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90min's Definitive A to Z of Watford

Watford have been around since the 1880s but are yet win a major honour in football. However, their remarkable rise from a relatively small team to an established Premier League club in the space of five years is fascinating. 


Furthermore, they've provided one of the most extraordinary and iconic finishes to a football match in recent English football history. So. Handy. 

A is for Aidy Boothroyd

Aidy Boothroyd

One of the best young managers in England during his three-year spell at ​Watford, Bothrooyd gained promotion to the Premier League in his first full season at the club. Things went downhill though and he was replaced in 2008 by none other than Brendan Rodgers. 

B is for Ben Foster

The 36-year-old goalie is still going strong and has been one of the Hornets' best players this season in his second spell with the club. Ageing like a fine wine. 

C is for Cliff Holton

A deadly goalscorer, Holton bagged a club-record 48 goals in the 1959/60 campaign, scoring a juicy 105 goals for Watford in total. 

D is for Lloyd Doyley

​​The Jamaican defender only scored twice for the club, but clocked up over 400 appearances – making him one of Watford's longest-serving players in recent history. A true fan favourite. 

E is for Elton John

One of music's best selling artists, the 73-year-old supported the Hornets growing up and has played a major role in their success as chairman and President. To honour his work, a stand is named after him at Vicarage Road. 

F is for FA Cup Final


Two finals, two losses - their first one came in 1984 when they lost to Everton 2-0, and their recent loss to ​Manchester City in 2019 was (you remember, surely) a 6-0 hammering. 

G is for Graham Taylor

​​From the Football League Fourth Division to the First Division in five years. All led by the great Graham Taylor as manager, also helping them to runner-up places in the FA Cup and First Division. An absolute legend of the club - a statue of Taylor outside the stadium honours his incredible achievements. 

H is for Harry the Hornet


From diving and making fun of Crystal Palace's Wilfried Zaha to celebrating Odion Ighalo's goal against Liverpool - Watford's club mascot is a bit of a hero!

I is for Odion Ighalo


Speak of the devil - the ​Manchester United man impressed in England and bagged 39 goals before his move to China. 

J is for John Barnes 

Better known for his time at ​Liverpool, Barnes debuted for the Hornets aged 17 and was a talented skilful winger. More impressively though, leading up to the 1990 World Cup, he recorded a rap for England's official team song - World in Motion by New Order. Lethal bars and lethal dribbling, eh?

K is for Marlon King


In the 2005/06 season, the striker was the Championship's top goalscorer and was named Watford's Player of the Season. That's good. 

He's since been jailed on multiple occasions, including for groping a woman and breaking her nose when she turned him down. That's very, very bad. 

L is for Luther Blisset

The record appearance maker and goalscorer at the club. 503 games. 186 goals. Certified legend. Need we say anymore?

M is for John McClelland

The Northern Ireland defender was an absolute success at Vicarage Road and was exceptional at the back - picking up the Player of the Season award in 1985 and 1988. 

N is for Nigel Gibbs

Spending your whole career at one club for almost 20 years and making 411 league appearances as a right-back is seriously impressive, isn't it? Ask Nigel Gibbs. 

O is for Owners - Pozzos

In 2012, the Hornets were acquired by Giampaolo Pozzo and he has invested heavily in the club with his son Gino now taking over proceedings. 

P is for Gary Porter

A midfielder who also played as a left-back - James Milner is that you? Porter was a set-piece specialist and bagged a hat-trick, including the winner, in one of Watford's most entertaining games ever; a seven-goal thriller against Bolton Wanderers. 

Q is for Domingos Quina

Admittedly not a notable player for the club, but the letter 'Q' is pretty tricky. Signed in 2018 from ​West Ham, the midfielder is Watford's youngest Premier League scorer. 

R is for Ross Jenkins

Ridiculously, there have been two men named Ross Jenkins who have played competitively for the Hornets. This letter is attributed to the forward who spent eleven years at the club – winning the Player of the Season award in 1976 and 1979 – and not...the other one. 

S is for Ismaila Sarr

Yes, he gets in for scoring twice against ​Liverpool to destroy their invincible season, causing many football fans across England to celebrate and crack open the champagne. He deserves it. 

T is for Troy Deeney

Captain. Leader. Legend. The burly striker joined in 2010 and has since been a constant source of leadership, grit and goals for the Hornets. He's also provided one of the greatest self-assessments in football: "I've got a big head and teeth like a shark, so what?"


Moreover, the talisman has scored one of the most incredible goals in English football - read on to find out more... 

U is for Dave Underwood


Not the easiest letter, so if you've heard of this guy give yourself a pat on the back. The goalkeeper played for a year in Hertfordshire and then left to go to Liverpool. 

V is for Vicarage Road

Watford FC v Liverpool FC - Premier League

Home to Watford's matches since 1922, the stadium houses just over 20,000 fans. 

W is for Wilf Rostron

Spending ten years at the Hornets, the left-winger/left-back's attacking instincts helped the club to second place in the First Division and a FA Cup Final. 

X is for An Extremely Exciting End To A Football Match

Insane. Extraordinary. Unbelievable. 

14th May 2013 - Watford vs Leicester - stoppage time.

YouTube it. 

Now. 

Y is for Yellow and Black

The Hornets don the attractive "bee-esque" kit and have had the two colours on their kit since 1959. 

Z is for Z-Cars

In 1964, Watford adopted the television drama Z-Cars as its tune for the players to walk out to. Why? Well, because it was the manager's favourite television programme - so thank Bill McGarry for that. 


Source : 90min