The 2019–20 season was Watford's 121st year in their history and fifth consecutive season in the Premier League. They also participated in the FA Cup and the EFL Cup. The season covered the period from 1 July 2019 to 26 July 2020.
Javi Gracia was sacked on 7 September 2019, after a poor start to the season saw Watford bottom with just one point. He was replaced by former manager, Quique Sánchez Flores However, on 1 December 2019, Flores was sacked after securing only a single victory in his second stint in charge. Nigel Pearson was appointed manager on 6 December 2019 on a season-long contract. On 19 July 2020, Pearson was sacked with two games remaining in the 2019–20 season. Watford were seven points adrift at the bottom of the league when Pearson took charge, and three points above the relegation zone when he was sacked. Following Pearson's sacking, under interim manager Hayden Mullins, Watford went on to lose their remaining two games and were relegated.
Transfers Transfers in Date Position Nationality Name From Fee Team Ref. 1 July 2019 AM Kane Crichlow AFC Wimbledon Free transfer Under-23s 1 July 2019 CB Craig Dawson West Bromwich Albion Undisclosed First team 1 July 2019 CB Bayli Spencer-Adams Arsenal Free transfer Under-23s 12 July 2019 CB Jamal Balogun Reading Free transfer Under-23s 12 July 2019 CF Sam Dalby Leeds United Undisclosed Under-23s 12 July 2019 LB Cameron Green Reading Free transfer Under-23s 12 July 2019 CM Henry Wise Free agent Free transfer Under-23s 24 July 2019 CM Tom Dele-Bashiru Manchester City Free transfer Under-23s 2 August 2019 CB Mason Barrett West Ham United Free transfer Under-23s 2 August 2019 DM Callum Whelan Manchester United Free transfer Under-23s 7 August 2019 CF Danny Welbeck Arsenal Free transfer First team 8 August 2019 RW Ismaïla Sarr Rennes €30,000,000 First team 22 August 2019 SS Kaylen Hinds Free agent Free transfer Under-23s 1 January 2020 CF João Pedro Fluminense Undisclosed First team 14 January 2020 RW Ignacio Pussetto Udinese €8,000,000 First team 30 January 2020 GK Myles Roberts Reading Undisclosed Under-23s 31 January 2020 CB Teddy Perkins Burnley Undisclosed Under-23s
Loans out Date from Position Nationality Name To Date until Team Ref. 1 July 2019 CF Jerome Sinclair VVV-Venlo 30 June 2020 First team 1 July 2019 CF Luis Suárez Zaragoza 30 June 2020 Under-23s 3 July 2019 LB Pervis Estupiñán Osasuna 30 June 2021 Under-23s 9 July 2019 FW Michael Folivi AFC Wimbledon 30 June 2020 Under-23s 14 July 2019 RB Kingsley Fobi Badajoz 30 June 2020 Under-23s 22 July 2019 CF Matheus Aias Mirandés 30 June 2020 Under-23s 24 July 2019 RB Marc Navarro Leganés 30 June 2020 First team 25 July 2019 CB Ben Wilmot Swansea City 30 June 2020 First team 26 July 2019 CF Alex Jakubiak Gillingham 31 January 2020 Under-23s 31 July 2019 AM Juergen Elitim Marbella 30 June 2020 Under-23s 1 August 2019 CM Kwasi Sibo Ibiza 30 June 2020 Under-23s 22 August 2019 CB Harry Hudson Cray Wanderers 30 October 2019 Academy 22 August 2019 CM Daniel Phillips Hemel Hempstead Town January 2020 Academy 22 August 2019 LM Ken Sema Udinese 30 June 2020 First team 26 August 2019 CF Cucho Hernández Mallorca 30 June 2020 First team 2 September 2019 CF Adalberto Peñaranda Eupen 30 June 2020 First team 6 September 2019 LB Cameron Green Braintree Town 1 January 2020 Under-23s 6 September 2019 GK James Hoskins Northwood 2 October 2019 Academy 15 November 2019 GK Dante Baptiste Hendon Youth loan Academy 1 January 2020 RB Dimitri Foulquier Granada 30 June 2020 First team 31 January 2020 GK Pontus Dahlberg FC Emmen 30 June 2020 First team 31 January 2020 MF Harry Forster St Albans City 30 June 2020 Academy 31 January 2020 LB Lewis Gordon St Albans City 30 June 2020 Academy 31 January 2020 CF Alex Jakubiak St Mirren 30 June 2020 Under-23s 13 March 2020 GK Harvey White Hendon 30 June 2020 Under-23s
Transfers out Date Position Nationality Name To Fee Team Ref. 1 July 2019 CB Miguel Britos Free agent Released First team 1 July 2019 CM Ashley Charles Free agent Released Under-23s 1 July 2019 CM Andrew Eleftheriou Dagenham & Redbridge Released Under-23s 1 July 2019 CB Tommie Hoban Free agent Released First team 1 July 2019 GK Sam Howes Woking Released Under-23s 1 July 2019 CB Tom Leighton Free agent Released Academy 1 July 2019 DM Sulayman Marreh Eupen Undisclosed Under-23s 1 July 2019 RB Michael Mullings Free agent Released Academy 1 July 2019 CF Obbi Oularé Standard Liège Undisclosed First team 1 July 2019 LM Kai Sanders Free agent Released Academy 1 July 2019 AM Sam Sesay Free agent Released Academy 1 July 2019 DF Ryan Suckling Free agent Released Academy 1 July 2019 CB Ben Tricker Fulham Released Academy 1 August 2019 RW Dodi Lukebakio Hertha BSC Undisclosed First team 2 September 2019 CF Stefano Okaka Udinese Undisclosed First team 19 December 2019 CB Joy Mukena Bracknell Town Free transfer Under-23s 24 January 2020 LB Marvin Zeegelaar Udinese Undisclosed First team 31 January 2020 CB Sebastian Prödl Free agent Mutual consent First team
Pre-season and friendlies In June 2019. The Hornets confirmed their pre-season schedule.
Competitions Premier League
League table
Results summary
Results by matchday
Matches On 13 June 2019, the Premier League fixtures were announced.
FA Cup
The third round draw was made live on BBC Two from Etihad Stadium, Micah Richards and Tony Adams conducted the draw.
EFL Cup
The second round draw was made on 13 August 2019 following the conclusion of all but one first-round matches. The third round draw was confirmed on 28 August 2019, live on Sky Sports. The draw for the fourth round was made on 25 September 2019.
Appearances and goals
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Goalkeepers
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Defenders
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Midfielders
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Forwards
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Players transferred out during the season
References