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The fixture at Vicarage Road at the end of September ended in a 1-1 draw with Luke Chadwick getting a second half equaliser for us after Scott Fitzgerald had put Watford in front right on half time.
We had been confident of victory, Watford were next to bottom in the league with only Franchise below them whilst the Clarets were at the time in the top half of the league.
It was a game of seven bookings and a sending off and crucially a game that saw David May injured and out of the side for a number of weeks.
The season for Watford in the end has been somewhat similar to ours, a battle to stay in the division and we go into the game separated only by goal difference and then only by one with Watford at –12 and ourselves at –13.
They are also similar to us in that they have no money but whichever way you look at it their financial crisis came about because of one mad year when all Graham Taylor’s sensible management and housekeeping was thrown into chaos by Gianluca Vialli.
Incredibly a Chelsea fan was calling for his return to Stamford Bridge on Radio 5 Live’s 606 programme yesterday as a replacement for Claudio Ranieri. Amazing.
It has left current boss Ray Lewington, brought in by the Italian and Ray Wilkins, to try and pick up the pieces and he is now more than ably assisted by former Wimbledon manager Terry Burton.
Lewington is hardly able to go into the transfer market on a regular basis but has been able to bring in one new permanent signing since our last meeting. Last month he brought in Paul Mayo from Lincoln for just £6,500 (no I have not missed a 0) and the 22-year-old defender has slotted straight into the side.
He was able to spend that because back in October he sold a defender, Paul Robinson, to West Brom for £250,000.
A month ago they signed another defender, bringing in Southampton’s 21-year-old Northern Ireland international Chris Baird who had spent a successful loan period at Walsall earlier in the season.
Both Mayo and Baird were in the side that beat Dario G’s Crewe yesterday and manager Lewington said it would have been a complete injustice had they not won having been the better side throughout the game by some distance.
He cited the performances of Gavin Mahon and Micah Hyde in midfield and said both were superb in a brilliant midfield.
Watford’s team was: Alec Chamberlain, Chris Baird, Sean Dyche, Marcus Gayle, Paul Mayo, Paul Devlin, Gavin Mahon, Micah Hyde, Lee Cook, Heidar Helguson, Scott Fitzgerald (Hameur Bouazza 68). Subs not used: Lenny Pidgeley, Neal Ardley, Bruce Dyer, Paolo Vernaazza.
Asked about the game at Burnley, Lewington said, "Seven-four would be nice again."
It would if it was the other way round although we don’t want to be conceding as many as four. There’s no Chopra and it is now time to wipe that result away and pick up another three points.
Click HERE to see all Watford’s results this season.
Past Results in the last 20 years
Season | Div | Ven | Result | Att | Scorers |
a | |||||
1994/95 | 1 | h | 1-1 | 11,739 | Eyres |
a | 0-2 | 9,297 | |||
1996/97 | 2 | a | 2-2 | 6,450 | Gleghorn Smith |
h | 4-1 | 8,269 | Cooke(3) Parkinson | ||
1997/98 | 2 | a | 0-1 | 11,155 | |
h | 2-0 | 9,551 | Cooke(2) | ||
2000/01 | 1 | a | 1-0 | 13,653 | Taylor |
h | 2-0 | 18,283 | Payton Mullin | ||
2001/02 | 1 | h | 1-0 | 13,162 | Little |
a | 2-1 | 12,160 | Cox Weller | ||
2002/03 | 1 | a | 1-2 | 13,977 | Taylor |
FAC | a | 0-2 | 20,336 | ||
1 | h | 4-7 | 10,208 | Taylor(3) Davis | |
2003/04 | 1 | a | 1-1 | 11,573 | Chadwick |
Click HERE
to see more results against Watford.