During the 1999–2000 English football season, Watford competed in the FA Premier League, after being promoted twice first from the Second Division two seasons ago and the First Division the previous season.

Season summary Watford managed some encouraging early results, including victories over Liverpool and Chelsea, suggesting that experienced manager Graham Taylor might be able to keep the club in the Premier League against all expectations. However, after the victory against Chelsea on 18 September, Watford only managed three more wins all season, and it soon became obvious that this campaign was a bridge too far after two successive promotions. The club were eventually relegated with the then-lowest points total in Premier League history, although observers widely predicted that Taylor would at least stabilise the club in Division One again, and maybe even get the club to make an immediate return to the Premiership.

Final league table

Results summary

Results by matchday

Results Watford's score comes first

Legend WinDrawLoss

FA Premier League DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 7 August 1999 WimbledonH2–315,511Kennedy (pen), Ngonge 10 August 1999 SunderlandA0–240,630 14 August 1999 LiverpoolA1–044,174Mooney 21 August 1999 Bradford CityH1–015,564Mooney 24 August 1999 Aston VillaH0–119,161 30 August 1999 Leicester CityA0–117,920 11 September 1999 West Ham UnitedA0–125,310 18 September 1999 ChelseaH1–021,144Smart 25 September 1999 ArsenalA0–138,127 3 October 1999 Leeds UnitedH1–219,677Williams 16 October 1999 Manchester UnitedA1–455,188Johnson 24 October 1999 MiddlesbroughH1–316,081Smith 31 October 1999 Coventry CityA0–421,700 6 November 1999 Sheffield WednesdayA2–221,658Ngonge, Page 20 November 1999 Newcastle UnitedH1–119,539Ngonge 27 November 1999 SunderlandH2–321,590Ngonge, Johnson (pen) 4 December 1999 WimbledonA0–514,021 18 December 1999 EvertonH1–317,346Ngonge 26 December 1999 Tottenham HotspurA0–436,089 28 December 1999 SouthamptonH3–218,459Perpetuini, Gravelaine (2) 3 January 2000 Derby CountyA0–228,072 15 January 2000 LiverpoolH2–321,367Johnson, Helguson 22 January 2000 Bradford CityA2–316,864Hyde, Helguson 5 February 2000 Aston VillaA0–427,647 12 February 2000 Leicester CityH1–116,814Wooter 26 February 2000 ChelseaA1–234,928Smart 4 March 2000 West Ham UnitedH1–218,619Helguson 11 March 2000 Newcastle UnitedA0–136,433 18 March 2000 Sheffield WednesdayH1–015,840Smart 25 March 2000 Tottenham HotspurH1–120,050Smart 1 April 2000 EvertonA2–431,960Smart, Hyde 8 April 2000 Derby CountyH0–016,579 15 April 2000 SouthamptonA0–215,252 23 April 2000 ArsenalH2–319,670Helguson, Hyde 29 April 2000 Manchester UnitedH2–320,250Helguson, Smith 3 May 2000 Leeds UnitedA1–336,324Foley 6 May 2000 MiddlesbroughA1–132,930Ward 14 May 2000 Coventry CityH1–018,977Helguson

FA Cup

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR311 December 1999 Birmingham CityH0–18,144

League Cup

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR2 1st Leg14 September 1999 Wigan AthleticH2–06,628Easton, HydeR2 2nd Leg21 September 1999 Wigan AthleticA1–3 (won on away goals)5,006KennedyR313 October 1999 MiddlesbroughA0–18,843

Players First-team squad Squad at end of season

Left club during season

Reserve squad

Transfers

In Date Pos. Name From Fee7 July 1999DFMark WilliamsChesterfieldFree8 July 1999DFDes LyttleNottingham ForestFree9 July 1999FWDominic FoleyWolverhampton WanderersFree1 August 1999MFAlexandre BonnotAngersFree6 August 1999GKHerwig WalkerVorwärts SteyrFree13 September 1999MFNordin WooterReal Zaragoza£950,00029 September 1999MFCharlie MillerRangers£450,0001 November 1999MFLee CookAylesburyFree4 November 1999DFNeil CoxBolton Wanderers£500,0009 November 1999MFXavier GravelaineParis Saint-GermainFree2 January 2000FWDavid WarnerBrook HouseFree11 January 2000FWHeiðar HelgusonLillestrøm£1,500,000

Out Date Pos. Name To Fee22 June 1999MFTony DaleyWalsallFree transfer6 July 1999DFDarren BazeleyWolverhampton WanderersFree6 August 1999DFAlon HazanF.C. AshdodFree18 August 1999MFStuart SlaterCarlton SCFree11 November 1999DFKeith MillenBristol City£35,00029 January 2000MFXavier GravelaineLe Havre£300,0005 February 2000DFColin MilesGreenock MortonFree

Transfers in: £3,400,000 Transfers out: £335,000 Total spending: £3,065,000

Statistics Appearances

Starting 11 Considering starts in all competitions Considering a 5-3-2 formation GK: #1, Alec Chamberlain, 31 RWB: #36, Neil Cox, 21 CB: #5, Steve Palmer, 42 CB: #4, Rob Page, 40 CB: #32, Mark Williams, 22 LWB: #6, Paul Robinson, 33 CM: #8, Micah Hyde, 37 CM: #10, Richard Johnson, 22 CM: #3, Peter Kennedy, 20 CF: #7, Michel Ngonge, 19 CF: #14, Nordin Wooter, 18

References

Notes