Watford Football Club is an English association football club from Watford, Hertfordshire. Formed as Watford Rovers in 1881, the club entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886. In the same year, they also entered the county-wide Herts Senior Cup, reaching the final six times over the next ten years. Watford Rovers became West Hertfordshire in 1893, and joined the Southern League for the 1896–97 season. The team started to change from one entirely of amateurs, to one including paid professionals. In 1898, West Hertfordshire merged with Watford St Mary's to form Watford Football Club.Jones, Watford Football Club Illustrated Who's Who p. 9

Early years The club participated in the Southern League from 1896 until 1920, experiencing considerable success. They won six league titles in this period, including the Southern League First Division in 1914–15.Jones, Watford Season by Season pp. 60–61 After the resumption of Southern League football following a four-year hiatus due to the First World War, Watford missed out on a second consecutive title in 1919–20 on goal average. They joined the Football League Third Division in the 1920–21 season, and following its subsequent reorganisation became founder members of the Third Division South in 1921.Phillips pp. 52–53

Modern Era Watford remained in the Third Division South for the next 37 years, and experienced scarce success. Fred Pagnam finished as the Division's top scorer in 1922–23,Jones, Watford Season by Season p. 69 the club reached the final of the Third Division South Cup in 1935 and 1937 (winning on the latter occasion),Jones, Watford Season by Season pp. 92–98 and Len Dunderdale scored 21 goals for Watford in 1938–39 despite leaving midway through the season.Jones, Watford Season by Season p. 101 The team started to progress after the reorganisation of the Football League into four national divisions in 1958. They won promotion to the Third Division in 1960, the Second Division in 1969, and reached the FA Cup semi-final in 1970. However, the league progress was reversed with two relegations over the next five years, and in 1976–77 Watford were briefly bottom of the entire Football League.

A turning point in the club's history came in the late 1970s. Singer, shareholder and lifelong Watford supporter Elton John became chairman in 1976, and appointed Graham Taylor as manager in 1977. The club achieved consecutive promotions between 1977 and 1979, and reached the First Division for the first time in their history in 1982.Phillips pp. 196–223 Furthermore, in 1982–83 Watford finished second in the First Division, and Luther Blissett was the division's top scorer with 27 goals. Consequently, Watford qualified for the UEFA Cup in 1983–84. They also reached their first FA Cup final, losing 2–0 to Everton at Wembley Stadium. Following Taylor's departure in 1987, Watford were relegated in 1988.Jones, Watford Football Club Illustrated Who's Who pp. 275–276

Watford remained in English football's second tier for eight seasons, until they were relegated in 1995–96. Taylor returned as manager in 1997, and for the second time in his career led Watford to consecutive promotions, although he was unable to prevent relegation from the Premier League in 1999–2000. In the 21st century Watford have reached two FA Cup semi-finals, one League Cup semi-final, and spent a further season in the Premier League after winning the 2006 Football League Championship play-off final under the management of Aidy Boothroyd.

The birth of Watford Football Club

The club was formed as Watford Rovers in 1881, when George Devereux de Vere Capell, Earl of Essex and owner of Cassiobury Park, gave a group of boys permission to use the grounds for football. However, the agreement stipulated that the team could not play organised competitive matches on the estate. Members of the group included Henry Grover, the man later recognised as the club's founder, and Charlie Peacock, who played for Hertfordshire, became involved with board meetings at the club, and became the proprietor of the Watford Observer, the local newspaper. Over the next five years the team participated exclusively in friendly matches against schools and local clubs.Phillips pp. 12–15 Matches played when the club was not entering competitions included the first recorded fixture against future rivals Luton Town; a 1–0 home win to Watford on 5 December 1885. In the 1886–87 season, Watford Rovers entered the FA Cup for the first time, although they were eliminated in their opening game. They have competed in at least one competition in every season since.Jones, Watford Season by Season pp. 7–13 From 1886 team participated in the Herts Senior Cup, a competition open to all clubs in Hertfordshire, winning it on four occasions. They also participated in the Hennessey Cup—open to clubs within a radius of Uxbridge—between 1888 and 1891.Jones, Watford Football Club Illustrated Who's Who p. 11 Rovers' first match against Watford St Mary's was a 7–4 home win on 17 January 1891. The teams met on eleven further occasions prior to their merge in 1898. In total, Rovers and their successors West Hertfordshire won six times, St Mary's four times, and the remaining two matches ended in draws.Jones, Watford Season by Season p. 217

Southern League

West Hertfordshire joined the Southern Football League in 1896, and started to turn professional the following year. In 1898, they merged with Watford St Mary's to become Watford Football Club. That same year, the club moved on to a ground in Cassio Road. Pressure from the owner eventually forced the manager, Harry Kent, to look for a new permanent ground which he found in 1914 at Vicarage Road, the club's home today. However, they remained at Cassio Road for a further eight years.Notes from a lecture on the club's history given by Edmund Coan, former club press officer, to the Kings Langley Historical Society on 21 January 2009. Reported in the Hemel Gazette 25 February 2009. Watford won the Southern League title in 1914–15, and missed out on retaining their title in 1919–20 on goal average. Along with the rest of the division, Watford left the Southern League in 1920, becoming founder members of the Football League Third Division.

In the early years the club was sponsored by Ralph Thorpe, chairman of Wells Brewery and Benskins brewery sponsored the purchase of Vicarage Road earning the team the nickname of "The Brewers". Another early nickname was "the Wasps" because of their shirts which bore coloured hoops.

The Third Division South years From 1921–22, the third tier of the Football League consisted of two parallel sections of 22 clubs, fighting both for promotion to the Second Division and also battling to hold on to their hard-won league status. There was a re-election system in place which meant the bottom two teams in each of the two divisions had to apply for re-election in favour of the champions of the Northern League and Southern League. Watford moved into Vicarage Road stadium in 1922. They remained in the Third Division South for a further 36 years, and when the league was restructured into four national divisions for the 1958–59, Watford were placed in the new Fourth Division.

Up until 1960 the team was known as "The Blues". After a change of colours to gold shirts & black shorts, the team's nickname was changed to The Hornets, after a popular vote via the supporters club.

Progression from and return to the bottom division Watford spent two seasons in the Fourth Division before they gained promotion to the Third Division in 1959–60. Ron Burgess, the former Tottenham Hotspur player was manager during the promotion season, which was largely attributed to Cliff Holton's 48 goals. Holton was sold to Northampton Town the following year after another 34 goals, which caused enormous unrest among supporters. Burgess sold other players to keep the club afloat, such as Dave Underwood to Fulham.

Bill McGarry was Ron Burgess' successor, and brought in new players such as Charlie Livesey (25 goals in one season), Ron Saunders (later to manage several top division sides) and Jimmy McAnearney. An Irish schoolboy named Pat Jennings was signed from Newry Town. After making a large impact in the first team, he was transferred after less than one season to Spurs, again to keep the club afloat.

McGarry was succeeded after moving to Ipswich Town by Ken Furphy from Workington Town, in 1964, as player manager. Furphy rebuilt the team originally around the young talent of Dennis Bond in midfield and Keith Eddy in midfield and defence. The team held Liverpool to a draw in the FA Cup, and narrowly missed out on promotion in 1966–67, finishing third. However, Bond was soon sold. Furphy's re-building came to fruition in 1969 with the signing from non-league Pelton Fell F.C. of Barry Endean, who kicked off an unbeaten run after Christmas to help Watford secure the league title in the April home match against Plymouth Argyle.

A year later they reached the FA Cup semi-final for the first time, beating First Division teams Stoke City and Liverpool, which prompted hopes that the club could soon be playing First Division football. But they struggled to compete in the higher division, and Ken Furphy was poached by Blackburn Rovers, to be succeeded by George Kirby. Hampered by a lack of funds and the need to sell players to survive (Scullion, Garbett and Franks all joined Sheffield United), Watford fell back into the Third Division in 1972.

Watford failed to make an impact in the Third Division, and in 1975 were relegated to the Fourth Division. However, they were adopted by their most famous fan, superstar singer Elton John, in 1973 first as president and from 1976 as chairman. He had a declared ambition to take Watford into the First Division.

The first Graham Taylor era

When 32-year-old Graham Taylor was named as Watford's new manager at the start of the 1977–78 season, the club had just been purchased by world-famous star Elton John (a lifelong fan of the club) and were an unremarkable Fourth Division side.Graham Taylor profile BBC In 1977 the greyhound track that encircled the pitch was removed as it was seen to lower the club's professional reputation by the manager Graham Taylor. Thanks to the efforts of chairman, manager and playing staff, Watford began to progress through the leagues.

The first promotion was achieved in 1978, when The Hornets sealed the Fourth Division title by an 11-point margin over their nearest rivals Southend United. Also going up that year were Swansea City, who would enjoy a similar rise through the league (though unlike Watford a similarly quick fall). The 11-point margin that Watford achieved that season was particularly impressive considering that the Football League still only awarded 2 points for a win at the time. A second successive promotion followed, as Watford finished runners-up in the Third Division behind Shrewsbury Town, with Swansea also being promoted again by finishing third.

The first season back in the Second Division was tough, as Watford narrowly avoided relegation by finishing 18th. They progressed to a new high of ninth place in 1981, before reaching the First Division for the first time in 1982 as Second Division runners-up. Players in this side included Wilf Rostron, Roger Joslyn, Les Taylor and the club's first ever overseas player Jan Lohman. Players like John Barnes, Ross Jenkins and Luther Blissett were some of the most respected players in the English game during the 1980s.