# 1985–86 Watford F.C. season

The 1985–86 season was Watford's 105th season in existence, and their fourth season in the First Division, following promotion in the 1981–82 season, in which they finished 12th. Along with the First Division, they competed in the FA Cup and Football League Cup, being eliminated in the sixth and third rounds respectively.

## Competitions
### First Division
#### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 10 | Tottenham Hotspur | 42 | 19 | 8 | 15 | 74 | 52 | +22 | 65 |
| 11 | Newcastle United | 42 | 17 | 12 | 13 | 67 | 72 | −5 | 63 |
| 12 | Watford | 42 | 16 | 11 | 15 | 69 | 62 | +7 | 59 |
| 13 | Queens Park Rangers | 42 | 15 | 7 | 20 | 53 | 64 | −11 | 52 |
| 14 | Southampton | 42 | 12 | 10 | 20 | 51 | 62 | −11 | 46 |

#### Matches

First Division match results :
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 17 August 1985 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 0–4 | | 29,884 |
| 20 August 1985 | Birmingham City | H | 3–0 | West, Bames (2) | 14,278 |
| 24 August 1985 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 5–1 | West (3), Terry, Talbot | 14,541 |
| 26 August 1985 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 1–2 | Blissett | 21,962 |
| 31 August 1985 | Coventry City | H | 3–0 | Rostron, West, Smillie | 13,835 |
| 4 September 1985 | Leicester City | A | 2–2 | Rostron (2) | 9,672 |
| 7 September 1985 | Liverpool | A | 1–3 | West | 31,395 |
| 14 September 1985 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 2–0 | Blissett, Callaghan | 15,771 |
| 21 September 1985 | Nottingham Forest | A | 2–3 | Callaghan, Rostron | 12,921 |
| 28 September 1985 | Chelsea | H | 3–1 | Barnes, Blissett, Terry | 16,035 |
| 5 October 1985 | Southampton | A | 1–3 | Talbot | 14,172 |
| 12 October 1985 | Manchester City | H | 3–2 | Blissett, Callaghan, Barnes | 15,418 |
| 19 October 1985 | Everton | A | 1–4 | Jackett (pen.) | 26,425 |
| 26 October 1985 | Oxford United | H | 2–2 | Rostron, Callaghan | 16,126 |
| 2 November 1985 | Newcastle United | A | 1–1 | West | 20,649 |
| 9 November 1985 | Aston Villa | H | 1–1 | Talbot | 14,085 |
| 16 November 1985 | West Ham United | A | 1–2 | Sterling | 21,490 |
| 23 November 1985 | Luton Town | H | 1–2 | Talbot | 16,107 |
| 30 November 1985 | Manchester United | A | 1–1 | West | 42,181 |
| 7 December 1985 | Birmingham City | A | 2–1 | Blissett, Sterling | 7,043 |
| 14 December 1985 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 1–0 | Blissett | 16,327 |
| 22 December 1985 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 1–3 | Sterling | 11,092 |
| 28 December 1985 | Leicester City | H | 2–1 | West (2) | 14,709 |
| 1 January 1986 | Ipswich Town | A | 0–0 | | 15,922 |
| 12 January 1986 | Liverpool | H | 2–3 | Jackett, Lohman | 16,697 |
| 18 January 1986 | Coventry City | A | 2–0 | Barnes (2) | 7,499 |
| 1 February 1986 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 2–1 | West, Bames | 13,144 |
| 15 March 1986 | Manchester City | A | 1–0 | Terry | 18,899 |
| 22 March 1986 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 1–2 | Terry | 14,069 |
| 29 March 1986 | Ipswich Town | H | 0–0 | | 14,988 |
| 31 March 1986 | Arsenal | A | 2–0 | Bames, Allen | 19,599 |
| 1 April 1986 | Arsenal | H | 3–0 | Smillie, Jackett (pen.), Allen | 18,635 |
| 5 April 1986 | Newcastle United | H | 4–1 | Talbot, Porter, Gibbs, Smillie | 14,706 |
| 9 April 1986 | Oxford United | A | 1–1 | McClelland | 10,680 |
| 12 April 1986 | Aston Villa | A | 1–4 | Sinnott | 12,781 |
| 15 April 1986 | Everton | H | 0–2 | | 18,960 |
| 19 April 1986 | West Ham United | H | 0–2 | | 16,651 |
| 21 April 1986 | Nottingham Forest | H | 1–1 | Bames | 11,510 |
| 26 April 1986 | Luton Town | A | 2–3 | Jackett (pen.), Sinnott | 11,810 |
| 29 April 1986 | Southampton | H | 1–1 | West | 11,868 |
| 3 May 1986 | Manchester United | H | 1–1 | Blissett | 18,414 |
| 5 May 1986 | Chelsea | A | 5–1 | Talbot (2), Bardsley (2), West | 12,017 |

### FA Cup

FA Cup match results :
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| Third round | 4 January 1986 | Coventry City | A | 3–1 | West (2), Jackett | 10,498 |
| Fourth round | 25 January 1986 | Manchester City | A | 1–1 | Jackett | 31,632 |
| Fourth round replay | 3 February 1986 | Manchester City | H | 0–0 | | 19,347 |
| Fourth round, second replay | 6 February 1986 | Manchester City | A | 3–1 | Smillie, Barnes, Sterling | 27,260 |
| Fifth round | 5 March 1986 | Bury | H | 1–1 | Barnes | 13,316 |
| Fifth round replay | 8 March 1986 | Bury | A | 3–0 | Callaghan, West, Sterling | 7,501 |
| Sixth round | 11 March 1986 | Liverpool | A | 0–0 | | 36,775 |
| Sixth round replay | 17 March 1986 | Liverpool | H | 1–2 | Barnes | 28,097 |

### League Cup

League Cup match results :
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| Second round, first leg | 24 September 1985 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 3–1 | Rostron, Blissett, Jackett | 4,265 |
| Second round, second leg | 7 October 1985 | Crewe Alexandra | H | 3–2 | Terry, Callaghan, Barnes | 11,583 |
| Third round | 30 October 1985 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 0–1 | | 16,826 |