Crewe Alexandra VS Watford Saturday 04th October 3:00pm |
MATCH DAY |
They aren't playing great at the moment. No longer the team they were when they went up to the premiership. Graham Taylor was the man that took the Hornets to two sucessive promotions. Watford pipped Bristol City to the Division Two title in 1998 with just 88 points. They went up to the division one where some brilliant end of season form of 7 wins and one draw in their final 8 matches saw them take 5th sport and go on to beat Bolton 2-0 in the play-off final. Our very own Allan Smart scored in the final minute for Watford. They went up and, well, flopped. They went up and played the big boys and got the experience and taste of the good life. They even set a record, the least points picked up in a premiership season. Watford fans, however, were no doubt peed off as Sunderland went full on to beat that and they did so last season, by 4 whole points. Wolves are now trying to beat it. So Watford certainly set a trend. Watford never managed to lift themselves back up from that. 9th, 13th and 14th have been their last 3 positions. Elton John then left Watford last season which left a damaging affect on the club. Depts at the club were sky high from the usual wasting money on premiership wages. Players had to take wage cuts while if they refused to then they'd be sent packing. Gifton Noel Williams(Stoke), Stephen Glass(Hibs) and Tommy Smith(Sunderland) have all left Watford. Watford have moved to replace though. Bruce Dyer was drafted in from Barnsley on a bosman, as was Danny Webber from Man Utd. Watford spent £150,000 on Paul Delvin aswell but all funds 'donated' by a secret admirer of Watford. So far this season Watford have been a disappointment but they had, no doubt, the worst, and most unfortunate, distraction of the season on the first day of the season. Their opening day match with Coventry was called off 3 hours before kick off as news broke that Jimmy Davis, a loanee from Man Utd for 2 seasons, had died early morning in a car crash. They lost their first 3 league games to Palace, WBA and even helped Sunderland stop their 18 game rot. A draw at home to Gillingham then 3 points at home to Millwall could have been them on the up. However they lost to Derby away, Wigan awayand Ipswich at home. They did manage a point at home to Burnley on Tuesday though. Infact Watford have the worst away record in the league, with Wimbledon. They've lost all 5 league and cup games on the road this season, it's not just this season though as they finished their away campaign with 3 defeats last season. That makes it 9 away defeats on the bounce. We always end up the team that other teams break these records with. Unfortunately. Ray Lewington will be travelling without this seasons only Watford cash signing Paul Devlin. Devlin was hit with a double whammy when he picked up an injury and sending off at Ipswich at the weekend. Also, striker Heider Helguson is out with a torn knee ligament. So it leaves Watfords team looking like this: Chamberlain, Kelly, Cox, Dyche, Robinson, Hand, Ardley, Mahon, Cook, Webber, Fitzgerald. For us. Allan Smart and Adie Moses are both battling injuries to make the game. if fit both could make the bench. Captain Dave Brammer has a groin strain from training on Tuesday and probably won't be fit. Steve Jones, Ben Rix and David Wright all came through Wednesday without trouble so expect an unchanged side. Ince, Wright, Foster, Walker, Vaughan, Lunt, Cochrane, Sorvel, Rix, Ashton, Jones. COME ON!!! | ||||
ONE TO WATCH |
I don't know. Bruce Dyer, who'll be on the bench, usually causes problems by getting in the way. |
HEAD TO HEAD |
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CREWEALEX.COM PREDICTION |
Crewe Alex 2-1 Watford post your prediction on beat the manager |
DIVISION ONE TABLE |
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ALSO PLAYING |
04 October 2003 |
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