# 1995–96 Watford F.C. season

During the 1995–96 English football season, Watford F.C. competed in the Football League First Division.

## Season summary

In Glenn Roeder's third season as manager, Watford struggled and Roeder was sacked in February with the club bottom of the table. Graham Taylor returned to Watford as Director of Football in February 1996, with former player Kenny Jackett as head coach, but was unable to stop the club from sliding into Division Two.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 20 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 46 | 13 | 16 | 17 | 56 | 62 | −6 | 55 | |
| 21 | Portsmouth | 46 | 13 | 13 | 20 | 61 | 69 | −8 | 52 | |
| 22 | Millwall (R) | 46 | 13 | 13 | 20 | 43 | 63 | −20 | 52 | Relegation to the Second Division |
| 23 | Watford (R) | 46 | 10 | 18 | 18 | 62 | 70 | −8 | 48 | Relegation to the Second Division |
| 24 | Luton Town (R) | 46 | 11 | 12 | 23 | 40 | 64 | −24 | 45 | Relegation to the Second Division |

## Results

Watford's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League First Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 12 August 1995 | Sheffield United | H | 2–1 | 8,667 | Payne, Johnson |
| 19 August 1995 | Huddersfield Town | A | 0–1 | 10,556 | |
| 26 August 1995 | Barnsley | H | 2–3 | 8,049 | Phillips (2) |
| 29 August 1995 | Charlton Athletic | A | 1–2 | 8,442 | Mooney |
| 2 September 1995 | Grimsby Town | A | 0–0 | 3,993 | |
| 9 September 1995 | Stoke City | H | 3–0 | 7,130 | Ramage (2), Mooney |
| 12 September 1995 | Crystal Palace | H | 0–0 | 8,780 | |
| 16 September 1995 | Ipswich Town | A | 2–4 | 11,441 | Pitcher, Phillips |
| 23 September 1995 | Birmingham City | H | 1–1 | 9,422 | Moralee |
| 30 September 1995 | Tranmere Rovers | A | 3–2 | 7,041 | Foster, Mooney, Moralee |
| 7 October 1995 | Millwall | H | 0–1 | 8,918 | |
| 14 October 1995 | Sunderland | A | 1–1 | 17,790 | Moralee |
| 21 October 1995 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 1–1 | 11,319 | Holdsworth |
| 28 October 1995 | Portsmouth | A | 2–4 | 7,025 | Ramage, Phillips |
| 4 November 1995 | Southend United | H | 2–2 | 7,091 | Caskey, Phillips |
| 11 November 1995 | Leicester City | A | 0–1 | 16,230 | |
| 18 November 1995 | Port Vale | A | 1–1 | 6,265 | Ramage |
| 21 November 1995 | Luton Town | H | 1–1 | 10,042 | Phillips |
| 26 November 1995 | Norwich City | H | 0–2 | 7,798 | |
| 2 December 1995 | Millwall | A | 2–1 | 8,389 | Phillips (2) |
| 9 December 1995 | Birmingham City | A | 0–1 | 16,970 | |
| 16 December 1995 | Tranmere Rovers | H | 3–0 | 7,257 | Phillips (2, 1 pen), Foster |
| 23 December 1995 | Oldham Athletic | A | 0–0 | 5,878 | |
| 13 January 1996 | Huddersfield Town | H | 0–1 | 7,568 | |
| 20 January 1996 | Sheffield United | A | 1–1 | 12,782 | Bazeley |
| 3 February 1996 | Barnsley | A | 1–2 | 6,139 | Penrice |
| 10 February 1996 | Charlton Athletic | H | 1–2 | 8,394 | Phillips |
| 17 February 1996 | Crystal Palace | A | 0–4 | 13,235 | |
| 24 February 1996 | Ipswich Town | H | 2–3 | 11,872 | Palmer, White |
| 28 February 1996 | Stoke City | A | 0–2 | 10,114 | |
| 2 March 1996 | Reading | A | 0–0 | 8,933 | |
| 5 March 1996 | Derby County | H | 0–0 | 8,306 | |
| 9 March 1996 | Oldham Athletic | H | 2–1 | 10,961 | Ramage (2) |
| 12 March 1996 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 4–4 | 11,836 | Foster (2), Ramage (2) |
| 16 March 1996 | Derby County | A | 1–1 | 15,939 | Foster |
| 23 March 1996 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 1–1 | 10,334 | Ramage |
| 30 March 1996 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 0–3 | 25,885 | |
| 2 April 1996 | Sunderland | H | 3–3 | 11,195 | Mooney (2), Ramage |
| 6 April 1996 | Portsmouth | H | 1–2 | 8,226 | Mooney |
| 8 April 1996 | Southend United | A | 1–1 | 5,348 | Ramage |
| 13 April 1996 | Port Vale | H | 5–2 | 9,066 | Connolly (3), White (2) |
| 16 April 1996 | Reading | H | 4–2 | 8,113 | White (2), Connolly, Ramage |
| 20 April 1996 | Luton Town | A | 0–0 | 9,454 | |
| 23 April 1996 | Grimsby Town | H | 6–3 | 8,909 | Ramage (3), Connolly (3) |
| 27 April 1996 | Norwich City | A | 2–1 | 14,188 | Connolly, Porter |
| 5 May 1996 | Leicester City | H | 0–1 | 20,089 | |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R3 | 6 January 1996 | Wimbledon | H | 1–1 | 11,187 | Mooney |
| R3R | 17 January 1996 | Wimbledon | A | 0–1 | 5,142 | |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R2 First Leg | 19 September 1995 | Bournemouth | H | 1–1 | 5,037 | Johnson |
| R2 Second Leg | 3 October 1995 | Bournemouth | A | 1–1 (won 6–5 on pens) | 4,365 | Bazeley |
| R3 | 24 October 1995 | Blackburn Rovers | H | 1–2 | 17,035 | Phillips |

## Players
### First-team squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | GK | ENG | Steve Cherry |
| — | GK | ENG | Kevin Miller |
| — | DF | ENG | David Barnes |
| — | DF | ENG | Darren Bazeley |
| — | DF | ENG | Colin Foster |
| — | DF | ENG | Nigel Gibbs |
| — | DF | ENG | David Holdsworth |
| — | DF | ENG | Dominic Ludden |
| — | DF | ENG | Keith Millen |
| — | DF | ENG | Warren Neill |
| — | DF | ENG | Steve Palmer |
| — | DF | ENG | Darren Ward |
| — | DF | WAL | Rob Page |
| — | DF | SCO | Gerard Lavin |
| — | MF | ENG | Darren Caskey (on loan from Tottenham Hotspur) |
| — | MF | ENG | Andy Hessenthaler |
| — | MF | ENG | Danny Hill (on loan from Tottenham Hotspur) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | ENG | Steve Hodge |
| — | MF | ENG | Derek Payne |
| — | MF | ENG | Geoff Pitcher |
| — | MF | ENG | Gary Porter |
| — | MF | ENG | Craig Ramage |
| — | MF | ENG | Colin Simpson |
| — | MF | AUS | Richard Johnson |
| — | FW | ENG | Peter Beadle |
| — | FW | ENG | Kerry Dixon |
| — | FW | ENG | Tommy Mooney |
| — | FW | ENG | Jamie Moralee |
| — | FW | ENG | Gary Penrice |
| — | FW | ENG | Kevin Phillips |
| — | FW | ENG | Devon White |
| — | FW | ENG | Paul Wilkinson (on loan from Middlesbrough) |
| — | FW | IRL | David Connolly |

### Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | FW | ENG | Peter Beadle (to Bristol Rovers) |

### Reserves and academy

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | FW | ENG | Wayne Andrews |