2004–05 Watford F.C. season

The 2004–05 season saw a continuation of the good form of the end of the previous season, with the club well in the upper half of the Championship at the end of September. However, a long run of poor form subsequently saw the club drop steadily towards the relegation zone. Another good cup run further eased the club's financial position, with the team reaching the semi-final of the League Cup, soundly beating Premiership sides Portsmouth and Southampton on the way, before losing narrowly to Liverpool. The club's poor league form, however, came to a head in March, with a run of terrible performances and Lewington was sacked on 22 March.{{cite news|title=Watford dismiss manager Lewington|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/watford/4371469.stm|work=BBC Sport|date=22 March 2005|access-date=2012-01-26}} His sacking was controversial, and many fans were unhappy at the loss of a man who had led the club to two cup semi-finals in three seasons, enduring considerable financial hardships.

At the age of 34, Aidy Boothroyd was appointed manager of Watford after serving at Leeds United as a coach;{{cite news|title=Watford appoint Boothroyd as boss|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/watford/4389421.stm|work=BBC Sport|date=29 March 2005|access-date=2007-11-02}} 70-year-old Keith Burkinshaw was recruited as his assistant. Boothroyd's inexperience raised concerns among fans, who worried that he would not be able to keep the side in the Championship. However, Watford secured enough points to ensure survival with two games to go in the season.

{{main|2004–05 Football League Championship}}

{{:2004–05 Football League Championship|showteam=WAT}}

Watford's score comes first{{Cite web |url=http://www.statto.com/football/teams/watford/2004-2005 |title=Watford 2004-2005 Home - statto.com |access-date=27 January 2012 |archive-date=1 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110901142539/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/watford/2004-2005 |url-status=dead }}

{{Main|2004–05 FA Cup}}

{{Main|2004–05 Football League Cup}}

:Squad at end of season{{Cite web|url=http://www.footballsquads.co.uk/eng/2004-2005/flcham/watford.htm|title = FootballSquads - Watford - 2004/05}}

{{fs start}}

{{Fs player|no=1|nat=ENG|pos=GK|name=Alec Chamberlain}}

{{Fs player|no=3|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=Paul Mayo}}

{{Fs player|no=4|nat=ISL|pos=DF|name=Brynjar Gunnarsson}}

{{Fs player|no=5|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=Neil Cox}}

{{Fs player|no=6|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=Sean Dyche}}

{{Fs player|no=7|nat=ENG|pos=FW|name=Bruce Dyer}}Dyer was born in Redbridge, England, and represented them at U-21 level, but played a friendly game for Montserrat against Ashford Town in September 2007.

{{Fs player|no=8|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=Gavin Mahon}}

{{Fs player|no=9|nat=ENG|pos=FW|name=Danny Webber}}

{{Fs player|no=10|nat=SCO|pos=MF|name=Paul DevlinDevlin was born in Birmingham, England, but also qualified to represent Scotland internationally through his father and made his international debut for Scotland in October 2002.}}

{{Fs player|no=11|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=Andy Ferrell}}

{{Fs player|no=14|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=Jermaine Darlington}}

{{Fs player|no=16|nat=ENG|pos=GK|name=Richard Lee}}

{{Fs player|no=17|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=Jamie Hand}}

{{Fs player|no=18|nat=ISL|pos=FW|name=Heiðar Helguson}}

{{Fs player|no=19|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=James Chambers}}

{{Fs player|no=20|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=Lloyd DoyleyDoyley was born in Tower Hamlets, England, but also qualified to represent Jamaica internationally and would make his international debut for Jamaica in March 2013.}}

{{Fs player|no=21|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=Jack Smith}}

{{fs mid}}

{{Fs player|no=22|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=Dominic Blizzard}}

{{Fs player|no=23|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=Anthony McNamee}}

{{Fs player|no=24|nat=TRI|pos=FW|name=Jason Norville}}

{{Fs player|no=25|nat=FRA|pos=FW|name=Hameur BouazzaBouazza was born in Évry, France, but also qualified to represent Algeria internationally through his parents and would make his international debut for Algeria in February 2007.}}

{{Fs player|no=26|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=Ben Herd}}

{{Fs player|no=27|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=Ashley Young}}

{{Fs player|no=28|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=Jamie Collins}}

{{Fs player|no=29|nat=USA|pos=DF|name=Jay DeMerit}}

{{Fs player|no=30|nat=ENG|pos=FW|name=Omari Coleman}}

{{Fs player|no=31|nat=FRA|pos=MF|name=Toumani Diagouraga}}

{{Fs player|no=32|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=Danny Cullip|other=on loan from Sheffield United}}

{{Fs player|no=33|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=Junior Osborne}}

{{Fs player|no=35|nat=ENG|pos=GK|name=Reece Kirk}}

{{Fs player|no=37|nat=SLE|pos=MF|name=Al Bangura}}

{{Fs player|no=38|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=Adrian MariappaMariappa was born in Harrow, England, but also qualified to represent Fiji internationally through his father and Jamaica through his maternal grandparents and would make his international debut for Jamaica in June 2012.}}

{{Fs player|no=39|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=Joel GrantGrant was born in Ealing, England, but also qualified to represent Jamaica internationally and represented Jamaica at U-23 level before making his international debut for Jamaica in May 2014.}}

{{Fs end}}

{{Fs start}}

{{Fs player|no=2|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=Neal Ardley|other=to Cardiff City}}

{{Fs player|no=12|nat=ENG|pos=FW|name=Scott Fitzgerald|other=to Brentford}}

{{Fs player|no=13|nat=WAL|pos=GK|name=Paul Jones|other=on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers}}

{{Fs player|no=15|nat=JAM|pos=DF|name=Marcus GayleGayle was born in Hammersmith, London, and represented them at U-18 level, but also qualified to represent Jamaica internationally through his father and made his international debut for Jamaica in 1998.|other=to Brentford}}

{{Fs mid}}

{{Fs player|no=32|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=Johnnie Jackson|other=on loan from Tottenham Hotspur}}

{{Fs player|no=34|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=Chris Eagles|other=on loan from Manchester United}}

{{Fs player|no=42|nat=ENG|pos=GK|name=Kevin Hitchcock|other=retired}}

{{Fs end}}

• {{flagicon|ENG}} Andy Ferrell – {{flagicon|ENG}} Newcastle United, free
• {{flagicon|ENG}} Jermaine Darlington – {{flagicon|ENG}} Milton Keynes Dons, free
• {{flagicon|ENG}} James Chambers – {{flagicon|ENG}} West Bromwich Albion, £250,000

• {{flagicon|ENG}} Paolo Vernazza – {{flagicon|ENG}} Rotherham United, free
• {{flagicon|ENG}} Wayne Brown – {{flagicon|ENG}} Colchester United, free
• {{flagicon|JAM}} Micah HydeHyde was born in Newham, England, but also qualified to represent Jamaica internationally and made his international debut for Jamaica in 2001. – {{flagicon|ENG}} Burnley, free
• {{flagicon|ENG}} Neal Ardley – {{flagicon|WAL}} Cardiff City, free
• {{flagicon|ENG}} Scott Fitzgerald – {{flagicon|ENG}} Brentford, free
• {{flagicon|JAM}} Marcus Gayle – {{flagicon|ENG}} Brentford, free

{{Reflist}}

{{reflist|group=notes}}

{{Watford F.C. seasons}}

{{2004–05 in English football}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:2004-05 Watford F.C. season}}

Category:Watford F.C. seasons

Watford F.C.