Watford Football Club
Nicknames – The Hornets, The Golden Boys
Best PL finish – 13th (2015/16)
Watford have been in the Premier League for the past three seasons, but this is not their first venture. The Hornets have been in the top flight two times before but were relegated in the subsequent campaigns. Those stints came in 1999/00 and 2006/07, and they finished 20th both those times.
The current run has been better, and they achieved their highest finish of 13th in 2015/16. A constant change of manager has been the theme in recent years, but Watford have continued to maintain their Premier League status.
The hierarchy at Vicarage Road will hope to see Watford become a regular Premier League outfit. The signs look promising as of now, and Javi Gracia’s side is currently placed 8th in the table.
Top 5 Record Transfer Fees (as of 04/02/19)
- Andre Gray – £18.5 m (from Burnley – August 2017)
- Isaac Success – £12.5 m (from Granada – July 2016)
- Gerard Deulofeu – £11.5 m (from Barcelona – June 2018)
- Richarlison – £11.0 m (from Fluminese – August 2017)
- Roberto Pereyra – £10.4 m (from Juventus – August 2016)
(Figures include initial fees in GBP at the time of the transfer, as reported by the BBC unless specified otherwise)
Biggest Flop – Sven Kums
Sven who? You can be excused if this thought creeps into your mind. A relatively nondescript player, Kums was signed by Watford in 2016 for £8.5 from Gent, which was a sizeable amount for them at the time. The Belgian midfielder was 28 at the time, which made his recruitment all the more puzzling.
He was immediately loaned out to Udinese that season and made no appearances in England. Kums did not settle well in Italy, and Udinese sent him back to Watford after one season. Eventually, he returned back to Belgium, signing with Anderlecht.
As it turned out, Kums made no appearances for Watford. That is really bizarre, especially for a player who cost a decent amount of money. God knows what they were thinking at the time.
Biggest bargain – Troy Deeney
Troy Deeney was acquired by Watford from Walsall in 2010. The striker signed for just £500,000, and he has gone on to achieve legendary status at the club. He has made a staggering 327 appearances for the Hornets, scoring 110 goals in the process. Now club captain, Deeney is one of the most influential figures at the club.
His 21 goals in the 2014/15 season helped Watford clinch automatic promotion, while two seasons previously, Deeney netted a dramatic late winner against Leicester City in the playoff semi-final at Vicarage Road, a goal which is remembered to this very day. It is right up there among the most dramatic goals, and watching it even now brings goosebumps.
Deeney is still crucial to Javi Gracia’s plans, and his responsibility off the pitch is also a huge one. A man who lives and breathes Watford FC.
Records and Trivia
- All but one out of the 33 costliest Watford transfers were made after they gained promotion to the Premier League in 2015.
- Adalberto Penaranda got his work permit in November, two years after signing for Watford. The youngster was loaned out in the duration as he was legally not allowed to work in England.
- Watford sold Richarlison to Everton for £50 million in 2018, making a profit of around £39 million on the Brazilian.
