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
- ^ Smith, Frank (23 January 2009). "Have Watford fans seen the last of Avinel". Watford Observer. Retrieved 26 December 2023.