# 2008–09 Watford F.C. season

Watford Football Club are an association football team from the county of Hertfordshire, England. Waford has played in the Championship since being relegated from the Premier League in 2006–07. The club finished the season in 13th position out of 24 Championship teams. The club went through four managers during the season.

## Background, review and events

The 2008–09 season was their second consecutive one in the Football League Championship, following relegation from the Premier League in 2006–07.
They reached the fifth round of both the League Cup and FA Cup, where they were eliminated by Premier League sides Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea respectively. Both teams went on to reach the finals of the corresponding competitions, with Chelsea going on to win the 2009 FA Cup Final.
Off the pitch, there were a series of personnel changes through the course of the season. Chairman Graham Simpson and chief executive Mark Ashton resigned, and were replaced by Jimmy Russo and Julian Winter respectively. Following a decline in form throughout 2008, manager Aidy Boothroyd left the club by mutual consent, and was replaced by Brendan Rodgers. In turn, Rodgers controversially left the club a few weeks after the last game of the season, having previously suggested that rumours linking him to Reading were "questioning his integrity". His replacement was first team coach and former player Malky Mackay.
The season is perhaps best remembered for the "ghost goal" incident, which occurred in a league match against Reading on 20 September 2008. Following a corner from Reading player Stephen Hunt, John Eustace kicked the ball across the line, level with the six-yard box. Initially, linesman Nigel Bannister seemed to signal for a goal kick, and players from both sides ran away from the penalty area, waiting for goalkeeper Scott Loach to take it. However, Bannister walked over to referee Stuart Attwell, and after a brief discussion, Attwell awarded Reading a goal. The match eventually finished 2–2. The match also marked Loach's debut; the "ghost goal" was the first goal he conceded in his Watford career.

## Match results
### League Championship
#### League results

Championship match details :
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 9 August 2008 | Crystal Palace | Away | 0–0 | | 15,614 |
| 16 August 2008 | Charlton Athletic | Home | 1–0 | Smith | 14,413 |
| 23 August 2008 | Nottingham Forest | Away | 2–3 | Smith (2) | 20,005 |
| 30 August 2008 | Ipswich Town | Home | 2–1 | Eustace, O'Toole | 16,345 |
| 13 September 2008 | Sheffield Wednesday | Away | 0–2 | | 17,066 |
| 16 September 2008 | Plymouth Argyle | Home | 1–2 | | |
| 20 September 2008 | Reading | Home | 2–2 | Smith 57', O'Toole 64' | 14,761 |
| 27 September 2008 | Sheffield United | Away | 1–2 | | |
| 30 September 2008 | Burnley | Away | 2–3 | | |
| 4 October 2008 | Preston North End | Home | 2–1 | Harley 12', Smith 21' | 14,087 |
| 18 October 2008 | Southampton | Away | 3–0 | | |
| 21 October 2008 | Cardiff City | Home | 2–2 | | |
| 25 October 2008 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Home | 2–3 | Rasiak 21', O'Toole 47' | 16,386 |
| 28 October 2008 | Preston North End | Away | 0–2 | | 11,234 |
| 1 November 2008 | Blackpool | Home | 3–4 | Hoskins 4', Rasiak 36', Smith 68' pen. | 13,517 |
| 9 November 2008 | Swansea City | Away | 1–3 | | |
| 15 November 2008 | Barnsley | Away | 1–2 | | |
| 22 November 2008 | Queens Park Rangers | Home | 3–0 | Smith 26' pen., Ward 34', Williamson 45' | 16,201 |
| 25 November 2008 | Bristol City | Away | 1–1 | Smith 72' | 15,551 |
| 29 November 2008 | Doncaster Rovers | Home | 1–1 | Smith 31' | 14,008 |
| 6 December 2008 | Birmingham City | Away | 2–3 | Priskin 7', Jenkins 89' | 18,174 |
| 10 December 2008 | Norwich City | Home | 2–1 | Priskin 16', Smith 64' | 13,268 |
| 13 December 2008 | Coventry City | Home | 2–1 | Smith 62' pen., O'Toole 72' | 14,075 |
| 20 December 2008 | Derby County | Away | 0–1 | | |
| 26 December 2008 | Bristol City | Home | 2–4 | Rasiak 49', Elliott 65 o.g. | 15,527 |
| 28 December 2008 | Queens Park Rangers | Away | 0–0 | | |
| 9 January 2009 | Reading | Away | 0–4 | | |
| 17 January 2009 | Sheffield United | Home | 0–2 | | |
| 27 January 2009 | Burnley | Home | 3–0 | | |
| 31 January 2009 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Away | 1–3 | | |
| 17 February 2009 | Swansea City | Home | 2–0 | | |
| 21 February 2009 | Blackpool | Away | 2–0 | M. Williamson 54, Priskin 85 | 7,451 |
| 28 February 2009 | Crystal Palace | Home | 2–0 | | |
| 3 March 2009 | Plymouth Argyle | Away | 1–2 | | |
| 7 March 2009 | Charlton Athletic | Away | 3–2 | | |
| 10 March 2009 | Nottingham Forest | Home | 2–1 | | |
| 14 March 2009 | Sheffield Wednesday | Home | 2–2 | | |
| 18 March 2009 | Cardiff City | Away | 1–2 | | |
| 21 March 2009 | Ipswich Town | Away | 0–0 | | |
| 4 April 2009 | Doncaster Rovers | Away | 2–1 | Hird 13' o.g., Cowie 18' | 12,126 |
| 7 April 2009 | Southampton | Home | 2–2 | | |
| 11 April 2009 | Barnsley | Home | 1–1 | | |
| 13 April 2009 | Norwich City | Away | 0–2 | | |
| 18 April 2009 | Birmingham City | Home | 0–1 | | 16,180 |
| 25 April 2009 | Coventry City | Away | 3–2 | Smith 58', Rasiak 61', Priskin 74' | 17,195 |
| 3 May 2009 | Derby County | Home | 3–1 | McAnuff 14', Rasiak 28', 41' | 16,131 |

#### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Last updated: 17 March 2013. Source: Fussballdaten.de

#### Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 11 | Queens Park Rangers | 46 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 42 | 44 | −2 | 61 |
| 12 | Sheffield Wednesday | 46 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 51 | 58 | −7 | 61 |
| 13 | Watford | 46 | 16 | 10 | 20 | 68 | 72 | −4 | 58 |
| 14 | Doncaster Rovers | 46 | 17 | 7 | 22 | 42 | 53 | −11 | 58 |
| 15 | Crystal Palace | 46 | 15 | 12 | 19 | 52 | 55 | −3 | 56 |
* ↑ Crystal Palace were give a one-point deduction for using an ineligible player during a match against Sheffield United on 3 May 2009.

### FA Cup

FA Cup match details :
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result F–A | Watford scorers | Opposition scorers | Attendance |
| Third round | 3 January 2009 | Scunthorpe United | Home | 1–0 | Rasiak 67' | — | 8,690 |
| Fourth round | 24 January 2009 | Crystal Palace | Home | 4–3 | DeMerit 17', Cork 27', Hoskins 67', Rasiak 70' | Hill 48', Ifill 83', 90' | 10,006 |
| Fifth round | 14 February 2009 | Chelsea | Home | 1–3 | Priskin 69' | Anelka 75', 77', 90' | 16,851 |

### League Cup

League Cup match details :
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result F–A | Watford scorers | Opposition scorers | Attendance |
| First round | 12 August 2008 | Bristol Rovers | Home | 1–0 | Hoskins 88' | — | 5,574 |
| Second round | 28 August 2008 | Darlington | Home | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | Francis 37', O'Toole 116' | Blundell 90' | 5,236 |
| Third round | 23 September 2008 | West Ham United | Home | 1–0 | Mullins 70' o.g. | — | 12,914 |
| Fourth round | 11 November 2008 | Swansea City | Away | 1–0 | Williamson 21' | — | 9,549 |
| Fifth round | 3 December 2008 | Tottenham Hotspur | Home | 1–2 | Priskin 13' | Pavlyuchenko 45' pen., Bent 76' | 16,501 |

## Player information
### First-team squad

    Squad at end of season
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | EST | Mart Poom |
| 2 | DF | ENG | Gavin Hoyte (on loan from Arsenal) |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Mat Sadler |
| 4 | MF | ENG | Jack Cork (on loan from Chelsea) |
| 6 | DF | USA | Jay DeMerit |
| 7 | MF | SCO | Don Cowie |
| 8 | MF | ENG | John Eustace |
| 9 | FW | HUN | Tamás Priskin |
| 10 | FW | POL | Grzegorz Rasiak (on loan from Southampton) |
| 11 | MF | JAM | Jobi McAnuff |
| 12 | DF | ENG | Lloyd Doyley |
| 13 | GK | ENG | Scott Loach |
| 14 | MF | JAM | Lee Williamson |
| 15 | DF | ENG | Jon Harley |
| 16 | GK | ENG | Richard Lee |
| 17 | GK | ENG | Stuart Searle |
| 18 | FW | ENG | Theo Robinson |
| 19 | FW | ENG | Steve Kabba |
| 20 | MF | SLE | Al Bangura |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 21 | FW | ENG | Tommy Smith |
| 22 | FW | ENG | Will Hoskins |
| 23 | DF | ENG | Adrian Mariappa |
| 24 | DF | ENG | Mike Williamson |
| 25 | MF | SCO | Gareth Williams |
| 26 | MF | IRL | John-Joe O'Toole |
| 27 | MF | ENG | Billy Gibson |
| 28 | MF | LVA | Aleksandrs Cauņa (on loan from Skonto) |
| 30 | GK | WAL | Jonathan North |
| 31 | DF | ENG | Jordan Parkes |
| 32 | MF | ENG | Lewis Young |
| 33 | FW | ENG | Liam Henderson |
| 35 | MF | ENG | Ross Jenkins |
| 36 | DF | ENG | Eddie Oshodi |
| 37 | FW | ENG | Marvin Sordell |
| 38 | DF | ENG | Rob Kiernan |
| 39 | DF | ENG | Danny Rose (on loan from Tottenham Hotspur) |
| 40 | DF | EST | Andrei Stepanov |
| 41 | DF | NIR | Lee Hodson |

#### Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 4 | DF | NGA | Sam Sodje (on loan from Reading) |
| 5 | DF | ENG | Leigh Bromby (on loan to Sheffield United) |
| 7 | MF | JAM | Damien Francis (retired) |
| 7 | MF | ENG | Liam Bridcutt (on loan from Chelsea) |
| 19 | FW | ENG | Lionel Ainsworth (to Huddersfield Town) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 24 | DF | ENG | Darren Ward (on loan from Wolves) |
| 28 | FW | ENG | Moses Ashikodi (to Shrewsbury Town) |
| 29 | DF | FRA | Cédric Avinel (on loan to Gueugnon) |
| 30 | GK | ENG | Mark Tyler (on loan from Peterborough United) |
| 34 | DF | ENG | Dale Bennett (on loan to Kettering Town) |

### Transfers
#### In

| Date | Nationality | Position | Name | Club From | Fee |
| 18 July 2008 | ENG | DF | Jon Harley | Burnley | Free |
| 26 January 2009 | ENG | DF | Mike Williamson | Wycombe Wanderers | Undisclosed |
| 2 February 2009 | SCO | MF | Don Cowie | Inverness CT | Nominal |

#### Out

| Date | Nationality | Position | Name | Club To | Fee |
| 30 May 2008 | ENG | MF | Jordan Stewart | Derby County | Free |
| 8 July 2008 | FRA | MF | Toumani Diagouraga | Hereford United | Undiclosed |
| 22 July 2008 | ENG | FW | Darius Henderson | Sheffield United | £2,000,000 |
| 6 August 2008 | NGA | DF | Danny Shittu | Bolton Wanderers | Undisclosed |
| 23 January 2009 | ENG | FW | Lionel Ainsworth | Huddersfield Town | Undisclosed |
| 27 February 2009 | ENG | FW | Moses Ashikodi | Shrewsbury Town | Free |

#### Loan In

| Date | Nationality | Position | Name | Club From | Length |
| 15 August 2008 | POL | FW | Grzegorz Rasiak | Southampton | Full-Season |
| 27 November 2008 | ENG | MF | Liam Bridcutt | Chelsea | One Month |
| 31 December 2008 | ENG | DF | Gavin Hoyte | Arsenal | Until end of season |
| 2 January 2009 | ENG | MF | Jack Cork | Chelsea | Until end of season |
| 2 February 2009 | LAT | MF | Aleksandrs Cauņa | Skonto FC | Until end of season |
| 24 March 2009 | ENG | DF | Danny Rose | Tottenham Hotspur | Until end of season |

#### Loan Out

| Date | Nationality | Position | Name | Club To | Length |
| 30 May 2008 | ENG | FW | Nathan Ellington | Derby County | Full-Season |
| 5 August 2008 | ENG | FW | Moses Ashikodi | Hereford United | Until January |
| 21 November 2008 | ENG | FW | Lionel Ainsworth | Hereford United | One Month |
| 12 January 2009 | ENG | DF | Leigh Bromby | Sheffield United | Until end of season |
| 23 January 2009 | FRA | DF | Cédric Avinel | FC Gueugnon | Until end of season |

### Squad, appearances and goals

| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Championship | Championship | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Goalkeepers ||||||||||||
| 1 | GK | EST | Mart Poom | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | GK | ENG | Scott Loach | 38 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 16 | GK | ENG | Richard Lee | 11 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Defenders ||||||||||||
| 2 | DF | ENG | Gavin Hoyte | 10 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Mat Sadler | 16 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | USA | Jay DeMerit | 38 | 1 | 32 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 12 | DF | ENG | Lloyd Doyley | 43 | 0 | 37 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 15 | DF | ENG | Jon Harley | 43 | 1 | 37 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 23 | DF | ENG | Adrian Mariappa | 47 | 1 | 39 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 24 | DF | ENG | Mike Williamson | 17 | 1 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Midfielders ||||||||||||
| 4 | MF | ENG | Jack Cork | 21 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | SCO | Don Cowie | 11 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | MF | JAM | Jobi McAnuff | 45 | 3 | 40 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 14 | MF | JAM | Lee Williamson | 38 | 3 | 34 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| Forwards ||||||||||||
| 9 | FW | HUN | Tamas Priskin | 41 | 14 | 36 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| 21 | FW | ENG | Tommy Smith | 49 | 17 | 44 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 |