Crashing out

Watford v Wolverhampton Wanderers (FA Cup 4^th Round)

Saturday 26^th January

Row R of the Rookery in our third match away from our normal seats provided another better view from which to see Watford concede a goal after just four minutes, Richard Lee stuck in the mud as a lob went over him. I’d already had occasion to glance at the guy next to me and share a couple of disconsolate nods so even after less than 300 seconds this was not a complete surprise.

The rest of the first half was less than enthralling and our less-than-full-strength eleven only had one shot on target, when a Nathan Ellington free-kick was tipped round by their keeper. Marlon King has finally left, joining Wigan rather than Fulham, and we had Tamas Priskin and “The Duke” up front, with ten starts and two league goals between them for the season. Priskin was right off his game and, despite a couple of good touches, Ellington generally still looked less than up-for-it.

Steve Kabba was played on the right, new signing from Birmingham Matt Sadler started at left-back, Al Bangura began for the first time since the Carling Cup games and Malky Mckay was drafted in from semi-retirement. What happened to Douglas Rinaldi, Matt Jackson and Lionel Ainsworth? Surely they are the second string and need the games?

We were sliced apart twice more in the first half of the second period and an exodus of fans left to taunts of “loyal supporter” from the back row boys behind us. Even before they’d got out of the stand, they would have heard the cheer greeting John Joe O’Toole’s goal and I joined in “We’re gonna win 4-3” chants that looked possible for another couple of minutes but it was actually the visitors who had the last laugh, with their centre forward bagging his second in the last minute.

All the “que sera” songs were theirs and Bristol City won in the league to put us third again. If the rested players don’t pull something out of the bag at Brammall Lane on Tuesday, I won’t be the only one wondering whether it was all worth it (even at £10 a ticket for me and £1 for Joss).

Are you watching?

Watford v Charlton Athletic

Saturday 19^th January

The news that Calum Davenport had come in on loan from West Ham was insufficient to quell doubts about our future after the week that saw Watford reject a four-and-a-half million pound bid for Marlon King, Aidy Boothroyd saying “We don’t need to sell”, before accepting a five-million pound bid, with the manager now saying “We are a selling club”.

It is the lack of ambition that is disturbing. We have sold “The King of Vicarage Road” to Fulham, currently second bottom of the Premiership with exactly the same number of points (15) that we had at the same stage (23 games) last season. Why would he want to go there? Ten or fifteen thousand more a week is the answer. Why would we want to sell him? Do we need the money? What happened to the ambition the club has been talking about? If promotion is worth £60 million, why wouldn’t we look at investing for that?

As we walked down Hagden Lane, Joss created a new version of an old favourite: “Ee, i, ee, i, ee, i, oh, down the football league we go. When we get relegation, this is what we sing, we sold Marlon, we sold Marlon, we sold Marlon King.” We got in with a few minutes to spare and sat a few rows back to stay out of the drizzle. Nathan Ellington, in the starting line-up, got a big round of applause as did the new loanee defender.

Davenport started well and looked a far better player than Matt Jackson but did make a small mistake in the middle of the first half. Twenty minutes later, though, he was stretchered from their six-yard box after a four-man collision. We clapped the prostrate figure off and Adrian Mariappa came on, necessitating a change around at the back. Four minutes of stoppage time saw Charlton go nearest to scoring but it was goalless at half-time.

Tommy Smith was our man of the match, running at and passing his man time after time but Damien Francis had looked closest to scoring in the first half. In the second, he dummied a Darius Henderson ball, allowing the Duke to pass the ball into the net in front of us. Things might just be OK after all. The back row sang “Are you watching Marlon King?” and “Fulham are going down” and even added the line “We hate Marlon King” to the “ee, i,” song, which, considering the number of members of staff leaving the club recently, was a bit harsh.

But it was not to be three points. Richard Lee, who’d already made one great stop and made another with five minutes to go, somehow mistimed a dive and allowed the ball to bounce through him and in for a Charlton point. They even threatened to score again but I think honours-even was a fair result.

Down to the bottom

Preston North End v Watford
Saturday 12^th January

With no internet access, I had to rely on the TV for my final scores and the Golden Boys went down 1-0 to the bottom club. We’ve dropped to third in the table and out of the automatic promotion places for the first time since August.

...and we're playing at home

Watford v Crystal Palace (FA Cup 3rd Round)

Saturday January 5^th

Whichever end of the table a team is at, it has become routine for the question to be posed of whether a cup run is a “distraction” from important league business, perhaps because it is unlikely to be little else (a lucrative distraction at most) for any but the top four clubs. Waiting outside the stadium for Joss, I was pleased to hear our team was at full strength, not least because it gave us another chance to break this terrible run of home form. Today was not meant to be taken as a distraction.

Crystal Palace have been the form team of the division, not having lost since we went to Selhurst Park at the end of October (which also marked a turning point in our fortunes). Betty won the Manager of the Month Award, often portrayed as a curse, after that month of victories, and Palace’s Neil Warnock comes to the Vic having just been given the same accolade. All the omens are in place, then.

Joss and I took our seats a few rows from the back of the Rookery (you can change for cup games) and saw Watford boss the early exchanges with the fans right behind them. So far, so much like our last home outing but only half way into the half we take the lead when Danny Shittu heads in a corner; it has been seven games since we’ve gone ahead at home and we agree we’ve got a much better view of it.

Watford’s style of play has been derided as “hoofball” by many, including some of the Watford supporters, and there are shouts to “get it on the ground” at every match. Today, though, we played some better passing football and were less reliant on the long ball. Jobi McAnuff attacked well and Tommy Smith also had the better of his man though both Marlon King and Darius Henderson were unable to profit from the crosses coming in.

Supping on our rapidly-cooling hot chocolate at half-time (a one-litre flask seems too large to do its job) we felt confident the ‘Orns could win the match against an opposition that had made several changes in an attempt, perhaps, not to be distracted from the league. The second half mirrored the first in many ways including Shittu’s second goal. With ten minutes to go King and Henderson were substituted for Nathan Ellington and Tamas Priskin, the latter of whom showed some fantastic touches whereas the “Duke” seemed nonplussed. With a few minutes left we serenaded Shittu off to the African Cup of Nations with his song: “Chim-chimaney, chim-chimaney, chim-chim-cheroo: Who needs Sol Campbell when we’ve got Shittu?” and he saluted us back as he left.

Fourth round, here we come. I’ll take a home draw against anyone outside the big four (or away to one of them). In the meantime, we have to negotiate the transfer window. Gavin Mahon has now become a QPR player and we’ve signed Lionel Ainsworth in full (two loan deals made permanent). We need someone to cover Danny and we’re all hoping that Marlon will stay.

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.

Blowing it

Watford v Cardiff City

Wednesday 26^th December (Boxing Day)

Boxing Day train services are non-existent but I failed to learn this lesson from last year. Consequently, Jun and I had to shell out for a taxi from Wembley to Kerry’s, having left it too late to sit on a replacement bus service. Note to self: next year (if there’s a home game) get the jubilee line to Stanmore and then a cab. Joss told me about his share of the commercialism of the season as we walked to the Vic. Last year’s PSP was stolen recently, so now he’s got a slim white one.

WFC have not won at home in five matches and today’s game does not break the drought. We concede after 34 minutes in boring match that inevitably has people asking whether the players have had too much turkey. After the break, our new captain Jay Demerit (Gavin Mahon has lost favour with Betty, apparently) slotted home a pass from Nathan Ellington (his second assist in two games) but the Bluebirds went ahead again less than ten minutes later. It took until the last couple of minutes of normal time for Watford to get any sense of urgency but by then, many fans had given up and left.

Three minutes of extra-time were awarded and in the fourth of these, Jobi McAnuff got his second goal for the club, a curler from fifteen yards through a packed penalty area high into the top corner. Phew. A home draw against a middling side was suddenly such a relief. Meanwhile, WBA thrashed Bristol City at the Hawthorns, going above us on goal difference.

Kerry made us some food before Jun and I got our second and third taxis of the day (total £58) distributing presents to the nephews and nieces. Later Terri gave us a lift back to Stanmore station and I sang along to Alanis Morissette’s “Ironic”. I’ve always been uncertain about the examples she gives when delineating what the term means, but for a team who wanted to make the Vic a fortress to have the best away record in the country while struggling at home, perhaps we could use her version of the word, don’t you think?

Watford v Queens Park Rangers

Saturday 29^th December

I met Rod and Ticktock at the gates at Euston for what will probably be the little fella’s last game of the season as he is being sent away to boarding school. Not just for his sake (as he told me the Arsenal and Manchester United fans at school “hate Watford”), I hoped he’d see a home victory again, this time against the side second-bottom. I reminded him of the term “plastic supporter” in order to give him something to counter with. We met Joss while queuing to pick up their tickets and got into the ground in good time.

The game started signifivantly more up-tempo than Boxing Day’s had been and Watford had Rangers on the back foot. Then, with less than quarter of an hour played, Jordon Stewart brought down one of their players in the box, a penalty was conceded and dispatched and we were a goal down. “One-nil to the billionaires” the substantial visiting support sang. Supposedly the Rs are the richest club in the country, perhaps the world, since their takeover by Bernie Ecclestone.and Flavio Briatore and more recent investment from Lakshi Mittal.

The rest of the half provided good Watford pressure and two more QPR goals, one directly from a corner and another that was well made. Lee Williamson hit the post but the ‘Orns went into half-time without having replied. The Rookery, which was singing well today, was surprised to say the least but I don’t think I was alone in thinking that the way we were playing we could score four in the second half.

The four of us shared a ridiculously large “Dairy Milk” bar that Rod had bought and had a little hot chocolate from my new one-litre flask. I had to tell them that despite the size of the defecit, we were actually playing a lot better than in the last match.

Seven minutes after the break and Damien Francis had got on back for us and it seemed possible that we could get at least another home point but as we got closer and closer to the end without a second goal, that hope diminished. Not wanting to keep everyone waiting at the end, I went to the toilet with ten minutes left only to return to a tide of Rookery fans pouring out. We had conceded a fourth. I took my seat laughing. Within another two minutes, Darius Henderson had nodded the ball down for Danny Shittu to smash home against his former club but 4-2 it finished.

Joss and I directed Rod and Ticktock back to the station and walked to his place where I picked up my presents from mum. Later, on the train back, I overhead a Rangers fan describing it on his mobile to a mate as “A day that will go down in QPR history”.

Wii won away (again)

Sheffield Wednesday v Watford

Saturday 22^nd December

While I whiled away an afternoon on the wii with the wife, Watford went and won at Wednesday. Jobi McAnuff scored his first goal for the Horns and not before time. Stoke beat West Brom 3-1, which means that we are top for Christmas Day at least, and close to fulfilling my prediction of being top at the end of the year (if we can improve our dire home form).

Bang, bang, bang

Watford v Plymouth Argyle

Saturday 15^th December

Today’s Guardian Weekend featured “the first celebrity asylum-seeker” and there were Al Bangura chants even outside the stadium; inside, each Rookery seat had a picture of the Sierra Leonean for us to hold up at half-time. With Lionel Ainsworth (on loan from Hereford) making his first start, Matt Jackson his second league start and Tamas Priskin in for Darius Henderson again, this was a different team from the last outing at the Vic.

Ainsworth was quality today, running at defenders like Adam Johnson was so recently in a yellow shirt (though some of his crosses could’ve been better) but Jackson was off the pace and Priskin ineffective. On top of that, Marlon was no “King of Vicarage Road” today, seeming to be unwilling to move for any ball that wasn’t played to his feet.

Truth is, the naysayers on the Watford Observer site seem to be more accurate than my “glass half full” outlook but it won’t stop me arguing about the merits of “supporting” the team. We lost at the death again today. But for our man of the match, goalkeeper Richard Lee, we would have gone down earlier. It was another fair result and after four home defeats in five games, we are finally off the top.

Fruitful away days (from a stay-at-home fan)

Colchester United v Watford

Tuesday 4^th December

Got back from work to watch the BBC live-text service describe Watford’s progress from being two-down to win 3-2 after goals from Marlon King, John Joe O’Toole (who’d started for Gavin Mahon, now being linked with QPR and Wycombe Wanderers) and Tamas Priskin (in for Darius Henderson). Aidy Boothroyd, who’d seemed reluctant to change things during our successive defeats, did what was necessary and as West Brom faultered (going down 4-2 at home to Coventry), the gap opened to four points again. Stoke, Sunday’s opponents, thrashed Shefffield United 3-0 at Brammall Lane.

Stoke City v Watford

Sunday 9^th December

I checked train services to Stoke on Saturday but it wasn’t conducive to a fun day out and instead I slept through the match. A goalless draw meant we doubled our lead to two points following WBA’s win at Leicester yesterday. I have decided our new nickname should be the “Weebles” because we wobble but we don’t fall down (off top of the league).

I now have £100 on a three-year bet with Luke that on 7^th December 2010, we will be in a higher league position than Oldham Athletic. Baby candy.

Eight days of misery

Watford v Bristol City

Saturday 1^st December

Danny Shittu went into today’s game as the in-form goal-getter, scoring all three in our two defeats in the week running up to this game: 3-2 at Barnsley and 2-1 home to Burnley while I worked on Tuesday. West Brom won one and drew one in the same period, closing the gap to two points ahead of another draw at Crystal Palace today before our 5.20 kick-off (SS1). This meant we would remain top even if we lost to a team who have had their own slump of late, failing to win in six.

Joss told me how he and his friend had enjoyed abusing the goalkeeper midweek in a game the programme said we didn’t deserve anything from but I was more concerned to get behind the Golden Boys today. I’ve been looking at and posting on the Watford Observer site, where there is criticism beyond the necessary, sniping and bitching from the worst type of “fan”.

Watford started well today but the early return of Adam Johnson to Middlesborough, which may not be unrelated to our recent poor form, has left us with fewer options and – on today’s televised showing – even more reliant on the long ball. We were pacy and committed, at least, but that wasn’t enough to break down the Robins though Marlon King hit the bar in the first half.

It took until half an hour into the second half for the deadlock to be broken and then it was the visitors who netted. Unfortunately, that was the cue for real frustration in the crowd and some started to leave. It was great, then, that John Joe O’Toole, who’d come on for the captain Gavin Mahon to the relief of many sections of the crowd, to draw us level with his head. A collective sigh from the Yellow Army had hardly stopped echoing when Bristol City scored again to take all the points.

I told Joss I wanted to stay behind and we clapped the players off, not that all of them seemed aware of the fact. Walking up Occupation Road I was still in the mood to defend what I’d seen as a reasonable performance and asked Joss, somewhat rhetorically I admit, if he agreed it was a fan’s role to support and encourage rather than criticise and boo, even after three defeats in a row.

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.

On a roll

Crystal Palace v Watford

Monday 29^th October

Evening work meant I couldn’t travel to Selhurst Park but I got to a local pub to see the second half of a match we were already 1-0 up in (thanks to Tommy Smith). Palace were up for it, though, and introduced a fifteen-year-old, Bostock, who looks a real prospect. That, however, was after Marlon King had got his fifth in five games to put us two ahead and we won by that margin to keep us six points ahead of second place.

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).

Domestic bliss

Watford v Hull City

Saturday 20^th October

When the national side has lost control of its Euro destiny on a plastic Russian pitch, what can you do but turn to the Championship for your football gratification? Rod had expressed an interest in coming to the Vic a while ago and I met him and Ticktock, his nephew, at Euston for the journey. We walked through Watford to the ground via the Buzz store, where Rod bought tops for each of them, and met Joss outside the shop at the Rookery.

This was Ticktock’s second football game, the first of which was in an executive box at Spurs, so a view of our dilapidated East Stand was probably a come-down but at least there was an atmosphere here for him to enjoy. John-Joe O’Toole started for Lee Williamson, who was sent off before the international break, and Richard Lee started for Mart Poom (who played against England last Saturday but apparently still hasn’t recovered from the bad back he had before the break). Watford, playing towards us, whacked the ball out of play from the kick-off again, in what seems to have become a tradition.

It was fairly balanced at the beginning but by the twentieth minute Marlon King had already troubled their defence and was able to get past the last man and place the ball into the corner of the goal nearest us and put the Horns 1-0 up. I hugged Joss and ruffled the hair in front of us. I gave Ticktock some pointers to help him get involved in the chanting but he only seemed to join in “We are top of the league”.

The game didn’t have the excitement of the first half of the Sheffield Wednesday game (nor the Scunthorpe match, apparently) but I had warned Rod that we’d try to shut up shop if we got ahead. Most entertainment in the second half was derived from the taunting of Dean Windass (who was greeted with “who ate all the pies”) by a fan mentioned before here (Curly). Curly held a pack of Oreos aloft and repeatedly attempted to draw “Deano’s” attention to the pack. The only other point of note was the removal of a fan by us for apparently throwing a fruit pastille onto the pitch. Who says football and sweets don’t mix?

The results that came through put Watford six points clear at the top of the division and, though it is of course early days, leaves us more confident than ever.

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.

Catching complacency

Watford v Blackpool

Saturday 29^th September

Nobody was in when I rolled up to Kerry’s but a quick phone-call to Joss reassured me that he was just round the corner after catching a bus back from ‘town’ with a new pair of shoes and a bag of cat litter for their new kitten, Ollie. Dex died a month or so back and is buried under a new flowerbed in the back garden.

We walked to the ground predicting victory and sat down earlier than we have at home this season. So early, in fact, that we were able to see a section for wheelchairs very close to us that is either new or usually hidden by fans. It was the same starting line-up as last week and we were hoping that Marlon King would score his first home goal of the season. While he worked hard, he didn’t get many chances to shoot.

Like last week, there were elements of our opponents just trying to stop us playing, which is a compliment but one we have to learn to overcome if we are going to return to the Premiership. Blackpool played five in midfield and smothered us effectively. Nevertheless, a free-kick just before half-time gave the impressive Adam Johnson, who’d been booked for diving earlier, the chance to show he could curl a ball over a wall as well as he could go past defenders and we went into the break one up, like last week.

Ten minutes into the second half Betty took off Darius Henderson and Johnson, who’d gone down very easily right in front of us, for Nathan Ellington and Jobi McAnuff to boos from the home supporters. It didn’t do the trick and the Duke was poor while McAnuff’s failure to challenge for a ball is said to have led to the penalty Blackpool were awarded with twenty minutes left, which they converted.

The level of possession they’d had meant they deserved the draw they got but Watford, despite hitting the bar twice, seemed…what? Complacent? Passionless? For much of the game until the final minutes brought a desire to keep the one hundred percent home record. We walked back more interested by the Portsmouth v Reading score (7-4) than by any football we’d witnessed, though admittedly pleased to see we were still top despite two lacklustre displays.

It’s Joss birthday tomorrow and I’d been told there’d be a little party for him but Trevor and Sarah weren’t coming round and Kerry was still up the “town” when I rang her. Joss and I had a couple of games of chess and the younger Watford Boy won his first ever victory. Maybe complacency is contagious?

Singing when we're winning

Queens Park Rangers v Watford

Saturday 22^nd September

I directed other fans towards Euston Square station as I stood this side of the ticket barriers waiting in my yellow “Blissett” T-shirt for Joss. We followed behind them after the second train had pulled in and got on a circle line train to Edgware Road where we changed for a Hammersmith line train for Shepherd’s Bush. Joss was interested in the other fixtures in the paper and we talked about his French classes.

We got in half an hour before kick-off and took our seats in the second row over towards the corner flag. The teams were warming up and Marlon King and Darius Henderson were announced as starting, with Adam Johnson in for Jobi McAnuff, who was on the bench. This was my second time at Loftus Road and though there’s probably been terracing when I first came about 26 years previously, the ground seemed familiar.

Watford had one end but we weren’t really making that much noise even though the team had the majority of possession in the first half and the best chances to take the lead. QPR hadn’t scored at home this season and so we felt confident that this would be our day especially as their two best opportunities of the half were off target. However, there was frustration amongst us as we failed to convert and signs that the boss felt the same way when the team was sent out early to warm up before the second half got underway.

The tactic seemed to have paid off four minutes after the restart when Lee Williamson got to the by-line to cross for Johnson to head in for his first Watford goal. Relief manifested itself in volume aimed largely at the small bunch of rowdy Rangers boys who’d been banging out tunes off the back of the stand through the first half but when they equalised ten minutes later the same guys let us know that we were not consistent in our support…

Henderson came off for Nathan Ellington and he and King both had shots saved before the end. Rangers had a man sent off with nine minutes left and did their best to waste as much as they could of what remained of the ninety. The Golden Boys remain top despite a draw and QPR are still second bottom though they celebrated like they’d won more than a point.

We ate by the green after being directed the long way round and I saw Joss off at the station, as per, after whiling away the wait in the book section of WHSmiths.

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).

Voyage to Catalonia

Leicester City v Watford

Saturday 25^th August

I’d considered heading to the “Climate Camp”, hailed in some quarters as the most significant political protest of the year, but my attendance would have felt inappropriate given I’d chosen the end of this week to make cheap flights to Spain from another BAA airport, Stanstead. Joss came over early afternoon and after losing half the stuff from his suitcase and repacking in a backpack, we went up via Tottenham Hale. Queue followed queue and Joss experienced the reality of the glamour of air travel for the first time. Not long before we went to the gate I checked the scores on my phone to see that Watford had lost 4-1 at Leicester, Marlon scoring with a last minute penalty. The end of the winning run.

Sunday 26^th August

We arrived at Reus airport last night and got a taxi to Tarragona and our hotel, which was a long walk from the centre, where we went to find something to eat before sleep. Today we got a bus in and went to the Roman ruins before the beach, where Joss jumped through waves for ages. Later we walked up to the Cathedral before the long walk back to the hotel.

Monday 27^th

After checking out, we bussed through Salou to Port Aventura and stuck our packs in lockers before spending a few hours on the rides on offer, though we didn’t go on Europe’s largest roller coaster because Joss feared a repeat of Final Destination 3 or something. He couldn’t be persuaded otherwise and I made do with tame kiddie rides. Later we waited in the sun at the station for ages to catch a train to Barcelona and made for our hotel off the Rambla. There were a lot of people in the square out front and in the street next to it, but it was only after coming back out that it clicked we were right by the red light district. Hopefully, Joss never quite clicked. He enjoyed the Rambla though, and we watched an enormous ferry come into the dock.

Southend v Watford, Carling Cup 2^nd Round

Tuesday 28^th

Joss came with me to Gaudi’s “House of Bones”, Casa Batallo, and then to Parc Guell, patiently humouring my desire to “do” culture while we are here. We finished up on the Rambla again.

Wednesday 29^th

Beached it again and I ended up burnt with a neopolitan ice-cream arm: chocolate lower, strawberry upper and an inexplicable slice of vanilla between the two. Checked an English newspaper to see that Watford had gone down 2-0 the previous night. In the evening we headed up to the Nou Camp for the Joan Gamper Cup match between Barça and Inter Milan. I’d assumed, incorrectly, that there’d be tickets available but had to resort to scouring the streets. A guy who’d overbought sold me a pair at slightly less than face value and we were three rows from the front by one of the corners of the massive stadium with another 98,557 others to see the home side destroy the visitors 5-0.

Thursday 30^th

There was a little unpleasantness with a Euro and a can of Pepsi in the morning before we went to the Sagrada Familia and then to the chocolate museum. We ended the trip with a cable-car ride to the Montjuic castle and a visit to the Joan Miro gallery.

Friday 31^st

Despite using my phone as an alarm clock and forgetting that I hadn’t adjusted for the hour difference, we made it to the airport in time to be one of the last to check in (no queue) and Joss even got a window seat for the flight back.

One hundred percent

Watford v Sheffield United

Saturday 18^th August

Cycled to Euston and shared a carriage to the Junction with singing Blades fans. Back on my bike, I arrived at Kerry’s about quarter past two and Joss and I began the walk soon after but Doggy picked us up in the spitting rain and gave us a lift to the top of Harwoods Road. Z-Cars was going as we went into the shop, where we got Joss a new top with his name and 13 on. Missed the kick-off.

Watford were defending the Rookery end but the first half saw United with the better chances, one of which was off of Watford defender Jay DeMerit’s head. Mart Poom in goal was equal to the challenges though and Lloyd Doyley had the run of the half when he won a ball by our corner flag and made it to the other end of the pitch. Marlon King was out on the right for some reason, which didn’t seem to afford him many shooting chances though he danced around one of their men a few times.

In the second half especially, Lee Williamson shone with some great little runs and it was fitting that it was he who received a Tommy Smith pass and hit the back of the net with our only shot on target of the game. Watford bossed the second half and could have had another goal but Darius Henderson’s header was wide. Steve Kabba came on with twenty minutes left for Tommy Smith, who doesn’t look on his game but had cleared a James Beattie free-kick off the line as well as setting up the only goal of the match.

Knowing that the ex-Hornet Danny Webber had scored a last-minute winner in this fixture last year I was a little nervous as the clock wound down but he’d already gone off when we got to stoppage time and we deserved what we got. Six points out of six against two of the division’s fancied sides. Come on. As we walked out, we were able to check on the other scores of the day on the numerous flat screens the club has put up. At least some of the millions we’ve received over the last year have now been spent.

Today would have been Luke’s 21^st birthday so I wrote in a card that Kerry will take to the crematorium tomorrow. He is loved and missed.

Life is just a game

Watford v Gillingham (Carling Cup 1^st Round)

Tuesday 14^th August

When I bought the tickets on ebay, I didn’t think that Watford might be playing the same evening and so it was that Prince came first. This time I went with Julie. Prince has said that it will be a different show each night and began with 1999, which got the evening off to a more upbeat start than Saturday. The set was better too, with longer guitar solos that left Julie wanting to come back.

We went to the after-show party at Indigo2 and the purple one turned up about 1 and jammed and played some more of his tracks. We danced near the front for a couple of hours and left satiated about half four. It was only the following afternoon that I found out Watford had changed ten men in their starting line-up (Tamas Priskin remained from Saturday) and cruised 3-0 past Gillingham with Priskin, Douglas Rinaldi and Alex Campana scoring and Richard Lee saving a penalty at 0-0.

Joy in repetiton

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Watford

11^th August 2007

My brother Trevor and his girlfriend Sarah brought my niece Kasey over last night and we stayed in, chatted and played Risk. After a walk along the canal and through Regents Park this afternoon, we had a pizza at a chain restaurant near Euston and ended up resurrecting last year’s argument about the amount of money Watford earned from TV by being promoted. This time, Trevor claimed my position had been his, which I guess is a form of admission that I was right…

Anyway, afterwards I headed over to the Greenwich Pensioner, a pub in Poplar that I’d rung in the week and whose landlady had agreed to show the match live. I chose the pub for its location close to the O2 Centre (Millennium Dome), where I was heading for my second concert of three in a month. I turned up ten minutes into the game and felt the eyes of the locals on me. The game was goalless and Wolves slowly seemed to be having more of it, with a great chance being put high over by Olofinjana.

Just before halftime though, the Wolves midfielder made amends by lobbing Mart Poom after being put clear through with only our keeper to beat. The second half started with them threatening to increase the lead and narrowly missing twice. Jobi McAnuff had a chance too but fired straight at the keeper. The landlord, who I’d chatted football with, came and sat with me and I told him (a United fan) about Joss’ conversion (“Nah, that’s out of order as it happens”). In the meantime two other locals rehashed an argument they’d obviously run through before (Arsenal a foreign team) and one that I’d used on Trevor when he was being racist about Watford players.

Rod and Air turned up with about 30 mins to go and Rod proved to be a lucky charm again. The two live matches he’s been to have resulted in Watford wins and with three minutes left on the clock Watford won a free kick just outside the box that Jordan Stewart took. He’s got a mean shot on him but the deflection was probably what took this one in for his first Watford goal. Earlier today I’d read that the latest goal scored in the Premiership last season was by Bolton against Watford in the 96th minute. So it was that balance was achieved with the foul on Steve Kabba leading to a penalty at a similar time of the game.

Marlon King strode up to take it and blasted high into the net and I was up on my feet in the pub. One of the older locals smiled at me. I shook the landlord’s hand as I left a few minutes later. Football’s great.

Rod dropped me off at Canary Wharf station where I met Faisel and we caught the tube one stop to North Greenwich. I gave him the Prince ticket I bought on ebay and we went in to see the man, who opened with Purple Rain and played many of his hits but not all of them all the way through. His show is flawless but leaves you wanting more when once he delivered it all.

Franchise football

Milton Keynes Dons v Watford

Wednesday 1^st August

stadium:mk is so new that I had trouble locating it before leaving London and got off at Milton Keynes only to discover a taxi ride was required to complete our journey. Being driven between the new town’s roundabouts feels like a giant version of join-the-dots but it’s not a pretty picture that you’d see from above. I’d been told that tickets had been sent back when I phoned Watford and that we could buy them “on the door” but a queue of hundreds snaking round the car park indicates the length of the wait we’re in for. Several fans just decide against the debacle and leave but after about fifteen minutes’ in line, sections of the queue start to break for the turnstile on the other side of the ground, so we do likewise only to find we have joined another queue for a poorly-staffed and incomplete ticket office which runs out of tickets twice before I pay £10 & £5 to get in twenty minutes after kick-off. My frustration is compounded by the fact that one of the electronic ticket readers isn’t working but the steward standing next to it can’t even be bothered to tell people.

The tempers of several large men made to wait had been rubbing up against each other and the stewards but when some of the latecomers started singing “We’ve got too many fans”, the mixture of pride and humour saw off the resentment that lingered. The outside of the stadium was more impressive (though, in black, it felt a touch like an 80’s dream) than the unfinished inside which lacked easily-visible signs, seats in the upper tiers, a scoreboard and a home crowd. Watford, in their Beko sponsored shirts and black shorts, were defending the goal we were sitting behind and were forced to do so when Dons’ players broke through on a couple of occasions. The new keeper Mart Poom,, the Lativan international we got from Arsenal, looked steady (if old – Joss commented that he looked tired).

In the break Joss got Jay Demerit’s autograph on his shirt and there was a ginger guy in the stand signing too but I didn’t know who he was… The second half saw us in their area for long periods and we struck the frame of the goal twice and forced saves from their keeper. Although it was a friendly, there was a least one significant scuffle but no cards were shown. Tamas Prisking missed a second chance and was replaced with Henderson, who received a standing ovation from some fans which may have been down more to his devotion in refusing to consider going to Preston rather than his successes of last season.

Hameur Bouazzaa, who didn’t play tonight, has let it be known he’d like to go to a Premiership team and Fulham have shown a £4 million interest. Danny Shittu didn’t play either (Clarke Carlisle was in the centre of defence) and I am still wondering about him. We spent a million and three-quarters on Jobi McAnuff from Crystal Palace and brought in Matt Jackson from Wigan. This game ended 0-0 and although we were the better side, we hardly outclassed them. The Championship is a slog, though.

Afterwards, Joss and I walked past oversized stores to Bletchley station and practised Spanish on the platform. He can say “Would you like a pizza?” and “What nationality are you?”. We head to Barcelona at the end of the month, returning just before the Ipswich home game.