Highlights

• After a poor placing last season, Watford is aiming for the play-offs in the Championship and is rebuilding after a stay in the Premier League.
• Troy Deeney was considered the biggest signing, was a key player on and off the pitch and led his club to new heights.
• Deeney’s important goals in the FA Cup and Championship made him a true legend and were crucial to Watford’s success.

This article is part of Football League World’s ‘Terrace Talk’ series, where our FLW fan experts offer personal opinions on the latest news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Watford are aiming to reach the Championship play-offs this season after the club finished a modest 15th last season, just two seasons after their most recent participation in the Premier League.

The Hornets remained in the top division for five seasons from the 2015/16 season until they were relegated back to the second division at the end of the 2019/20 season.

The Hertfordshire side also reached the FA Cup final in 2019 after beating Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-2 in a thrilling semi-final in which they came from 2-0 down.

It’s safe to say that the Hornets have experienced many ups and downs over the past few years. Football league in the world Watford fan expert, Justin Beattierevealed who he thinks is the club’s biggest new signing from his time as a fan.

Hornets fan expert makes claim about Troy Deeney

Speaking to FLW, Justin said: “The player that has been the biggest bargain for me since I became a fan of the club is definitely Troy Deeney.”

“I think he signed for half a million.

“He was a great servant to the club.

“A real, modern Watford legend.

“His record on the pitch speaks for itself. He returned the kindness to the club when he himself got into trouble and went to prison.

“Just an absolute Watford legend, so when you talk about a bargain, we had never heard of him before he joined us from Walsall.

“We didn’t expect anything, and certainly not that he would become a modern legend for the club. But that’s exactly what he is.”

Watford fans will never forget Deeney

As Justin said, Deeney is a legend at Vicarage Road and it is clear why he is so highly regarded in Hertfordshire.

The Hornets signed the striker from Walsall in the summer of 2010 for a transfer fee of £500,000. He stayed with the club until 2021 and then moved to Birmingham City.

According to FotMob, the 36-year-old scored 140 goals in 419 appearances, a stat that reflects both his longevity and quality, as well as his tendency to perform for his team at crucial moments.

For example, in the aforementioned 2019 FA Cup semi-final, he was the calmest man at Wembley Stadium when he converted the penalty to make it 2-2 in the 94th minute.

Gerard Deulofeu scored the decisive goal as the Hornets beat Wolves 3-2 to reach their first FA Cup final since 1984, a performance that would not have been possible without Deeney’s calm under huge pressure.

Loyal supporters of the Vicarage Road club will always remember the 2014/15 Championship season, which saw the Hornets gain automatic promotion to the Premier League with 89 points and second place in the table.

This was a major success, and Deeney played a key role in this, scoring a remarkable 21 goals and providing 10 assists in 42 second division appearances.

He then made his best return to the Premier League to date, scoring 13 goals and providing eight assists in the top flight during the 2015/16 season, helping the Hornets finish an impressive 13th.