Watford FC - Season 2000/2001

I am sure this was the biggest collapse in our history in a single season. After winning 12 and drawing 3 of the opening 15 games ( top of the league) and being joint runaway favourites to win the league - alongside Fulham we go on to lose the next 5, get thrashed and outplayed by Fulham losing 5-0 in December and end up finishing 9th in the league.

I dont know of any other team in the professional leagues who had such a big turnaround in form after such a promising start. We had just been relegated in our first season in the Premiership and were one of the favourites to return to the top flight. Alan Nielson, our new signing looked brilliant early on. Helguson, Mooney, Tommy Smith and even Hyde looked like they were steering Watford to a quick return to the top flight with some outstanding early season performances, then we lost 5 in a row and just went down the league. Taylor then retired, leading the way for almost financial ruin for the club. A season that is still not easy to explain.

 

07/08 was similar under Hoofroyd, great for the first 10/15 games then utter dross for the rest.

 

In 95/96 Millwall spent the majority of the first half of the season in first place. They ended up getting relegated with us on the final day.

 

Derby, have been pretty much on the verge of promotion for the last few seasons, in the playoff spots nearly the whole of the season before last, only to mess it up. I think they did the same the season before that as well. Also didnt Hull City have a very good start to their last Premier League campaign, only to nosedive, and get relegated.

 

That was the example that immediately came to mind for me too.

 

If I remember rightly we got a bit lucky in those first 15 games at times. I always had a feeling we'd suffer a dip in form, but it was dramatic! That Fulham game was bloody cold too! I think the slump started when we lost at home to Sheffield Wednesday and then Utd in the league cup. Might be wrong though.

 

It was the same in the Boothroyd season 07/08. It was pretty clear to most that we were playing utterly sh*te football but picking up points.

 

Wasn't the turning point a home game with WBA? Demerit was injured and we slumped to a 3-0 defeat. Eventually we clung on to 6th place on GD from Wolves. Less said about the play offs that season the better.......

 

It was a very weird season, that deafeat at Fulham was Boxing Day I think, they totally stuffed us and the players we arguing with each other on the pitch, the layers knew that God was leaving at the end of the season so don't know if that had anything to do with it and God was not that keen on the owners then, still could have sneaked a playoff place if we won our last two games (i think) but would not have progressed in the play offs

 

Wasn't 07/08 more to do with Adam Johnson? Boro called him back and we crumbled.

Then didn't King go in January and we nose dived?

 

That 5-0 defeat at Fulham was shocking. It was an absolute thrashing, and if I remember rightly, Espen Baardsen had a massive bust up with Tommy Mooney on the pitch.

 

I just remember the cold - I don't think I have ever been so cold at a football match.....

 

Bradford away one year springs to mind.

 

This.

Maidstone in the fa cup I remember being cold because I asked my dad if we could go home early! Not sure if it was just me being a small boy or if it was cold.

The Fulham game we queued up at the shed serving tea and coffee to try and warm up with a hot drink. The tea was frozen solid.

 

Didn't Norwich have a massive collapse after Christmas one season and get relegated from the Prem? A while ago now.

 

Torquay at home in the cup and it went to bloody extra time !

That Maidstone game was cold as well but at least I was standing and could jump up and down to keep a bit warm

 

Home to Forest in the League Cup too (same year as Southampton) and was the Torquay game the one in the blizzard when only the main stand was opened. One and only time l ever sat there if so.

 

Yep, was there too and it was the coldest I've ever been. For some reason we sat in the Upper Rous and that night put me off that stand for life.

 

Torquay definitely the coldest ever. In contrast to Diamond, we normally sat in the Upper Rous but that night froze in the old Main Stand. That too was an experience never repeated.

 

Torquay, Scarborough away (FA Cup), Grimsby away (FA Cup) and Oxford home, although that did get postponed with a lot of us already in the ground as the temp dropped sharply and the pitch froze

 

I remember when I was quite young going to Coventry away in the FA Cup 3rd round, 1986 I think, the terraces were covered in snow.

 

Can confirm Scarborough away in the 90s was freezing. Nil nil as well.

 

07/08 trumps it by far.

I think we were something like 11 points clear at the top at one point. Every away game you felt we would win. Then WBA (with Robbo at LB) outplayed us at home and the confidence never returned.

Interestingly, 07/08 was also the only season Almen Abdi didn't win a league title in his last 4 years at Zurich. Many scientists speculate there may be a link.

 

That was the game that Robbo pointed at Ellington and mouthed "how much?" to the wba fans....

 

Scarborough away I spent the whole game next to the tea hut to keep warm watching our lot have a fight with the Old Bill.

 

I think their decline started against us. They were top, we were bottom and we went to their place and won 2-0.

 

Blackpool were top half of the Premier League 5 years ago and are now League2. That's a proper collapse

 

That Torquay game was in the Autoglass Trophy. We won with a penalty in the snow. There was also an FA Cup match that went to extra time, but it didn't snow for that one.

 

That Fulham game also saw my car end up i. The Thames as the river flooded by Putney bridge and half a dozen cars up to their steering wheels deep. That was the perfect end to the day!

 

I was at that game I'm sure it was Boxing Day and Butler scored!!

 

I'm sure it snowed for the Torquay fa cup game.

We scored right at the beginning of extra time but obviously had to wait another 30 minutes freezing for the game to finish.

Pretty sure that West Brom game in the 07-08 season is the only home game my wife has been to.

 

If I remember rightly the 00/01 collapse was down to our first team getting thrashed 3-0 by Man Utd's kids.

Can't remember which player said it, but said we were full of confidence up to that point, then realised what was waiting for us (again) if we went back up.