| Club: | Watford |
| Season: | 1999–2000 |
| Manager: | Graham Taylor |
| Chairman: | Elton John |
| Stadium: | Vicarage Road |
| League: | FA Premier League |
| League Result: | 20th (relegated) |
| Cup2: | FA Cup |
| Cup2 Result: | Third round |
| Cup3: | League Cup |
| Cup3 Result: | Third round |
| League Topscorer: | Helguson (6) |
| Highest Attendance: | 21,590 vs. Sunderland, 27 November 1999 |
| Lowest Attendance: | 14 September 1999 |
| Average Attendance: | 18,544 |
| Prevseason: | 1998–99 |
| Nextseason: | 2000–01 |
During the 1999–2000 English football season, Watford F.C. competed in the FA Premier League, after being promoted twice first from the Second Division two seasons ago and the First Division last season.
Watford managed some encouraging early results, including victories over Liverpool and Chelsea, suggesting that experienced manager Graham Taylor might be able to keep the club in the Premier League against all expectations. However, after the victory against Chelsea on 18 September, Watford only managed three more wins all season, and it soon became obvious that this campaign was a bridge too far after two successive promotions. The club were eventually relegated with the then-lowest points total in Premier League history, although observers widely predicted that Taylor would at least stabilise the club in Division One again, and maybe even get the club to make an immediate return to the Premiership.
See main article: 1999–2000 FA Premier League.
Watford's score comes first[1]
| Win | Draw | Loss |
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 August 1999 | Wimbledon | H | 2–3 | 15,511 | Kennedy (pen), Ngonge | |
| 10 August 1999 | Sunderland | A | 0–2 | 40,630 | ||
| 14 August 1999 | Liverpool | A | 1–0 | 44,174 | Mooney | |
| 21 August 1999 | Bradford City | H | 1–0 | 15,564 | Mooney | |
| 24 August 1999 | Aston Villa | H | 0–1 | 19,161 | ||
| 30 August 1999 | Leicester City | A | 0–1 | 17,920 | ||
| 11 September 1999 | West Ham United | A | 0–1 | 25,310 | ||
| 18 September 1999 | Chelsea | H | 1–0 | 21,144 | Smart | |
| 25 September 1999 | Arsenal | A | 0–1 | 38,127 | ||
| 3 October 1999 | Leeds United | H | 1–2 | 19,677 | Williams | |
| 16 October 1999 | Manchester United | A | 1–4 | 55,188 | Johnson | |
| 24 October 1999 | Middlesbrough | H | 1–3 | 16,081 | Smith | |
| 31 October 1999 | Coventry City | A | 0–4 | 21,700 | ||
| 6 November 1999 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 2–2 | 21,658 | Ngonge, Page | |
| 20 November 1999 | Newcastle United | H | 1–1 | 19,539 | Ngonge | |
| 27 November 1999 | Sunderland | H | 2–3 | 21,590 | Ngonge, Johnson (pen) | |
| 4 December 1999 | Wimbledon | A | 0–5 | 14,021 | ||
| 18 December 1999 | Everton | H | 1–3 | 17,346 | Ngonge | |
| 26 December 1999 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 0–4 | 36,089 | ||
| 28 December 1999 | Southampton | H | 7–4 | 18,459 | Perpetuini, Gravelaine (2) | |
| 3 January 2000 | Derby County | A | 0–2 | 28,072 | ||
| 15 January 2000 | Liverpool | H | 2–3 | 21,367 | Johnson, Helguson | |
| 22 January 2000 | Bradford City | A | 2–3 | 16,864 | Hyde, Helguson | |
| 5 February 2000 | Aston Villa | A | 0–4 | 27,647 | ||
| 12 February 2000 | Leicester City | H | 1–1 | 16,814 | Wooter | |
| 26 February 2000 | Chelsea | A | 1–2 | 34,928 | Smart | |
| 4 March 2000 | West Ham United | H | 1–2 | 18,619 | Helguson | |
| 11 March 2000 | Newcastle United | A | 0–1 | 36,433 | ||
| 18 March 2000 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 1–0 | 15,840 | Smart | |
| 25 March 2000 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 1–1 | 20,050 | Smart | |
| 1 April 2000 | Everton | A | 2–4 | 31,960 | Smart, Hyde | |
| 8 April 2000 | Derby County | H | 0–0 | 16,579 | ||
| 15 April 2000 | Southampton | A | 0–2 | 15,252 | ||
| 23 April 2000 | Arsenal | H | 2–3 | 19,670 | Helguson, Hyde | |
| 29 April 2000 | Manchester United | H | 2–3 | 20,250 | Helguson, Smith | |
| 3 May 2000 | Leeds United | A | 1–3 | 36,324 | Foley | |
| 6 May 2000 | Middlesbrough | A | 1–1 | 32,930 | Ward | |
| 14 May 2000 | Coventry City | H | 1–0 | 18,977 | Helguson |
See main article: 1999–2000 FA Cup.
| R3 | 11 December 1999 | Birmingham City | H | 0–1 | 8,144 |
See main article: 1999–2000 Football League Cup.
| R2 1st Leg | 14 September 1999 | Wigan Athletic | H | 2–0 | 6,628 | Easton, Hyde | |
| R2 2nd Leg | 21 September 1999 | Wigan Athletic | A | 1–3 (won on away goals) | 5,006 | Kennedy | |
| R3 | 13 October 1999 | Middlesbrough | A | 0–1 | 8,843 |
| Date | Pos. | Name | From | Fee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 July 1999 | DF | Mark Williams | Chesterfield | Free | |
| 8 July 1999 | DF | Des Lyttle | Nottingham Forest | Free | |
| 9 July 1999 | FW | Dominic Foley | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Free | |
| 1 August 1999 | MF | Alexandre Bonnot | Angers | Free | |
| 6 August 1999 | GK | Herwig Walker | Vorwärts Steyr | Free | |
| 13 September 1999 | MF | Nordin Wooter | Real Zaragoza | £950,000 | |
| 29 September 1999 | MF | Charlie Miller | Rangers | £450,000 | |
| 1 November 1999 | MF | Lee Cook | Aylesbury | Free | |
| 4 November 1999 | DF | Neil Cox | Bolton Wanderers | £500,000 | |
| 9 November 1999 | MF | Xavier Gravelaine | Paris Saint-Germain | Free | |
| 2 January 2000 | FW | David Warner | Brook House | Free | |
| 11 January 2000 | FW | Heiðar Helguson | Lillestrøm | £1,500,000 |
| Date | Pos. | Name | To | Fee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 June 1999 | MF | Tony Daley | Walsall | Free transfer | |
| 6 July 1999 | DF | Darren Bazeley | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Free | |
| 6 August 1999 | DF | Alon Hazan | F.C. Ashdod | Free | |
| 18 August 1999 | MF | Stuart Slater | Carlton SC | Free | |
| 11 November 1999 | DF | Keith Millen | Bristol City | £35,000 | |
| 29 January 2000 | MF | Xavier Gravelaine | Le Havre | £300,000 | |
| 5 February 2000 | DF | Colin Miles | Greenock Morton | Free |
Transfers in: £3,400,000
Transfers out: £335,000
Total spending: £3,065,000
Considering starts in all competitions
Considering a 5-3-2 formation
Richard Johnson, 22
Michel Ngonge, 19