2008–09 Watford F.C. season explained

Season:2008–09
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)
League Result:13th
Cup1 Result:Fifth round (eliminated by Chelsea)
Cup2 Result:Fifth round (eliminated by Tottenham Hotspur)
Highest Attendance:16,386 (vs Wolverhampton Wanderers, 25 October 2008)
League Topscorer:Tommy Smith (17)
Season Topscorer:Tommy Smith (17)
Lowest Attendance:13,193 (vs Burnley, 27 January 2010)
Average Attendance:14,858
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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

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

League Championship

League results

Source
9 August 2008Selhurst ParkLondonCrystal Palace0–015,614
16 August 2008Vicarage RoadWatfordCharlton Athletic1–014,413Smith
23 August 2008City GroundNottinghamNottingham Forest2–320,005Smith (2)
30 August 2008Vicarage RoadWatfordIpswich Town2–116,345Eustace, O'Toole
13 September 2008HillsboroughSheffieldSheffield Wednesday0–217,066
16 September 2008Vicarage RoadWatfordPlymouth Argyle1–2
20 September 2008Vicarage RoadWatfordReading FC2–2
27 September 2008ASheffield United1–2
30 September 2008ABurnley FC2–3
4 October 2008Vicarage RoadWatfordPreston North End2–1
18 October 2008ASouthampton FC3–0
21 October 2008Vicarage RoadWatfordCardiff City2–2
25 October 2008Vicarage RoadWatfordWolverhampton Wanderers2–3
28 October 2008APreston North End0–2
1 November 2008Vicarage RoadWatfordBlackpool FC3–4
9 November 2008ASwansea City1–3
15 November 2008ABarnsley FC1–2
22 November 2008Vicarage RoadWatfordQueens Park Rangers3–0
25 November 2008ABristol City1–1
29 November 2008Vicarage RoadWatfordDoncaster Rovers1–1
6 December 2008ABirmingham City2–3
10 December 2008Vicarage RoadWatfordNorwich City2–1
13 December 2008Vicarage RoadWatfordCoventry City2–1
20 December 2008ADerby County0–1
26 December 2008Vicarage RoadWatfordBristol City2–4
28 December 2008AQueens Park Rangers0–0
9 January 2009AReading FC0–4
17 January 2009Vicarage RoadWatfordSheffield United0–2
27 January 2009Vicarage RoadWatfordBurnley FC3–0
31 January 2009AWolverhampton Wanderers1–3
17 February 2009Vicarage RoadWatfordSwansea City2–0
21 February 2009ABlackpool FC2–0
28 February 2009Vicarage RoadWatfordCrystal Palace2–0
3 March 2009APlymouth Argyle1–2
7 March 2009ACharlton Athletic3–2
10 March 2009Vicarage RoadWatfordNottingham Forest2–1
14 March 2009Vicarage RoadWatfordSheffield Wednesday2–2
18 March 2009ACardiff City1–2
21 March 2009AIpswich Town0–0
4 April 2009ADoncaster Rovers2–1
7 April 2009Vicarage RoadWatfordSouthampton FC2–2
11 April 2009Vicarage RoadWatfordBarnsley FC1–1
13 April 2009ANorwich City0–2
18 April 2009Vicarage RoadWatfordBirmingham City0–1
25 April 2009ACoventry City3–2
3 May 2009Vicarage RoadWatfordDerby County3–1

Final league table

FA Cup

Source
33 January 2009Vicarage RoadWatfordScunthorpe United1–08,690—[7]
424 January 2009Vicarage RoadWatfordCrystal Palace4–310,006DeMerit
Cork
Hoskins
Rasiak 		[8]
514 February 2009Vicarage RoadWatfordChelsea1–316,851[9]

League Cup

Source
112 August 2008Vicarage RoadWatfordBristol Rovers1–05,574—[10]
2 28 August 2008Vicarage Road WatfordDarlington2–15,236[11]
323 September 2008Vicarage Road WatfordWest Ham United1–012,914—[12]
411 November 2008Liberty StadiumSwansea, WalesSwansea City1–09,549—[13]
53 December 2008Vicarage Road WatfordTottenham Hotspur1–216,501[14]

Player information

First-team squad

Squad at end of season[15]

Left club during season

Transfers

In

!Date!Nationality!Position!Name!Club From!Fee!Reference
18 July 2008DFJon HarleyBurnleyFree[16]
26 January 2009DFMike WilliamsonWycombe WanderersUndisclosed[17]
2 February 2009MFDon CowieInverness CTNominal[18]

Out

DateNationalityPositionNameClub ToFeeReference
30 May 2008MFJordan StewartDerby CountyFree[19]
8 July 2008MFToumani DiagouragaHereford UnitedUndiclosed[20]
22 July 2008FWDarius HendersonSheffield United£2,000,000[21]
6 August 2008DFDanny ShittuBolton WanderersUndisclosed[22]
23 January 2009FWLionel AinsworthHuddersfield TownUndisclosed[23]
27 February 2009FWMoses AshikodiShrewsbury TownFree[24] [25]

Loan In

DateNationalityPositionNameClub FromLengthReference
15 August 2008FWGrzegorz RasiakSouthamptonFull-Season[26]
27 November 2008MFLiam BridcuttChelseaOne Month[27]
31 December 2008DFGavin HoyteArsenalUntil end of season[28]
2 January 2009MFJack CorkChelseaUntil end of season[29]
2 February 2009MFAleksandrs CauņaSkonto FCUntil end of season
24 March 2009DFDanny RoseTottenham HotspurUntil end of season[30]

Loan Out

DateNationalityPositionNameClub ToLengthReference
30 May 2008FWNathan EllingtonDerby CountyFull-Season
5 August 2008FWMoses AshikodiHereford UnitedUntil January[31]
21 November 2008FWLionel AinsworthHereford UnitedOne Month[32]
12 January 2009DFLeigh BrombySheffield UnitedUntil end of season[33]
23 January 2009DFCédric AvinelFC GueugnonUntil end of season[34]

Squad, appearances and goals

|-! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Goalkeepers|-! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Defenders|-! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Midfielders|-! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Forwards|}

Bookings

References

Other references

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Watford 1–1 Man City. BBC Sport. 21 June 2010. 21 April 2007. Chris Bevan.
  2. News: Chelsea 2–1 Everton. BBC Sport. Chris Bevan. 30 May 2009. 21 June 2010.
  3. News: 'No contact at all' from Reading for Rodgers. 22 May 2009. Newsquest. Frank Smith.
  4. News: Mackay appointed Watford manager. BBC Sport. 21 June 2010. 15 June 2009.
  5. News: Watford 2–2 Reading. BBC Sport. 21 June 2010. 20 September 2008.
  6. News: England's future stars – ones to watch for the 2014 World Cup squad. The Guardian. 2 September 2010. 30 June 2010. Richard Evans.
  7. News: Watford 1–0 Scunthorpe. 17 March 2013. BBC. 3 January 2009.
  8. News: Watford 4–3 Crystal Palace. 17 March 2013. BBC. 24 January 2009.
  9. News: Watford 1–3 Chelsea. 17 March 2013. BBC. 14 February 2009.
  10. News: Watford 1–0 Bristol Rovers. 17 March 2013. BBC. 12 August 2008.
  11. News: Watford 2–1 Darlington (aet). 17 March 2013. BBC. 26 August 2008.
  12. News: Watford 1–0 West Ham. 17 March 2008. BBC. 23 September 2008.
  13. News: Swansea 0–1 Watford. 17 March 2013. BBC. 11 November 2008.
  14. News: Watford 1–2 Tottenham. 17 March 2013. BBC. 3 December 2008.
  15. Web site: FootballSquads - Watford - 2008/09.
  16. News: 18 July 2008 . Defender Harley signs for Watford . en-GB . BBC Sport . 5 December 2023.
  17. News: 26 January 2009 . Watford sign defender Williamson . en-GB . BBC Sport . 5 December 2023.
  18. News: 2 February 2009 . Watford swoop for double signing . en-GB . BBC Sport . 26 December 2023.
  19. News: 30 May 2008 . Rams sign Ellington and Stewart . en-GB . BBC Sport . 5 December 2023.
  20. News: 8 July 2008 . Bulls sign midfielder Diagouraga . en-GB . 5 December 2023.
  21. News: 23 July 2008 . Henderson makes switch to Blades . en-GB . BBC Sport . 5 December 2023.
  22. News: Staff . 6 August 2008 . Bolton sign defender Shittu . en-GB . The Guardian . 5 December 2023 . 0261-3077.
  23. News: 23 January 2009 . Huddersfield make double signing . en-GB . BBC Sport . 26 December 2023.
  24. News: 3 February 2009 . Watford terminate Ashikodi deal . en-GB . BBC Sport . 26 December 2023.
  25. News: 27 February 2009 . Shrewsbury sign striker Ashikodi . en-GB . BBC Sport . 26 December 2023.
  26. Web site: 15 August 2008 . Rasiak joins Watford . 5 December 2023 . Eurosport . en.
  27. News: 27 November 2008 . Watford land Chelsea's Bridcutt . en-GB . BBC Sport . 26 December 2023.
  28. News: 31 December 2008 . Watford swoop for defender Hoyte . en-GB . BBC Sport . 26 December 2023.
  29. News: 2 January 2009 . Chelsea's Cork loaned to Watford . en-GB . BBC Sport . 26 December 2023.
  30. News: 24 March 2009 . Watford sign Rose from Tottenham . en-GB . BBC Sport . 26 December 2023.
  31. News: 5 August 2008 . Hereford snap up Ashikodi on loan . en-GB . BBC Sport . 26 December 2023.
  32. Web site: Carley . Steve . 20 November 2008 . Ainsworth returns to boost Bulls . 26 December 2023 . Worcester News . en.
  33. Web site: Smith . Frank . 13 January 2009 . Bromby: 'I didn't want to leave Sheffield United in the first place' . 26 December 2023 . Watford Observer . en.
  34. Web site: Smith . Frank . 23 January 2009 . Have Watford fans seen the last of Avinel . 26 December 2023 . Watford Observer . en.

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