Doncaster Rovers (1-1) 5-5-10 20 pts.

Watford hosted cellar dwellers Doncaster Saturday in Brendan Roger's debut with the club -- managing a 1-1 draw.

I was on the road and missed the action, but newly loaned midfielder Liam Bridcutt, a nineteen-year old from Chelsea, made his debut for the club. No goals but he did pick up his first yellow with the club.

In other news, the Hornets drew Scunthorpe United in the Third Round proper of the FA Cup. The match will be at Vicarage Road January 3 or 4.

The next match is the quarter-finals of the League Cup, this Wednesday, December 3rd, at home against Tottenham Hotspur. Kick-off is 1:45 pm St. Louis time.

Bristol City (1-1) 5-4-10 19 pts

Thank God for Tommy Smith.

A scoreless match until 71st minute with Watford out-shooting the Robins, stricker Nicky Maynard picked up a pass from Stern John and right-footed in from six yards out. In atypical fashion however, Tommy Smith let fly from 25 yards out a minute later to tie up the match and salvage a point for Malky Mackay's last match before Brendan Rogers takes over.

THAT match will be this Saturday (one I'll have to miss) at home against Dorcaster. Kickoff is 9:00 St. Louis time.

Our anemic point-a-game pace leaves us only 3 points from relegation territory.

Rogers Named Gaffer

Brendan "Buck" Rogers was named to replace Aidy Boothroyd as manager today. Joining him will be Frank Lampard, young Frankie's dad. Malky Mackay will be staying on and will be managing Tuesday's match at Bristol City. Leaving the coaching staff will be Martin Hunter.

Rogers's managerial career began at Reading as the Youth Coach, a position he moved to at Chelsea in 2004. In 2006, he became skipper of Chelsea's reserve squad, the position he left to join the Hornets. Rogers is 35, the second manager in a row in his mid-30's to initiate his managerial career at Watford.

Reaction seems to be guarded approval that this was a good choice given the budget and the available talent.

QPR (3-0) 5-3-10 18 pts.

With Scott Loach in at goal and Jon Harley back from his three-game suspension, the Hornets nabbed the first League win for Malky McKay today.

Not a pretty game, QPR brought a tentative game to Vicarage Road under the direction of Paul Sousa for the first time. It was a quiet back-and-forth with a few corners here & there until the 25th minute when Damien Stewart ran up Jon Harley's back, setting up a penalty kick for Tommy Smith.

Smith sent keeper Radek Cerny sprawling in the wrong direction and netted his eighth goal of the season. Darren Ward, in for Leigh Bromby this match, made it 2-0 seven minutes later, catching a cross from Jon Harley and right-footing the ball in from 12 yards out.

Lee Williamson headed in the last goal of the day off a cross from Smith in added time to close the first half.

A frustrated QPR picked up two yellows and played a man down for the last nine minutes after Fitz Hall was sent off for violent conduct. Harley started collecting yellows for his next suspension when he took down Mikele Leigertwood to prevent a goal in the first half.

The win lifts Watford out of relegation territory; just two points above Charlton who sacked Alan Pardew today after an eight-game winless streak. The Hornets travel to Bristol City Tuesday, November 25. Kick off is 1:45 pm St. Louis time.

Jay DeMerit Interview on the Coca-Cola Football League Podcast

Jay talks about his winding road from Green Bay to the Hornets, his recording 'career', and his business ventures in this week's podcast with Mark Clemmit.

Soccer in St.Louis - Two Perspectives

On a day that saw St. Louis lose its former baseball patron, two random bits of data point to good news for soccer in the Gateway City.

First - Albert Pujols will be joining the Jeff Cooper-spearheaded team in bringing an MLS franchise to St. Louis in 2011. St. Louis is up against Vancouver, Montreal, Ottawa, Portland, Atlanta, & Miami. There are two slots available.

Second - We were at a bar trivia night at Stella Blues last night (not a soccer bar) and were asked to name the football team featured in the film Green Street Hooligans. Though only one team (out of a dozen) got the correct answer (West Ham United), all the teams could name a football club and they weren't all Manchester United. A good sign indeed.

Round Five Tie Set for Wednesday, December 3

Kickoff will be 1:45 St. Louis time as the Hornets host the Spurs in quarter-final action of the League Cup.

Tottenham, one point from the bottom of the Premier League table have nonetheless been on a tear since late October, dropping only one match, that to Fulham last Saturday.

Watford, also languishing in relegation-land, has not fared so well - having gone six league matches without a win. The sole bright spot: the win over Swansea City in Round 4.

Barnsley (1-2) 4-3-10 15 pts.

Another poor defensive display let in two goals in as many minutes, topping a solitary Watford goal from Tommy Smith (asst. McAnuff) and the Hornets find themselves three points off the bottom of the table. Nearly an own goal, Smith's score in minute 52 stood up for seventeen minutes until sub Miguel Mostto took advantage of confusion in Watford's backfield to even up the match.

90 seconds later, Stephen Foster put the Tykes ahead for good at Oakwell with a right-footer from 6 yards out.

Each side had another serious scoring chance, but saves from Richard Lee & Heinz Muller kept the score 2-1.

QPR comes to Vicarage Road next Saturday, November 22. Kick off is 9:00 am St. Louis time.

Barnsley 0-0 at the Half

No score, no bookings, 50/50 on possession. Just a solid back-and-forth that can end up being anybody's game.

Watford to Host Spurs in Round 5 of the League Cup

Tottenham Hotspur will visit Vicarage Road the week of December 1 to decide who gets to go to the semi-finals. Premier side Tottenham is struggling this year but so are the Hornets. I've not seen the odds, but I expect Watford is the underdog despite home field advantage.

LC: Swansea City (1-0)

Revenge!! On to Round Five. No scoring in a second half marred by six yellow cards. Picking up the bookings for the Hornets were Priskin, Bromby, Mariappa, & Williamson. It was hard-fought with both squads using all three subs, but Watford has made it to the final eight.

The draw for the Round Five ties will be held this Saturday (please not Man U, please not Man U) with matches held the week of December 1.

Next League match for Watford is this Saturday, November 15th at Barnsley. Kickoff is 9:00 am St. Louis time.

1-0 at the half

A right-footed shot from 12 yards out by Lee Williamson (asst. Smith) is the only scoring in a fairly even match. So far the shake-up in the line-up has paid off. With luck the recently porous defense can hold up another 45 minutes.

LC: Game Day Swansea City - Round 4

Five player changes from Sunday's loss to the Swans: Marippa, Bromby, McAnuff, Ross Jenkins, & Tommy Smith - can't hurt.

Go 'Orns!!!

Please

Swansea City (1-3) 4-3-9 15 pts.

Watford blows a first half lead at Liberty Stadium to mark their fifth game in a row without a win in Malky MacKay's debut as gaffer.

It's been a rough week for me as well and I didn't get up for the 8:00 whistle so I've linked in the BBC report.

The rematch is in two days as the Hornets return to Wales for Round Four of the League Cup. Kickoff is 1:45 St. Louis time.

Sir Elton Resigns as Honorary President of Watford FC

In a letter to Chairman Simpson, Elton John severs his formal ties with the club two days after Aidy Boothroyd's departure but vows, ". . . he would always be a fan of Watford."

Aidy Frontrunner at Huddlesfield Town

Sacking Stan Ternent after just six months, League One side Huddersfield Town may have their eyes on Aidy.

The One That Got Away

Villa loves Ash!

Ashley Young, once Watford's leading scorer, signs a four-year deal with Aston Villa.

Aidy Out!!

After a disappointing fall in the table in the last half of last season and a poor start this year, Aidy Boothroyd was sacked as Watford's manager yesterday.

Aidy lead the squad to the Premiership two seasons ago but, after relegation back to the Championship and the sale of their top players, the club has struggled and is lying two goals outside the relegation zone.

Malky Mackay will be caretaker manager until someone can be found.

I, for one, am disappointed. I think he did what he could with with the talent he had left after Ben Foster went back to United, Ashley Young was sold off and Mahon & King departed. Where the parachute money and the signing funds went is baffling though the money we've wasted on Poom & Ellington may explain a lot of it.

Look for more shake-ups both on & off the pitch.

Blackpool (3-4) 4-3-8 15 pts.

Displaying a stunning inability to hold a lead, the Hornets dropped their third match in a row in the pouring rain at Vicarage Road today.

Watford held the lead on three separate occasions only to lose the match in added time. Poor defense was the culprit, wasting a fine performance from Watford's front line. Said Boothroyd, "I've never been more irritated by a second half defensive performance than that." He lauded the offensive performance today, especially by striker Grzegorz Rasziak, but noted of the defense ". . . you can't compensate for stupid, glaring errors that we made today."

Rasziak set the tone early, back-heeling the ball to Wil Hoskin who found the goal in the fourth minute. Both side played attacking football and Keith Southern scored the first of three equalizers when play developed off a free kick taken as the result of a John Eustace foul.

Rasziak headed a goal in (asst. Jon Harley) in the 36th minute to regain the lead for the Hornets, a lead they held into the half despite a flurry of play to end the first half.

Ben Burgess evened the match up once again in minute 56 left-footing a shot in from 18 yards out, but a Tommy Smith penalty kick in the 68th minute gave Watford their final lead of the match.

The 13,517 in attendance at the Vic watched in shocked disbelief as the lead and, at first, two points disappeared as Gary Taylor-Fletcher scored with five minutes left in regulation time, then saw the final draw point melt away in the rain as Alan Gow found the back of the net from 12 yards out in the final seconds of injury time.

Mat Sadler, Jay DeMerit, and especially Eustace all played poorly today. What happened to the defender-rich squad we had in need of strikers?

Next match is a League contest at Swansea City. Kickoff is 8:00 am St. Louis time.