| Club: | Watford |
| Season: | 1998–99 |
| Manager: | Graham Taylor |
| Chairman: | Elton John |
| Stadium: | Vicarage Road |
| League: | Football League First Division |
| League Result: | 5th (promoted) |
| Cup1: | Play-offs |
| Cup1 Result: | Winners |
| Cup2: | FA Cup |
| Cup2 Result: | Third round |
| Cup3: | League Cup |
| Cup3 Result: | First round |
| League Topscorer: | Noel-Williams (10) |
| Average Attendance: | 11,822 |
| Prevseason: | 1997–98 |
| Nextseason: | 1999–2000 |
During the 1998–99 English football season, Watford F.C. competed in the Football League First Division.
In the 1998–99 season, Watford's second successive promotion was achieved with a 2–0 victory over Bolton Wanderers in the playoff final, securing the club's promotion to the top flight for the first time since 1988.[1] [2]
Watford's score comes first[3]
| Win | Draw | Loss |
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 August 1998 | Portsmouth | A | 2–1 | 15,275 | Thomson (own goal), Lee | |
| 15 August 1998 | Bradford City | H | 1–0 | 10,731 | Ngonge | |
| 22 August 1998 | Bristol City | A | 4–1 | 13,063 | Johnson (2), Yates, Hazan | |
| 25 August 1998 | Sunderland | A | 1–4 | 36,587 | Smart | |
| 28 August 1998 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 0–2 | 12,016 | ||
| 8 September 1998 | Huddersfield Town | A | 0–2 | 9,811 | ||
| 12 September 1998 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 2–1 | 14,251 | Millen, Smart | |
| 19 September 1998 | Swindon Town | A | 4–1 | 8,781 | Smart (2), Wright, Hazan | |
| 26 September 1998 | Ipswich Town | H | 1–0 | 13,109 | Kennedy (pen) | |
| 29 September 1998 | Sheffield United | H | 1–1 | 9,090 | Noel-Williams | |
| 4 October 1998 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 1–4 | 11,840 | Kennedy (pen) | |
| 10 October 1998 | Birmingham City | H | 1–1 | 10,096 | Rowett (own goal) | |
| 17 October 1998 | Tranmere Rovers | A | 2–3 | 6,753 | Smart, Noel-Williams | |
| 20 October 1998 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 2–1 | 15,921 | Noel-Williams, Kennedy (pen) | |
| 24 October 1998 | Port Vale | H | 2–2 | 8,750 | Guðmundsson (2) | |
| 31 October 1998 | Bury | A | 3–1 | 4,342 | Bazeley, Ngonge, Smart | |
| 3 November 1998 | Norwich City | H | 1–1 | 10,011 | Jackson (own goal) | |
| 7 November 1998 | Oxford United | H | 2–0 | 10,137 | Palmer, Noel-Williams | |
| 14 November 1998 | Stockport County | A | 1–1 | 8,019 | Johnson | |
| 21 November 1998 | Crewe Alexandra | H | 4–2 | 9,405 | Noel-Williams (2), Bazeley, Wright | |
| 28 November 1998 | Crystal Palace | A | 2–2 | 19,521 | Wright, Kennedy | |
| 5 December 1998 | Barnsley | H | 0–0 | 10,165 | ||
| 12 December 1998 | Stockport County | H | 4–2 | 9,250 | Johnson, Wright, Noel-Williams (2) | |
| 19 December 1998 | Grimsby Town | A | 1–2 | 6,679 | Noel-Williams | |
| 26 December 1998 | Bristol City | H | 1–0 | 15,081 | Smart | |
| 29 December 1998 | Norwich City | A | 1–1 | 19,255 | Palmer | |
| 9 January 1999 | Portsmouth | H | 0–0 | 12,057 | ||
| 16 January 1999 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 0–0 | 23,408 | ||
| 23 January 1999 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 0–2 | 11,664 | ||
| 30 January 1999 | Sunderland | H | 2–1 | 20,188 | Wright, Noel-Williams | |
| 6 February 1999 | Bradford City | A | 0–2 | 14,142 | ||
| 16 February 1999 | Huddersfield Town | H | 1–1 | 10,303 | Mooney | |
| 20 February 1999 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 2–1 | 14,918 | Wright, Smith | |
| 26 February 1999 | Swindon Town | H | 0–1 | 8,692 | ||
| 2 March 1999 | Ipswich Town | A | 2–3 | 18,818 | Smith, Mooney | |
| 6 March 1999 | Sheffield United | A | 0–3 | 15,943 | ||
| 13 March 1999 | Oxford United | A | 0–0 | 8,137 | ||
| 20 March 1999 | Bury | H | 0–0 | 9,336 | ||
| 3 April 1999 | Tranmere Rovers | H | 2–1 | 8,682 | Kennedy, Ngonge | |
| 5 April 1999 | Birmingham City | A | 2–1 | 24,877 | Mooney, Daley | |
| 10 April 1999 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 2–0 | 13,001 | Hyde, Mooney | |
| 17 April 1999 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 1–0 | 5,461 | Mooney | |
| 24 April 1999 | Crystal Palace | H | 2–1 | 15,590 | Hyde, Mooney | |
| 27 April 1999 | Port Vale | A | 2–1 | 7,126 | Mooney (2) | |
| 1 May 1999 | Barnsley | A | 2–2 | 17,098 | Ngonge, Mooney | |
| 9 May 1999 | Grimsby Town | H | 1–0 | 20,303 | Kennedy |
| SF 1st Leg | 16 May 1999 | Birmingham City | H | 1–0 | 18,535 | Ngonge | |
| SF 2nd Leg | 20 May 1999 | Birmingham City | A | 0–1 (won 7–6 on pens) | 29,100 | ||
| F | 31 May 1999 | Bolton Wanderers | N | 2–0 | 70,343 | Wright, Smart |
See main article: 1998–99 FA Cup.
| R3 | 2 January 1999 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 2–5 | 36,022 | Johnson, Kennedy |
See main article: 1998–99 Football League Cup.
| R1 1st Leg | 11 August 1998 | Cambridge United | A | 0–1 | 3,073 | ||
| R1 2nd Leg | 18 August 1998 | Cambridge United | H | 1–1 (lost 1–2 on agg) | 6,817 | Ngonge |
Squad at end of season[4]