Eternally eighteenth

Despite defeat at home last week and a 3-0 beating at St Andrews yesterday, WFC are still in 18th. With the two teams directly above us losing too, we haven't slid backwards but ground has been made below us with Bristol City and Millwall both notching up victories.Darius Henderson got his second consecutive hat-trick for the Lions at Bansley. I'd have him back.

Another year of the Championship

Hull City v Watford

Wednesday 14^th May

I arrived at work to find all systems down and classes cancelled as a consequence. The guy who bid me leave said I’d be able to watch the Rangers game but I corrected him. Jun and I went to a pub near Mornington Crescent that I’d phoned to check would show it having been turned away from the local earlier. It was a dream start for us. After eleven minutes, good work by Jobi McAnuff led to Darius Henderson pulling off a one-two with Nathan Ellington in the box and slotting us in front. We stayed on the front foot and dominated without really looking like adding to the total until a couple of minutes before half-time when a Hull cross that didn’t look dangerous saw Richard Lee stranded and a ridiculously high header go over him and in.

We never looked like we’d score again after the break and with half an hour left Betty gambled by bringing on striker Tamas Priskin and taking off defender Adrian Mariappa, who’d made a terrible back pass in the first half and had been lucky not to give away a penalty in the second. The Hungarian smashed another shot at the keeper soon after coming on (as he had Sunday) but crossing the ball would probably have meant a goal. Hull took off Windass and brought on Folan, who made an immediate impact. It was downhill from there. They scored a second, meaning we needed three more (haven’t scored four all season), and in the final two minutes they added two more. The fans invaded the pitch twice and Mexican waves rocked the KC stadium. 6-1 on aggregate and yet we played better passing football than I’ve seen us do for ages. We need strikers, a midfielder, a right back and perhaps a keeper. As for the manager, that debate will rage but I’m prepared to stand by him if the dressing room are.

Ten go six for six

Watford v Stoke City

Saturday 15^th March

Julie, Jo and I had a sharp one in The Britannia on Euston’s concourse and made our way to Watford’s Moon Under Water, which has become a regular pit-stop, for an equally quick pint. We followed a few chanting Stokies for a way and met Joss at the seats. I had a spare ticket, which I’d offered belatedly and unconvincingly on my first attempt at “leading” a Jack the Ripper tour Friday evening, that I’d thought one of Joss’ friends might have taken up. It’s the first time that’s happened though my season ticket will be available for the Palace game in April (friends’ wedding) and much of next season. Let’s face it, the threat I made a few games ago was as empty as Luton Town’s bank account.

This was a déjà vu game: a man sent off, a positive reaction from fans and team, domination of possession (we were all over them yet with no real prospect of scoring), a saved Henderson penalty, a point. Stoke didn’t come to win so if the red card to our captain John Eustace, who we bought from them less than two months ago, was unjust, it’s time to claim robbery again. I haven’t seen it - the word is that it was high and given the injury to Eduardo, it is hardly an unbelievable decision - but joined in the invective aimed at the ref, Rob Styles, anyway. Why not?

We’ve had six draws in a row and yet automatic promotion is back in our own hands despite Hendo failing to convert penalties against the top two teams, losing us four points and gaining each of them one. Why? Simple, because they are dropping more points than us. Bristol City lost at home today to Plymouth Argyle while WBA (who drew at home to Palace on Wednesday) were 1-0 up, went down to ten men at home against relegation-worried Leicester and lost 4-1. Charlton have dropped out of the play-off places and it is Hull and Plymouth, our next two away games (I’m going to Home Park Easter Saturday), who are in fifth and sixth.

What would Joss be missing if I hadn’t already renewed our tickets? On the football side I believe it will be a Premiership season that we struggle to survive. If I’m wrong, it’ll be because we don’t go up and I wouldn’t like to wager on us getting out with the knowledge of no more parachute payments if we fail. That way only lies a to-January plan and the club don’t have the patience.

I expect, still - and given all I’ve seen - to be cheering on Watford for the first few weeks of another Premiership season come August and then allowing my ticket to be used by more fair-weather-fans while Jun and I head to the other side of the world. I hope those in the front-row seat go home at least as hoarse as I was today.

Fifth draw on the trot

Bristol City v Watford

Tuesday 11^th March

Before the game I was wondering why I hadn’t treated myself to this trip: I was hyper at home with no early start Wednesday. Then Three Counties Radio became unavailable online (contractual obligations, I believe) and so the experience was relegated to the trusty BBC live text online (refreshes every two minutes). An excerpt:

16:46
Attacking throw-in by Jamie McAllister (Bristol City).

16:07
Collins John (Watford) caught offside. Indirect free kick taken right-footed by Adriano Basso (Bristol City) from own half, resulting in open play.

15:07
Cross by Jordan Stewart (Watford), shot by Collins John (Watford) mishit left-footed from centre of penalty area (12 yards), missed right. Goal kick taken long by Adriano Basso (Bristol City).

It is not like being there.

Meanwhile I read that teams that play in red at home have the advantage, but worse, those that play in yellow or orange do worst at home - something no Watford fan would disagree with this season - and watched other scores come in (Luton went two-down at Carlisle within 30 minutes). Doing the latter evoked a fondness for smaller teams I’ve known supporters of: Brighton (Rob & Andy) equalised, as did Barnsley (Sue) while Oldham (Luke) go one- and Aldershot (Daniel from Old Street) two-nil up.

It’s not the same when a flash comes up “missed penalty” and you hurry your eyes to find out which team (us) and who (Darius Henderson).

Unsurprisingly, the lure of The Poles Are Coming, the latest in the BBC’s White season, was stronger than the static screen and I got to see Lithuanian’s and Poles who “loved to work hard” in Peterborough, “the first town in the world designed by a computer”. Or as the slightly insincere-seeming presenter summed the place up when closing: “strangely attractive to the rest of the world”.

The White season has been a mixed bag so far but the first documentary, Last Orders, which followed part of the slow demise of a Workingmen’s Club in a poor area of Bradford, has been the most ‘in-te-resting’. In some ways it called to mind Julian Baggini’s Welcome to Everytown, which I enjoyed six months ago, not least because of its concern with the concepts of fairness and desert. The programme, however, seemed keen to focus on BNP support whereas the book distinguished carefully between racism and a wariness of change.

The penalty was saved “superbly” and the game finished goalless. Watford had started in third and could be fourth after the Baggie’s home game against Palace (Glenn) tomorrow.

Two leads lost

Burnley v Watford

Saturday 1^st March

Tens of civilians are massacred by the Israeli war machine in Gaza the day after the country’s deputy defence minister threatens “a bigger shoah” and in a week that has already seen 33 Palestinians killed. The term “asymmetrical warfare” formalises the disparity highlighted by The Guardian that “80 Palestinians were killed and 82 injured by Israeli military strikes in Gaza in January alone. At the same time 267 rockets and 256 mortars were fired towards Israel, injuring nine Israelis.” The final score for the month, to recap: 80 Palestinian and no Israeli deaths, 82 Palestinian and 9 Israeli injuries. No wonder Matan Vilnai uses the word holocaust to describe the fate of the Palestinians.

Having gone to bed only after I’d stayed up all night and later read the threats in the paper that morning, I was up to watch the live text on the BBC website and see the Horns go from a goal up at Turf Moor (Darius Henderson) to conceding an equaliser before going ahead again through Jordan Stewart. Within a minute of that second goal, however, we’d let in another and the game finished 2-2. Stoke lost in midweek against Preston and play QPR away tomorrow. West Brom won today but so did Bristol City, who are now top of the league.

Passing point

Watford v Preston North End

Saturday 23^rd February

Had an email from the club about renewing season tickets that I didn’t have time to respond to before I left a little earlier than usual. I stopped off at the Buzz Store and bought a t-shirt I thought Joss would like but when I got to Kerry’s and asked how his behaviour had been, she ummed and erred and brought out his recent school report. There were 15 negative referrals (13 positive) and they included things like throwing a sweet at a supply teacher. I was not impressed and put on my best “This is not acceptable” face.

Walking to the ground I told the younger Watford Boy that I would not buy him a season ticket for next year unless his next report was better (seven or fewer negative referrals). Though I stressed that I meant it, we will have to wait until June to discover whether it has the desired effect. I took the opportunity to explain to my bumfluffed nephew that I wouldn’t be around for much of the following season.

We were a couple of minutes late despite my good intentions this morning and I had to gesture a “hop it” at the boys who’d temporarily occupied our seats. A group of kids Joss reckons to be 12-14 seems to have built up in the location of the front-row singers: I overhead one say he came down from where he sat with his dad elsewhere. They guy on the opposite side of the aisle, who I have mentioned before and whose name is Liam, is clearly their inspiration. He’s funny and passionate and “our” leader. I play the loudest voiced lieutenant, though we’ve never talked, and of course there are others in the Yellow Army around the front who lead chants and songs too. These boys are the new recruits and slightly annoying one or two of them were too, at times, but essentially harmless and learning how to behave at football matches. I can’t help hoping Joss is a little more mature in my absence, but I doubt it.

Well, we in the front and back rows cheered them on as usual, as Watford played a good passing game (not so usual) for much of the first half, bossing possession and with some good opportunities, many of which Jobi McAnuff played an important role in creating. However, Nathan Ellington wasted a couple of the resulting free-kicks and Darius Henderson missed at a tight angle after rounding the keeper (“Lonergan, you were long gone”, our leader taunted). The guy behind us (OK, I promise I’ll ask his name next time) talked to me and we chatted about our better football and the games to come.

The second half was much of the same though Preston had a period of possession that didn’t trouble us (they’d hit the post in the first half). We kept cheering them on and “we’re the back row” started and resulted in one guy in the middle standing up only to have to change his contribution from “We’re the middle” to “I am the middle over here”, which served as light relief. Then Danny Shittu headed against the post and it was hard at first to tell that the ball was looping out and away. Finally, Hendo and Nathan Ellington combined to bundle the ball in but even as I was hugging Joss someone said it had been disallowed. At the final whistle, we clapped as some of the people, a tiny “middle” minority, booed. The same people, of course, who had failed to sing all game.

I went round to Sarah & Trevor’s to deliver a belated birthday gift to my two-year-old niece, Kasey. Her parents had primed her with the information that “Uncle Handsome” was coming round so as she is learning to speak she is associating the word handsome with my face. Who knows what damage that will do her? All were well and in fine form, with Beth as keen to be in front of the camera as ever.

Twelve men and you fucked it up

Watford v Leicester City

Tuesday 12^th February

Had to walk from the Junction to the stadium via the pub cos I can’t take the bike on the train. Joss was in before I got there and I joined him with programmes and finally returned his Simpsons Movie DVD. Tommy Smith missed his first game of the season (knee) and Captain America is still out injured. The new boys: Mat Sadler, John Eustace and Leigh Bromby all started; Collins John (from Fulham on loan) is yet to get fit.

We started well and the Rookery picked up where it left off ten days ago. Shooting towards the Vicarage Road end, we kept their keeper busy and he looked good for it. They hardly had a chance down our end until about the fortieth minute. Last man Adrian Mariappa made a hash of a ball by committing himself too early and it was past him and being chased by two on two. Steven Clemence, who was by no means certain to get the ball, pulled up indicating he’d been tugged from behind by John Joe O’Toole, our Irish international, and did a whole dance (no song) when the ref gave nothing. I started off a “drama queen” chant but it didn’t last long as the assistant referee summoned the ref over and after a lengthy consultation, JJ was red carded and the Foxes had a free-kick twenty yards out.

Fortunately the free-kick came to nothing but the Yellow Army responded well to the injustice (Bromby was a covering and therefore JJ was not the last man) and after a few expected “You’ve only got twelve men” chants, started into the whole repertoire. Within a few minutes, however, songs gave way to cheers as Darius Henderson poked in a Bromby cross-shot and the ten men went in one up at the break.

The second half was all about the noise the Yellow Army brought. We didn’t stop and even the middle of the Rookery, and parts of the East Stand and Rous were getting involved. Fortunately, the intended effect came to pass rather than the Watford players just stopping in amazement on hearing positive noise from the stands on the side of the pitch. Against constant pressure but no real chances, we held out for all three points and there was a massive celebration at the end. Henderson ran his legs off closing things down from the front and is definitely our post-King hero.

Happy New Year

Southampton v Watford

Tuesday January 1^st 2008

I’m afraid that while this is a game that was reachable, the timing was always unlikely to make it happen. I was at home on the wii again with Deyika. BBC supplied the scores and it was great to see Damien Francis scoring his second so soon after his return from injury. This was supplemented by goals for Marlon King (11^th of the season) and Darius Henderson (10^th) as we maintained our fantastic away record with a 3-0 win. West Brom lost at Ipswich so we are level on points and behind them on goal difference.

Four out of three

After a gripping 2-2 home draw with seventeenth-placed Colchester closely followed last week’s lame 3-0 drubbing by West Brom at Vicarage Road, there are some among Watford’s Yellow Army who are losing the faith. Not least because we beat Norwich convincingly at Carrow Road midweek and had 26 goal attempts against the U’s, I am still part of the Watford faithful.

The Hornets have won eleven of sixteen games and are eight points clear of second-placed Charlton at the top of the Championship, though West Brom can close the gap to six points on Monday if they win at Coventry. It’s a great start for the club that was relegated bottom of the Premiership in May, six points below nineteenth-placed Charlton and eleven points from safety. At first sight, the current position seems even more impressive given the sale of Ashley Young and Hameur Bouazza, two players who emerged through the youth-team and scored almost a third of the Hornet’s goals in the top flight.

Scratch those facts though and you see that those two players only scored eight goals between them (Young left in January) and the team managed only 28, one fewer than they have so far in the second tier. This season is already a different prospect: Darius Henderson and Marlon King have each scored nine and Adam Johnson, on loan from Middlesbrough, is on five. Current rates would see both players score more than they did when we won promotion two years ago. The year in the Premiership, most of which “the King of Vicarage Road” missed through injury, leaving “Doris” playing in an unfamiliar role, can partly be dismissed as part of the learning curve that Watford are on.

Watford’s early success comes despite the repeated assertion by the manager – Aidy “Betty” Boothroyd – that the team is not playing well and that there is better to come. That may just be a psychological tactic but there are not many who would claim Watford are artists of the beautiful game. “Three nil to the football team,” Baggies’ fans taunted last week and there was a poverty of imagination from the Golden Boys in that game. Going two goals down in a two-minute spell is not explanation enough; Watford have played the long ball, the percentage game, even when they didn’t need to. There are glimpses of better but it might not be until Gareth Williams and Damien Francis come back from injury that the midfield can hope to be significantly more confident in the passing game.

Before I go on to the hypothetical, perhaps I should justify my faith. Some Watford fans allow themselves to be haunted by memories of 2000/1, when Watford briefly topped the table ahead of the competition (Fulham) at about this stage of the season before a thrashing at Craven Cottage saw the Hertfordshire club limp to a 9^th placed finish. Betty and others have stated that it is far too early to be looking at this season’s table but is that true? Can history tell us anything other than the fact that seven years Watford drifted into the sort of oblivion that Cardiff managed last season? Top after 16 games with 33 points, the Bluebirds finished 13^th on 64 points, thereby managing the rare feat of winning more points in the first third of the season than in the following two-thirds added together.

Yes. History can tell us that last season was a real blip. After sixteen games, eventual champions Sunderland were in 17^th position and neither of the other promoted sides was in the top three. In each of the previous four seasons, at least one of the automatically promoted teams was in a top two position at this point (Both Reading and Sheffield United in 2005/6, Wigan (eventually second) were top with 36 points after 16 games in 2004/5, WBA second after 16 and second at the end of 2003/4, Portsmouth and Leicester top and second (as they would finish) at this point of 2002/3. At least one of Watford, West Brom or Charlton are statistically likely to be automatically promoted. Many fans predicted that in August, though. Then again, they would probably have suggested Sheffield United would be in the mix too. Unless they “do a Sunderland”, the best they can hope for is the play-offs, like all but the bottom five clubs.

The table is far from irrelevant, whatever anyone tries to say. Tables do not lie any more after sixteen games than they do after forty six; they simply incorporate less information. Tables speak stats and matches speak stories: Watford players are disappointed with draws while their opponents are over the proverbial natural satellite. That is because Watford are top, and top they will stay for the rest of this year, though perhaps not the rest of the season. As well as the goal scorers, they have the team ethic necessary to navigate the Championship steeplechase.

There will be a wobble. There has to be, and some seem to think we are already feeling it. They may be right but with the international break upon us, it will be some time before we see whether that is the case. Betty has brought the team out of the other two breaks with back-to-back wins and there is no reason why Barnsley away and Burnley at home should not be games Watford can win, especially since their form away is now better than at home.

Watford can probably afford to lose two more games before Christmas and still be top when they travel to Southampton on New Year’s Day 2008. Bristol City, second for a handful of matches, can now be written out of the top two positions, especially since they travel to Vicarage Road and The Hawthorns in December. WBA also host Charlton and Wolves within the next five weeks. If they take maximum points from these three home games, they are likely to open up a gap over the third place team and could perhaps even steal pole position. For that to happen, though, their away record will have to improve.

I predict that Watford will be top of the Championship on December 31^st 2007. With the loss of ‘Boro on-loan wonder-kid Johnson and a defensive gap created by Danny Shittu going to the African Cup, the opening of the transfer window in January will be crucial to all of the teams looking for promotion and perhaps even for their subsequent possibility of surviving in the Premiership. Even the automatically-promoted teams will need to have better players and better teams than they have now. However, it is not just a question of buying in players that make the team stronger (rather than just boosting the squad) but also the capacity to avoid being raided by more-moneyed Premiership clubs when those windows open.

Aidy Boothroyd has proved he has what it takes to motivate his players. Some doubt his ability in the transfer market and it seems that the majority of those bought and brought into the squad in January 2007 have been superfluous to the team’s requirements. The summer splash brought in Jobi McAnuff from Crystal Palace and Nathan Ellington from WBA but these two players have yet to justify their transfer fees. The competition for places created by their purchase, though, may be a part of the motivation for the 23 goals scored by the players keeping them out of the team.

I have faith. Come and check it again in January.

Three out of Four

After a gripping 2-2 home draw with seventeenth-placed Colchester closely followed last week’s lame 3-0 drubbing by West Brom at Vicarage Road, there are some among Watford’s Yellow Army who are losing the faith. Not least because we beat Norwich convincingly at Carrow Road midweek and had 26 goal attempts against the U’s, I am still part of the Watford faithful.

The Hornets have won eleven of sixteen games and are eight points clear of second-placed Charlton at the top of the Championship, though West Brom can close the gap to six points on Monday if they win at Coventry. It’s a great start for the club that was relegated bottom of the Premiership in May, six points below nineteenth-placed Charlton and eleven points from safety. At first sight, the current position seems even more impressive given the sale of Ashley Young and Hameur Bouazza, two players who emerged through the youth-team and scored almost a third of the Hornet’s goals in the top flight.

Scratch those facts though and you see that those two players only scored eight goals between them (Young left in January) and the team managed only 28, one fewer than they have so far in the second tier. This season is already a different prospect: Darius Henderson and Marlon King have each scored nine and Adam Johnson, on loan from Middlesbrough, is on five. Current rates would see both players score more than they did when we won promotion two years ago. The year in the Premiership, most of which “the King of Vicarage Road” missed through injury, leaving “Doris” playing in an unfamiliar role, can partly be dismissed as part of the learning curve that Watford are on.

Watford’s early success comes despite the repeated assertion by the manager – Aidy “Betty” Boothroyd – that the team is not playing well and that there is better to come. That may just be a psychological tactic but there are not many who would claim Watford are artists of the beautiful game. “Three nil to the football team,” Baggies’ fans taunted last week and there was a poverty of imagination from the Golden Boys in that game. Going two goals down in a two-minute spell is not explanation enough; Watford have played the long ball, the percentage game, even when they didn’t need to. There are glimpses of better but it might not be until Gareth Williams and Damien Francis come back from injury that the midfield can hope to be significantly more confident in the passing game.

Before I go on to the hypothetical, perhaps I should justify my faith. Some Watford fans allow themselves to be haunted by memories of 2000/1, when Watford briefly topped the table ahead of the competition (Fulham) at about this stage of the season before a thrashing at Craven Cottage saw the Hertfordshire club limp to a 9^th placed finish. Betty and others have stated that it is far too early to be looking at this season’s table but is that true? Can history tell us anything other than the fact that seven years Watford drifted into the sort of oblivion that Cardiff managed last season? Top after 16 games with 33 points, the Blues finished 13^th on 64 points, thereby managing the rare feat of winning more points in the first third of the season than in the following two-thirds added together.

Yes. History can tell us that last season was a real blip. After sixteen games, eventual champions Sunderland were in 17^th position and neither of the other promoted sides was in the top three. In each of the previous four seasons, at least one of the automatically promoted teams was in a top two position at this point (Both Reading and Sheffield United in 2005/6, Wigan (eventually second) were top with 36 points after 16 games in 2004/5, WBA second after 16 and second at the end of 2003/4, Portsmouth and Leicester top and second (as they would finish) at this point of 2002/3. At least one of Watford, West Brom or Charlton are statistically likely to be automatically promoted. Many fans predicted that in August, though. Then again, they would probably have suggested Sheffield United would be in the mix too. Unless they “do a Sunderland”, the best they can hope for is the play-offs, like all but the bottom five clubs.

The table is far from irrelevant, whatever anyone tries to say. Tables do not lie any more after sixteen games than they do after forty six; they simply incorporate less information. Tables speak stats and matches speak stories: Watford players are disappointed with draws while their opponents are over the proverbial natural satellite. That is because Watford are top, and top they will stay for the rest of this year, though perhaps not the rest of the season. As well as the goal scorers, they have the team ethic necessary to navigate the Championship steeplechase.

There will be a wobble. There has to be, and some seem to think we are already feeling it. They may be right but with the international break upon us, it will be some time before we see whether that is the case. Betty has brought the team out of the other two breaks with back-to-back wins and there is no reason why Barnsley away and Burnley at home should not be games Watford can win, especially since their form away is now better than at home.

Watford can probably afford to lose two more games before Christmas and still be top when they travel to Southampton on New Year’s Day 2008. Bristol City, second for a handful of matches, can now be written out of the top two positions, especially since they travel to Vicarage Road and The Hawthorns in December. WBA also host Charlton and Wolves within the next five weeks. If they take maximum points from these three home games, they are likely to open up a gap over the third place team and could perhaps even steal pole position. For that to happen, though, their away record will have to improve.

I predict that Watford will be top of the Championship on December 31^st 2007. With the loss of ‘Boro on-loan wonder-kid Johnson and a defensive gap created by Danny Shittu going to the African Cup, the opening of the transfer window in January will be crucial to all of the teams looking for promotion and perhaps even for their subsequent possibility of surviving in the Premiership. Even the automatically-promoted teams will need to have better players and better teams than they have now. However, it is not just a question of buying in players that make the team stronger (rather than just boosting the squad) but also the capacity to avoid being raided by more-moneyed Premiership clubs when those windows open.

Aidy Boothroyd has proved he has what it takes to motivate his players. Some doubt his ability in the transfer market and it seems that the majority of those bought and brought into the squad in January 2007 have been superfluous to the team’s requirements. The summer splash brought in Jobi McAnuff from Crystal Palace and Nathan Ellington from WBA but these two players have yet to justify their transfer fees. The competition for places created by their purchase, though, may be a part of the motivation for the 23 goals scored by the players keeping them out of the team.

I have faith. Come and check it again in January.

Daylight doubled (and then some)

Coventry City v Watford

Tuesday 23^rd October

The three goal-getters continued their form: Adam Johnson, Marlon King and then Darius Henderson grabbed the glory in a convincing result away from home. Richard Lee kept his second clean sheet in a row and with Charlton losing at home for the first time this season, the Hornets moved nine points clear (at least until Bristol City play tomorrow).

Daylight

Scunthorpe v Watford

Saturday 6^th October

To my shame, it wasn’t until last night that I even knew where Scunthorpe was: I’d told Joss it was up north on the east coast (I think I was thinking of Scarborough). While we were kicking off, I was heading to watch the second-half of the rugby quarter final between England and Australia with Rod and Jan, while Jun and Ying were literally left holding the baby. England won and we assumed that would mean a defeat to New Zealand in the semis but the All Blacks’ defeat to France later has left room for more optimism.

After we’d returned to the restaurant we’d had lunch at from the pub we’d watched victory at, we headed back to Jan & Ying’s in time for the final score and for me to see that Watford had won 3-1 while our closest rivals, Charlton, had drawn and West Brom had lost. Goals from Johnson, Henderson and King have put four points between us and second.

Singyerartsowt

Watford v Sheffield Wednesday

Tuesday 2^nd October

Evening travel from Euston is supposed to mean no bikes but just before the 6.24 was due to leave someone got on with one and I cursed myself for not trying. The walk from the Junction past the Vic seemed a little longer but I met Joss on Hagden Lane and we walked back to the ground. Joss had had his hair cut and told me about the presents he’d received on Sunday, when his age caught up with the number on his shirt.

We were in in time for the warm up again and then Watford burst out of the blocks. We’d already had a couple of chances before Henderson latched on to a Shittu header from a throw-in to score (again) in the sixth minute and within ten more, and after other chances, he’d won a penalty that King converted. Two-nil up with a sixth of the game gone, all that was left to do was sing and we did: this was the Rookery’s best performance in the Championship so far and as good as any last season.

Wednesday did score before half-time and were the better team for much of the second half and it is because of that (on top of our previous two performances) that our “We are top of the league” chant felt a little hollow. We won the match 2-1 and 20 out of a possible 27 points is championship material but despite all the “winning when not playing well” clichés, I am not as optimistic as I should be.

Something to prove

Cardiff City v Watford

Wednesday 19^th September

There was never any way I was heading to Wales midweek so I had the BBC live text on as I caught up with Tim after his trip to South Africa and wedding ceremony. Betty tried his third different starting pairing up front in three games, this time Nathan Ellington started with Sunday’s supersub, Darius Henderson, and the latter put us ahead after 17 minutes with our first shot of the game. Cardiff had Robbie Fowler and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink as their strikers and it was the former Chelsea, ‘Boro and Charlton man who got the equaliser after the break. With twelve minutes to go, Hendo got his fifth in three matches and has shown that the competition has done him the world of good.

It had been mostly draws at the top in last nights’ Championship games, so our 2-1 win tonight took us three points clear of Bristol City, four of Coventry and Charlton five of West Brom, Burnley and Scunthorpe. Leicester City, the only team to beat us so far, languish in 20^th place, with only the one victory. There were fireworks outside my flat later that I imagined was to celebrate the point Doris is proving.

Never say die

Watford v Southampton

Sunday 16^th September

Got up late, ate and left, buying an Observer to read in first class on the train, where I was joined by another Watford fan and some neutrals going to the match, whose conversation I was mostly glad to keep my head buried away from. Stuck my bike in Kerry’s back garden (she was on the computer that Phil brought round) and Joss and I left soon afterwards and made it in with a patch of sweat on my retro Watford shirt just after Z-Cars again.

The results yesterday (most specifically 3^rd placed Bristol City (the Robins) winning 3-0 at top-of-the-table Coventry to pip them) meant that a home win today would put us on top of the pile at least until midweek and I considered putting money where my mouth was but feared jinxing the Golden Boys. Yeah, this rational atheist still succumbs to superstition where football is concerned. Which footie fan doesn’t occasionally wonder if their presence, absence or decision-making isn’t somehow connected to the fortunes of their team?

The only change from the last match was Nathan Ellington starting for Darius Henderson but that was probably predicted by many who saw the problems he created 2 weeks ago. Watford started well and had the first chances (Jobi McAnuff blasted wide) defending the Rookery end but it was a cross from Southampton in the tenth minute that Lee Williamson deflected towards his own net that was the nearest to a goal. Luckily our Latvian keeper Marty Poom got across to his right to keep it out and then we continued to apply pressure until we scored just after the fortieth minute, Danny Shittu steaming in to head in a Tommy Smith cross (with power reminiscent of his headed goal in last seaon’s Carling Cup game against Newcastle) that might otherwise have been Ellington’s first Watford goal.

Unfortunately we couldn’t hold on to the lead until half time. There had been obvious communication problems between Poom and both Shittu & Jay DeMerit, which tells me it is the keeper’s fault, but the ball that led to the goal was just played between the two centre-backs, with Shittu out of position, for Rasiak to slide it in. Joss and I went to look for Matt and Jake at half-time to talk about going to the QPR match together but within five minutes of sitting down for the restart Watford (Marlon King and Ellington) had had two excellent chances which had both resulted in powerful shots being put within reach of the goalie. I was just wondering why they couldn’t place it low rather than blast it high.

So it was that Southampton took the lead with a great looping shot from Dyer past Poom. The space he had, though, was probably again a result of Shittu making a decision not to close him down immediately. The frustration was tangible but I wasn’t feeling it. We had dominated the match overall and I said to Joss that we could still score. I joined in quickly and loudly with chants and started “Aidy Boothroyd’s Yellow Army” a couple of times, urging the lads on.

Henderson had come on for the tiring Ellington a few minutes before Southampton took the lead, and some nice passes led to Smith passing to a very-far-forward Lloyd Doyley, who crossed for the sub to even things up with ten minutes left to play. Into injury time the Saints’ fans “Let’s all have disco” songs had faded from memory when King, who the team were carrying to some extent, won a free kick that was cleared to Gavin Mahon, who pelted it back in for Henderson to have a bite at before toe-poking it into the net with his left foot.

3-2 at the final whistle a minute or so later and a thrilling game was won by the better team. What was really heartening was the desire they showed to win after going behind and the belief that they could. We walked back very content with the spectacle but most especially the result. If games ended after 80 minutes, last season we would have ended up in 14^th position (I read somewhere) but so far this season we are the team getting the late winners. That’s the mark of success.

Top of the League

Watford v Ipswich Town

Saturday 1^st September

Optimistic about our possibilities against a team a point above us, on the train I studied the table and fixtures in the small print of my Guardian to hypothesise positions come five o’clock. Ipswich outplayed us last season in the F.A. Cup but we beat them and I was confident we could repeat the feat. Watford broke their club record fee, paying £3.25 million (rising to £4.25 million) for Nathan “Duke” Ellington from West Brom and picked up a young Argentinean from River Plate on loan this week, which feel like good signings.

I cycled over to Kerry’s for two from the junction to three generations of Goodchilds. Trevor opened the door, Phil made us tea and I chatted with Mum and Brian, who are down for Mo’s Ruby (40^th) Wedding Anniversary Party. Trevor and Sarah had Beth and Kasey with them and the latter is beginning to recognise me, which is lovely. By the end of the day I was getting hugs and kisses.

Joss and I new-routed up to Willow Lane and then across the hospital car park and got in after Z-Cars, which seems to have been put back to its traditional time, and before the kick-off. The Golden Boys, made to play towards the Rookery in the first-half, started well and kept possession far better than in the match seven months ago, while Ipswich hardly threatened. After only 12 minutes, a cushioned header back from Lee Williamson to Darius Henderson resulted in a poor strike going under the recipient, after celebrations for the goal, of “dodgy keeper” chants.

Henderson had a couple of heading chances that went wide before half time but Tommy Smith seemed off the pace again while Marlon King didn’t seem to get in many scoring positions. It was really all us though until after the break when Ipswich had their predictable “period” and we defended “resolutely”. The Rookery were supporting well and the favourite “Mar-lon, Mar-lon, Mar-lon, Mar-lon, he is the King of Vicarage Road” was supplemented today by the presence of our honorary life president: “El-ton, (etc), he is the queen of Vicarage Road”. It felt great to be singing so affectionately when “poof” is still shouted at players who fail to prove themselves sufficiently manly to the seated beer drinkers watching.

Elton gave us a wave and a thoroughly professional performance was capped by Smith dancing between two defenders and smashing it home. Joss and I hugged and the guy in front appeared to start to join in. “Duke “ came on for Henderson, who got a long sing-off, and made a nuisance of himself a few times before the end, hitting the post. Man of the match, though, had to be Lloyd Doyley, whose defending was almost perfect and whose name was sung in celebration of us being top (at least until Coventry won their later game).