2009–10 Watford F.C. season
Watford Football Club are an association football club from Watford, Hertfordshire, England. Home matches were played at the club's stadium, Vicarage Road, which had a capacity of 17,504 for the 2009–10 season. Watford's season officially began on 1 July 2009 and concluded on 30 June 2010, although competitive matches were only played between August and May. They competed in the Football League Championship, the second highest division in English football, following their relegation from the Premier League in 2007.
| 2009–10 season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Jimmy Russo (until 15 December 2009) Graham Taylor (from 15 December 2009) | ||
| Manager | Malky Mackay | ||
| Stadium | Vicarage Road | ||
| Football League Championship | 16th | ||
| FA Cup | Third Round (eliminated by Chelsea) | ||
| League Cup | Second Round (eliminated by Leeds United) | ||
| Top goalscorer | League: Danny Graham (14) All: Danny Graham (14) | ||
| Highest home attendance | 17,120 (vs Newcastle United, 27 February 2009) | ||
| Lowest home attendance | Competitive: 12,179 (vs Bristol City, 9 February 2010) Overall: 3,598 (vs Parma, 1 August 2009) | ||
| Average home league attendance | 14,344 (excluding friendlies) | ||
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After guiding the club to a 13th-placed finish in 2008–09, Brendan Rodgers resigned as manager of Watford in June 2009 to take up the same role at Reading, with three members of his coaching staff doing likewise. He was replaced as manager by ex-Watford player and coach Malky Mackay. Early in the season, first-team players including Player of the Season Tommy Smith and Hungary international striker Tamás Priskin left the club. New arrivals included striker Danny Graham and former Scotland international midfielder Scott Severin. Among Watford's five loan signings were former Watford player Heiðar Helguson, and Tom Cleverley, who went on to become the club's Player of the Season.
Although Watford twice occupied a playoff position in late 2009, they gradually slipped down the table over the course of the season. With five games to go, they were in 21st position in the Championship, separated from the relegation zone only on goal difference. A 3–0 win over Reading secured Watford's Championship survival in their penultimate match of 2009–10. They eventually finished in 16th position out of 24 teams. In other competitions, Watford were defeated in the third round of the FA Cup by eventual winners Chelsea, and eliminated from the League Cup in the second round by Leeds United.