2007–08 Watford F.C. season

Watford
2007–08 season
Chairman Graham Simpson
Manager Aidy Boothroyd
Football League Championship 6th
Football League Championship play-offs Semi final (eliminteda by Hull City)
FA Cup Round 4 (eliminated by Wolverhampton Wanderers)
League Cup Round 2 (eliminated by Southend United)
Highest home attendance 18,698: Watford v Queens Park Rangers, 29 December 2007
Lowest home attendance 8,166: Watford v Gillingham, 14 August 2007

The 2007–08 football season was Watford Football Club's 62nd consecutive season of competitive football since the Second World War. It began on 1 July 2007, and concluded on 30 June 2008, although competitive games were only played between August and May.

Season summary

Following relegation from the Premier League in 2006–07, Watford started the 2007–08 season strongly, winning eleven of their opening sixteen games and opening up an 8-point gap at the top of the Championship table.[1] However, after the departure of Adam Johnson to Middlesbrough on 11 November 2007 Watford's form declined; they won six of their next sixteen Championship games, and only one of their final sixteen.[2] In January 2008 Watford sold captain Gavin Mahon and top scorer Marlon King, but purchased Mat Sadler, Leigh Bromby and John Eustace.[3] Watford finished the 2007–08 season in 6th position, and were eliminated in the play-off semi finals to Hull City.[4]

Legend

      Win       Draw       Loss

Football League

For more information, see 2007–08 Football League Championship.

League standings by round

For the complete final league table, see 2007–08 Football League Championship#League table.

      ♦ Automatic promotion position       ♣ Playoff position

Round01020304050607080910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546
GroundAHAHHAAHHAHAAHAHAHHAAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHHAHHA
ResultWWLWWWDDWWWWWLWDLLLWDLWDLWLDDWWWDDDDDDDLWLDLLD
Points3669121516172023262932323536363636394040434444474748495255585960616263646565686869696970
Position5♣1♦4♣2♦1♦1♦1♦1♦1♦1♦1♦1♦1♦1♦1♦1♦1♦1♦1♦1♦1♦2♦1♦2♦2♦2♦3♣2♦3♣2♦1♦1♦2♦3♣3♣2♦3♣3♣4♣5♣4♣5♣5♣5♣5♣6♣

Play-offs

Watford's sixth-placed finish meant that they qualified for the play-off semi finals, where they would play a home and away match against third-placed Hull City. As 6–1 aggregate winners, Hull qualified for the final at Wembley Stadium, and as a result of victory in that match they earned qualification to the Premier League for the 2008–09 season.

Semi final first leg

Semi final second leg

FA Cup

For more information, see 2007–08 FA Cup.

As a Championship club, Watford did not enter the FA Cup until the third round stage. Their potential opponents were the 20 Premier League teams, the 23 other Championship clubs, and 20 teams from lower divisions which had progressed through the first and second rounds, and in some cases additional qualifying games.

Third round

Fourth round

League Cup

For more information, see 2007–08 Football League Cup.

For the 2007–08 season, all Football League clubs entered the League Cup in the first round. For the first round, the draw was split into two regional sections of 36 teams. The 18 highest placed teams in the league from the previous season were seeded in each region. Watford, having been relegated from the Premier League, were therefore seeded, and placed in the southern section of the draw.

First round

Second round

Ownership and finance

Watford Football Club is owned by the holding company Watford Leisure Plc (LSE: WFC). Its 2007–08 financial year coincided with the football season, running from 1 July 2007 until 30 June 2008. The company's annual accounts were released in November 2008, showing an operating loss of £10.977 million, but a net profit of £426,000 as a result of the sale of player registrations and land.[5] Watford Leisure's chief executive was Mark Ashton, while their chairman was self-professed lifelong Watford fan Graham Simpson, who also owned shares in the company. The club's other major shareholders were Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party Michael Ashcroft through his investment company Fordwat, and brothers Jimmy and Vince Russo through their business Valley Grown Salads.

Squad details

Player statistics

Key

  † Permanent player left club during the season.
  ‡ On loan at Watford from another club during season.
  ¤ On loan to another club from Watford during season.
  * First appearance(s) for Watford.

# = Squad number; Pos = Playing position; P = Number of games played; G = Number of goals scored; A yellow card = Yellow cards; A red card = Red cards; GK = Goalkeeper; DF = Defender; MF = Midfielder; FW = Forward

Statistics do not include games played for other clubs. Starting appearances are given first, followed by substitute appearances in parentheses where applicable. [nb 1][6]

This table of statistics is incomplete. You can help by expanding it.

Pos Name P G P G P G P G P G A yellow card A red card Notes
League FA Cup League Cup Playoffs Total Discipline [7][8]
MFAinsworth, LionelLionel Ainsworth 3(5)000001(1)04(6)000
DFAvinel, CédricCédric Avinel 000020002010
MFBangura, AlAl Bangura 3(4)01020006(4)020
DFBromby, LeighLeigh Bromby 16100002018000
MFCampana, AlexAlex Campana 00001(1)1001(1)100
MFClarke, EwanEwan Clarke 000000000000
DFDavenport, CalumCalum Davenport 100000001000
DFDeMerit, JayJay DeMerit 30(5)120001(1)031(6)120
DFDoyley, LloydLloyd Doyley 36020001039040
FWEllington, NathanNathan Ellington 18(16)41(1)0002021(17)410
MFEustace, JohnJohn Eustace 13000002015032
MFForbes, KieranKieran Forbes 00000(1)0000(1)000
MFFrancis, DamienDamien Francis 6(5)21000007(5)210
FWHenderson, LiamLiam Henderson 000000000000
FWHenderson, DariusDarius Henderson 34(6)1210001136(6)12101
FWHoskins, WillWill Hoskins 0(1)00020002(1)000
DFJackson, MattMatt Jackson 600020008020
FWJohn, CollinsCollins John 3(2)00000003(2)000
MFJohnson, AdamAdam Johnson 11(1)500000011(1)510
FWKabba, SteveSteve Kabba 7(7)11010009(7)121
FWKing, MarlonMarlon King 25(2)1110000026(2)1120
GKLee, RichardRichard Lee 34(1)020202040(1)000
GKLoach, ScottScott Loach 000000000000
DFMackay, MalkyMalky Mackay 00000(1)0000(1)000
MFMahon, GavinGavin Mahon 19000000019030
DFMariappa, AdrianAdrian Mariappa 13(12)00(2)0201016(14)010
MFMcAnuff, JobiJobi McAnuff 31(8)220002035(8)250
MFMcNamee, AnthonyAnthony McNamee 000020002000
MFO'Toole, John-JoeJohn-Joe O'Toole 23(12)3110(1)00(1)024(14)341
DFOsbourne, JuniorJunior Osbourne 00000(1)0000(1)000
DFParkes, JordanJordan Parkes 000020002000
GKPoom, MartMart Poom 12000000012000
FWPriskin, TamásTamás Priskin 7(7)11(1)0210(2)010(10)220
DFRinaldi, DouglasDouglas Rinaldi 000021002120
DFSadler, MatMat Sadler 14(1)010002016(1)020
DFShittu, DannyDanny Shittu 37(2)712001039(2)940
MFSmith, TommyTommy Smith 4471(1)0002047(1)730
MFStewart, JordanJordan Stewart 33(6)210000034(6)230
FWWilliamson, LeeLee Williamson 27(5)210002030(5)251

Transfers

In

Date Player From Fee
5 June 2007 Jamaica Jobi McAnuff Crystal Palace
29 August 2007 England Nathan Ellington West Bromwich Albion
5 January 2008 England Lionel Ainsworth Hereford United
24 January 2008England Mat SadlerBirmingham City
31 January 2008 England Leigh BrombySheffield United
31 January 2008 England John EustaceStoke City

Out

Date Player To Fee
3 July 2007 England Chris Powell Charlton Athletic
11 July 2007 England Harry ForresterAston Villa
7 August 2007 Algeria Hameur Bouazza Fulham
16 August 2007 England Clarke Carlisle Burnley
18 January 2008 England Anthony McNameeSwindon Town
25 January 2008 Jamaica Marlon KingWigan Athletic

Loans in

Start date Player From End date
31 August 2007Argentina Santiago AloiRiver Plate (Argentina)
14 September 2007England Adam JohnsonMiddlesbrough
22 November 2007England Lionel AinsworthHereford United
18 January 2008England Calum DavenportWest Ham United
25 January 2008Netherlands Collins JohnFulham

Loans out

Start date Player To End date
10 August 2007 France Toumani DiagouragaHereford United
10 August 2007 England Theo RobinsonHereford United
14 September 2007 Guadeloupe* Cédric AvinelStafford Rangers
17 September 2007 England Scott LoachStafford Rangers
18 September 2007 England Will HoskinsMillwall
30 November 2007 England Alex CampanaWealdstone
1 January 2008England Scott LoachMorecambe
1 January 2008England Gavin MahonQueen's Park Rangers
17 January 2008England Jordan ParkesBrentford
18 January 2008Antigua and Barbuda Moses AshikodiSwindon Town
18 January 2008England Anthony McNameeSwindon Town
28 January 2008England Scott LoachBradford City

Footnotes

  1. All players who were named in a Watford first-team matchday squad are listed. This includes players who only featured as unused substitutes.

References

  1. "Watford 2007-2008 : English League Championship Table 10.11.2007". statto.com. Retrieved 8 November 2009.
  2. "Watford 2007-2008 : Results". statto.com. Retrieved 8 November 2009.
  3. "Transfers: January 2008". BBC Sport. 1 February 2008. Retrieved 8 November 2009.
  4. Phil McNulty (14 May 2008). "Hull 4-1 Watford (agg 6-1)". BBC Sport. Retrieved 8 November 2009.
  5. "Watford Leisure Plc Report and Financial Statements 2008" (PDF). Watford Leisure Plc. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
  6. "Watford 2007/2008 player statistics". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 December 2009.
  7. "Watford 2009/2010 player appearances". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 October 2009.
  8. "Club statistics: Discipline". Watford F.C. Retrieved 22 November 2009.
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