Watford FC

Watford Football Club played in the Southern league from 1896 to 1920 before becoming a member of the Football League. They didn’t reach the first division until 1982 for the first time. The best accomplished result in the top league is a second place in 1983. In the FA Cup, they have as best been runner-up (1984 and 2019).

Basic facts

Founded: 1898
Country: England
City: Watford

Home grounds

Cassiobury Park (1881-1883)
Rose and Crown Meadow (1883-1889)
Colney Butts Meadow (1889-1890)
West Herts Sports Ground (1890-1922)
Vicarage Road (1922-)

Prominent players

Luther Blissett

Vicarage Road stadium
Vicarage Road, home of the Watford team since 1922.

History

The club was founded in 1881 as Watford Rovers. It later changed the name to West Hertfordshire in 1893 and finally to just Watford in 1898.

In 1920, they did the first season as a member of the Football League and started in the newly established third division. The fans had to wait until 1968 for a promotion to the Second Division. And in 1982, Watford did for the first time join the top flight after finishing second in the Second Division. They make their Premier League debut in 1999, but were relegated the same season.

By Oscar Anderson

Trivia

Football clubs also founded in 1881

FC Girondins de Bordeaux logoFC Girondins de Bordeaux

Football clubs ordered after establishment

League statistics

League record

Titles in total: 0
Premier League titles: 0
First participation: 1920-1921

All seasons

Season League Position Points Notes
2018-19 Premier League 11 50  
2017-18 Premier League 14 41  
2016-17 Premier League 17 40  
2015-16 Premier League 13 45  
2014-15 Championship 2 89  
2013-14 Championship 13 60  
2012-13 Championship 3 77  
2011-12 Championship 11 64  
2010-11 Championship 14 61  
2009-10 Championship 19 54  
2008-09 Championship 13 58  
2007-08 Championship 6 70  
2006-07 Premier League 20 28 Relegated
2005-06 Championship 3 81  
2004-05 Championship 18 52  
2003-04 1st Division 16 57  
2002-03 1st Division 13 60  
2001-02 1st Division 14 59  
2000-01 1st Division 9 69  
1999-00 Premier League 20 24 Relegated
1998-99 1st Division 5 77  
1997-98 2nd Div. 1 88 Promoted
1996-97 2nd Div. 13 67  
1995-96 1st Division 23 48 Relegated
1994-95 1st Division 7 70  
1993-94 1st Division 19 54  
1992-93 1st Division 16 55  
1991-92 2nd Division 10 65 Promoted
1990-91 2nd Division 20 51  
1989-90 2nd Division 15 57  
1988-89 2nd Division 4 78  
1987-88 1st Division 20 32 Relegated
1986-87 1st Division 9 63  
1985-86 1st Division 12 59  
1984-85 1st Division 11 55  
1983-84 1st Division 11 57  
1982-83 1st Division 2 71  
1981-82 2nd Division 2 80 Promoted
1980-81 2nd Division 9 43  
1979-80 2nd Division 18 37  
1978-79 3rd Division 2 60 Promoted
1977-78 4th Division 1 71 Promoted
1976-77 4th Division 7 51  
1975-76 4th Division 8 50  
1974-75 3rd Division 23 37 Relegated
1973-74 3rd Division 7 50  
1972-73 3rd Division 19 41  
1971-72 2nd Division 22 19 Relegated
1970-71 2nd Division 18 33  
1969-70 2nd Division 19 31  
1968-69 3rd Division 1 64 Promoted
1967-68 3rd Division 6 50  
1966-67 3rd Division 3 54  
1965-66 3rd Division 12 47  
1964-65 3rd Division 9 50  
1963-64 3rd Division 3 58  
1962-63 3rd Division 17 42  
1961-62 3rd Division 17 41  
1960-61 3rd Division 4 52  
1959-60 4th Division 4 57 Promoted
1958-59 4th Division 15 42  
1957-58 3rd Division S 16 42 Relegated
1956-57 3rd Division S 11 46  
1955-56 3rd Division S 21 37  
1954-55 3rd Division S 7 50  
1953-54 3rd Division S 4 52  
1952-53 3rd Division S 10 47  
1951-52 3rd Division S 21 36  
1950-51 3rd Division S 23 29  
1949-50 3rd Division S 6 45  
1948-49 3rd Division S 17 35  
1947-48 3rd Division S 15 38  
1946-47 3rd Division S 16 39  
1939-46 - - - WWII
1938-39 3rd Division S 4 46  
1937-38 3rd Division S 4 53  
1936-37 3rd Division S 4 49  
1935-36 3rd Division S 5 49  
1934-35 3rd Division S 6 47  
1933-34 3rd Division S 15 37  
1932-33 3rd Division S 11 44  
1931-32 3rd Division S 11 46  
1930-31 3rd Division S 18 35  
1929-30 3rd Division S 15 38  
1928-29 3rd Division S 8 48  
1927-28 3rd Division S 15 38  
1926-27 3rd Division S 21 32  
1925-26 3rd Division S 15 39  
1924-25 3rd Division S 11 43  
1923-24 3rd Division S 20 33  
1922-23 3rd Division S 10 44  
1921-22 3rd Division S 7 44  
1920-21 3rd Division 6 48  

Note. The 1939-40 season was abandoned after three rounds and is therefore excluded.

Premier League – facts, stats and history

References:
Premier League by Gunnar Persson

Image sources:
Brakspear