2008–09 Watford F.C. season

English football team season From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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.

ChairmanGraham Simpson (until December 2008)
Jimmy Russo (from December 2008)
ManagerAidy Boothroyd (until October 2008)
Malky Mackay (caretaker in November 2008)
Brendan Rodgers (November 2008 – June 2009)
Malky Mackay (June 2009)
StadiumVicarage Road
Football League Championship13th
Quick facts Chairman, Manager ...
Watford
2008–09 season
ChairmanGraham Simpson (until December 2008)
Jimmy Russo (from December 2008)
ManagerAidy Boothroyd (until October 2008)
Malky Mackay (caretaker in November 2008)
Brendan Rodgers (November 2008 – June 2009)
Malky Mackay (June 2009)
StadiumVicarage Road
Football League Championship13th
FA CupFifth round (eliminated by Chelsea)
League CupFifth round (eliminated by Tottenham Hotspur)
Top goalscorerLeague: Tommy Smith (17)
All: Tommy Smith (17)
Highest home attendance16,386 (vs Wolverhampton Wanderers, 25 October 2008)
Lowest home attendance13,193 (vs Burnley, 27 January 2010)
Average home league attendance14,858
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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.[MR 1][5]

Competitions

Legend
Win Draw Loss

Championship

Match details

More information Date, Opponent ...
Championship match details
DateOpponentVenueResult
F–A		ScorersAttendanceRef.
9 August 2008 Crystal Palace Away 0–0 15,614 [MR 2]
16 August 2008 Charlton Athletic Home 1–0 Smith 28' 14,413 [MR 3]
23 August 2008 Nottingham Forest Away 2–3 Smith 22', 61' 20,005 [MR 4]
30 August 2008 Ipswich Town Home 2–1 Eustace 59', O'Toole 87' 16,345 [MR 5]
13 September 2008 Sheffield Wednesday Away 0–2 17,066 [MR 6]
16 September 2008 Plymouth Argyle Home 1–2 O'Toole 83' 13,237 [MR 7]
20 September 2008 Reading Home 2–2 Smith 57', O'Toole 64' 14,761 [MR 1]
27 September 2008 Sheffield United Away 1–2 O'Toole 56' 24,427 [MR 8]
30 September 2008 Burnley Away 2–3 Hoskins 6', 45' 10,033 [MR 9]
4 October 2008 Preston North End Home 2–1 Harley 12', Smith 21' 14,087 [MR 10]
18 October 2008 Southampton Away 3–0 Priskin 10', 41', Eustace 30' 17,454 [MR 11]
21 October 2008 Cardiff City Home 2–2 O'Toole 2', Hoskins 24' 13,461 [MR 12]
25 October 2008 Wolverhampton Wanderers Home 2–3 Rasiak 21', O'Toole 47' 16,386 [MR 13]
28 October 2008 Preston North End Away 0–2 11,234 [MR 14]
1 November 2008 Blackpool Home 3–4 Hoskins 4', Rasiak 36', Smith 68' pen. 13,517 [MR 15]
9 November 2008 Swansea City Away 1–3 L. Williamson 33' 13,891 [MR 16]
15 November 2008 Barnsley Away 1–2 Smith 52' 11,285 [MR 17]
22 November 2008 Queens Park Rangers Home 3–0 Smith 26' pen., Ward 34', Williamson 45' 16,201 [MR 18]
25 November 2008 Bristol City Away 1–1 Smith 72' 15,551 [MR 19]
29 November 2008 Doncaster Rovers Home 1–1 Smith 31' 14,008 [MR 20]
6 December 2008 Birmingham City Away 2–3 Priskin 7', Jenkins 89' 18,174 [MR 21]
10 December 2008 Norwich City Home 2–1 Priskin 16', Smith 64' 13,268 [MR 22]
13 December 2008 Coventry City Home 2–1 Smith 62' pen., O'Toole 72' 14,075 [MR 23]
20 December 2008 Derby County Away 0–1 27,833 [MR 24]
26 December 2008 Bristol City Home 2–4 Rasiak 49', Elliott 65 o.g. 15,527 [MR 25]
28 December 2008 Queens Park Rangers Away 0–0 16,196 [MR 26]
9 January 2009 Reading Away 0–4 18,072 [MR 27]
17 January 2009 Sheffield United Home 0–2 14,555 [MR 28]
27 January 2009 Burnley Home 3–0 McAnuff 2', Priskin 78', 90' 13,193 [MR 29]
31 January 2009 Wolverhampton Wanderers Away 1–3 Mariappa 81' 23,571 [MR 30]
17 February 2009 Swansea City Home 2–0 Priskin 23', Smith 33' 13,727 [MR 31]
21 February 2009 Blackpool Away 2–0 M. Williamson 54, Priskin 85 7,451 [MR 32]
28 February 2009 Crystal Palace Home 2–0 Cowie 22', Jose Fonte 72' o.g. 15,529 [MR 33]
3 March 2009 Plymouth Argyle Away 1–2 Smith 59' 9,529 [MR 34]
7 March 2009 Charlton Athletic Away 3–2 Cowie 17', Rasiak 56', Priskin 83' 20,052 [MR 35]
10 March 2009 Nottingham Forest Home 2–1 Rasiak 5', Priskin 43' 14,730 [MR 36]
14 March 2009 Sheffield Wednesday Home 2–2 Beevers 45' o.g., McAnuff 56' 16,294 [MR 37]
18 March 2009 Cardiff City Away 1–2 Smith 10' pen 17,899 [MR 38]
21 March 2009 Ipswich Town Away 0–0 21,434 [MR 39]
4 April 2009 Doncaster Rovers Away 2–1 Hird 13' o.g., Cowie 18' 12,126 [MR 40]
7 April 2009 Southampton Home 2–2 Cauna 21', Priskin 66' 16,066 [MR 41]
11 April 2009 Barnsley Home 1–1 Smith 88' 16,052 [MR 42]
13 April 2009 Norwich City Away 0–2 25,487 [MR 43]
18 April 2009 Birmingham City Home 0–1 16,180 [MR 44]
25 April 2009 Coventry City Away 3–2 Smith 58', Rasiak 61', Priskin 74' 17,195 [MR 45]
3 May 2009 Derby County Home 3–1 McAnuff 14', Rasiak 28', 41' 16,131 [MR 46]
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Results summary

More information Overall, Home ...
OverallHomeAway
PldWDLGFGAGDPtsWDLGFGAGDWDLGFGAGD
46 16 10 20 68 72  −4 58 11 6 6 42 32  +10 5 4 14 26 40  −14
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Last updated: 17 March 2013.
Source: Fussballdaten.de

Final league table

More information Pos, Pld ...
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]
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Updated to match(es) played on 3 May 2009. Source: The Football League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
Notes:
  1. [a]
    Crystal Palace were give a one-point deduction for using an ineligible player during a match against Sheffield United on 3 May 2009.[6]

FA Cup

More information Round, Date ...
FA Cup match details
Round Date Opponent Venue Result
F–A		 Watford
scorers		 Opposition
scorers		 Attendance Ref.
Third round 3 January 2009 Scunthorpe United Home 1–0 Rasiak 67' — 8,690 [MR 47]
Fourth round 24 January 2009 Crystal Palace Home 4–3 DeMerit 17', Cork 27', Hoskins 67', Rasiak 70' Hill 48', Ifill 83', 90' 10,006 [MR 48]
Fifth round 14 February 2009 Chelsea Home 1–3 Priskin 69' Anelka 75', 77', 90' 16,851 [MR 49]
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League Cup

More information Round, Date ...
League Cup match details
RoundDateOpponentVenueResult
F–A		 Watford
scorers		 Opposition
scorers		 Attendance Ref.
First round 12 August 2008 Bristol Rovers Home 1–0 Hoskins 88' — 5,574 [MR 50]
Second round 28 August 2008 Darlington Home 2–1 (a.e.t.) Francis 37', O'Toole 116' Blundell 90' 5,236 [MR 51]
Third round 23 September 2008 West Ham United Home 1–0 Mullins 70' o.g. — 12,914 [MR 52]
Fourth round 11 November 2008 Swansea City Away 1–0 Williamson 21' — 9,549 [MR 53]
Fifth round 3 December 2008 Tottenham Hotspur Home 1–2 Priskin 13' Pavlyuchenko 45' pen., Bent 76' 16,501 [MR 54]
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Player information

First-team squad

Squad at end of season[7]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

More information No., Pos. ...
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Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

More information No., Pos. ...
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Transfers

In

More information Date, Nationality ...
Date Nationality Position Name Club From Fee Reference
18 July 2008 ENG DF Jon Harley Burnley Free [8]
26 January 2009 ENG DF Mike Williamson Wycombe Wanderers Undisclosed [9]
2 February 2009 SCO MF Don Cowie Inverness CT Nominal [10]
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Out

More information Date, Nationality ...
Date Nationality Position Name Club To Fee Reference
30 May 2008 ENG MF Jordan Stewart Derby County Free [11]
8 July 2008 FRA MF Toumani Diagouraga Hereford United Undiclosed [12]
22 July 2008 ENG FW Darius Henderson Sheffield United £2,000,000 [13]
6 August 2008 NGA DF Danny Shittu Bolton Wanderers Undisclosed [14]
23 January 2009 ENG FW Lionel Ainsworth Huddersfield Town Undisclosed [15]
27 February 2009 ENG FW Moses Ashikodi Shrewsbury Town Free [16][17]
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Loan In

More information Date, Nationality ...
Date Nationality Position Name Club From Length Reference
15 August 2008 POL FW Grzegorz Rasiak Southampton Full-Season [18]
27 November 2008 ENG MF Liam Bridcutt Chelsea One Month [19]
31 December 2008 ENG DF Gavin Hoyte Arsenal Until end of season [20]
2 January 2009 ENG MF Jack Cork Chelsea Until end of season [21]
2 February 2009 LAT MF Aleksandrs Cauņa Skonto FC Until end of season [10]
24 March 2009 ENG DF Danny Rose Tottenham Hotspur Until end of season [22]
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Loan Out

More information Date, Nationality ...
Date Nationality Position Name Club To Length Reference
30 May 2008 ENG FW Nathan Ellington Derby County Full-Season [11]
5 August 2008 ENG FW Moses Ashikodi Hereford United Until January [23]
21 November 2008 ENG FW Lionel Ainsworth Hereford United One Month [24]
12 January 2009 ENG DF Leigh Bromby Sheffield United Until end of season [25]
23 January 2009 FRA DF Cédric Avinel FC Gueugnon Until end of season [26]
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Squad, appearances and goals

More information No., Pos ...
No. Pos Nat Player TotalChampionshipFA CupLeague Cup
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Goalkeepers
1 GK Estonia EST Mart Poom 70700000
14 GK England ENG Scott Loach 3803103040
16 GK England ENG Richard Lee 1101001000
Defenders
2 DF England ENG Gavin Hoyte 100703000
3 DF England ENG Mat Sadler 1601501000
6 DF United States USA Jay DeMerit 3813203130
12 DF England ENG Lloyd Doyley 4303702040
15 DF England ENG Jon Harley 4313712040
23 DF England ENG Adrian Mariappa 4713913050
24 DF England ENG Mike Williamson 1711710000
Midfielders
4 MF England ENG Jack Cork 2111902100
7 MF Scotland SCO Don Cowie 1131031000
11 MF Jamaica JAM Jobi McAnuff 4534033020
14 MF Jamaica JAM Lee Williamson 3833421031
Forwards
9 FW Hungary HUN Tamas Priskin 411436122131
21 FW England ENG Tommy Smith 491744172030
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References

External links

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