1998–99 Watford F.C. season

During the 1998–99 English football season, Watford F.C. competed in the Football League First Division.

Watford
1998–99 season
ChairmanElton John
ManagerGraham Taylor
StadiumVicarage Road
Football League First Division5th (promoted)
Play-offsWinners
FA CupThird round
League CupFirst round
Top goalscorerNoel-Williams (10)
Average home league attendance11,822

Season summary

In the 1998–99 season, Watford's second successive promotion was achieved with a 2-0 victory over Bolton Wanderers in the playoff final, securing the club's promotion to the top flight for the first time since 1988.[1][2]

Final league table
Main article: 1998–99 Football League § First Division
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GS Pts Promotion or relegation
3 Ipswich Town 46 26 8 12 69 32 69 86 Participated in play-offs
4 Birmingham City 46 23 12 11 66 37 66 81
5 Watford 46 21 14 11 65 56 65 77 Promoted to Premier League through play-offs
6 Bolton Wanderers 46 20 16 10 78 59 78 76 Participated in play-offs
7 Wolverhampton Wanderers 46 19 16 11 64 43 64 73
Source:
Rules for classification: In the Football League goals scored (F) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).

Results

Watford's score comes first[3]

Legend
Win Draw Loss

Football League First Division
DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
8 August 1998PortsmouthA2-115,275Thomson (own goal), Lee
15 August 1998Bradford CityH1-010,731Ngonge
22 August 1998Bristol CityA4-113,063Johnson (2), Yates, Hazan
25 August 1998SunderlandA1-436,587Smart
28 August 1998Wolverhampton WanderersH0-212,016
8 September 1998Huddersfield TownA0-29,811
12 September 1998Queens Park RangersH2-114,251Millen, Smart
19 September 1998Swindon TownA4-18,781Smart (2), Wright, Hazan
26 September 1998Ipswich TownH1-013,109Kennedy (pen)
29 September 1998Sheffield UnitedH1-19,090Noel-Williams
4 October 1998West Bromwich AlbionA1-411,840Kennedy (pen)
10 October 1998Birmingham CityH1-110,096Rowett (own goal)
17 October 1998Tranmere RoversA2-36,753Smart, Noel-Williams
20 October 1998Bolton WanderersA2-115,921Noel-Williams, Kennedy (pen)
24 October 1998Port ValeH2-28,750Guðmundsson (2)
31 October 1998BuryA3-14,342Bazeley, Ngonge, Smart
3 November 1998Norwich CityH1-110,011Jackson (own goal)
7 November 1998Oxford UnitedH2-010,137Palmer, Noel-Williams
14 November 1998Stockport CountyA1-18,019Johnson
21 November 1998Crewe AlexandraH4-29,405Noel-Williams (2), Bazeley, Wright
28 November 1998Crystal PalaceA2-219,521Wright, Kennedy
5 December 1998BarnsleyH0-010,165
12 December 1998Stockport CountyH4-29,250Johnson, Wright, Noel-Williams (2)
19 December 1998Grimsby TownA1-26,679Noel-Williams
26 December 1998Bristol CityH1-015,081Smart
29 December 1998Norwich CityA1-119,255Palmer
9 January 1999PortsmouthH0-012,057
16 January 1999Wolverhampton WanderersA0-023,408
23 January 1999West Bromwich AlbionH0-211,664
30 January 1999SunderlandH2-120,188Wright, Noel-Williams
6 February 1999Bradford CityA0-214,142
16 February 1999Huddersfield TownH1-110,303Mooney
20 February 1999Queens Park RangersA2-114,918Wright, Smith
26 February 1999Swindon TownH0-18,692
2 March 1999Ipswich TownA2-318,818Smith, Mooney
6 March 1999Sheffield UnitedA0-315,943
13 March 1999Oxford UnitedA0-08,137
20 March 1999BuryH0-09,336
3 April 1999Tranmere RoversH2-18,682Kennedy, Ngonge
5 April 1999Birmingham CityA2-124,877Mooney, Daley
10 April 1999Bolton WanderersH2-013,001Hyde, Mooney
17 April 1999Crewe AlexandraA1-05,461Mooney
24 April 1999Crystal PalaceH2-115,590Hyde, Mooney
27 April 1999Port ValeA2-17,126Mooney (2)
1 May 1999BarnsleyA2-217,098Ngonge, Mooney
9 May 1999Grimsby TownH1-020,303Kennedy

First Division play-offs
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
SF 1st Leg16 May 1999Birmingham CityH1-018,535Ngonge
SF 2nd Leg20 May 1999Birmingham CityA0-1 (won 7-6 on pens)29,100
F31 May 1999Bolton WanderersN2-070,343Wright, Smart

FA Cup
Main article: 1998–99 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R32 January 1999Tottenham HotspurA2-536,022Johnson, Kennedy

League Cup
Main article: 1998–99 Football League Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R1 1st Leg11 August 1998Cambridge UnitedA0-13,073
R1 2nd Leg18 August 1998Cambridge UnitedH1-1 (lost 1-2 on agg)6,817Ngonge

Players

First-team squad
Squad at end of season[4]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
GK Alec Chamberlain
GK Chris Day
DF Darren Bazeley
DF Clint Easton
DF Nigel Gibbs
DF Colin Miles
DF Keith Millen
DF Steve Palmer
DF David Perpetuini
DF Paul Robinson
DF Darren Ward
DF Dean Yates
DF Rob Page (captain)
DF Benedict Iroha
MF Tony Daley
MF Micah Hyde[notes 1]
No. Position Player
MF Stuart Slater
MF Tommy Smith
MF Peter Kennedy
MF Alexandre Bonnot (on loan from Angers)
MF Jóhann Guðmundsson
MF Alon Hazan
MF Richard Johnson
FW Jason Lee
FW Tommy Mooney
FW Gifton Noel-Williams
FW Guy Whittingham (on loan from Sheffield Wednesday)
FW Nick Wright
FW Allan Smart
FW Ronny Rosenthal
FW Michel Ngonge[notes 2]

References
  1. "Watford back in the big time". BBC Sport. 31 May 1999. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  2. McGuinness, Mark (1 June 1999). "Football: You've Got Wat It Takes, Taylor: First Division Play-Off Special; Bolton 0 Watford 2 Graham back on a high with return to the top flight". The Free Library. The Mirror. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  3. http://www.statto.com/football/teams/watford/1998-1999
  4. http://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?team_id=2741&teamTabs=stats&season_id=128

Notes
  1. Hyde was born in Newham, England, but also qualified to represent Jamaica internationally and would make his international debut for Jamaica in 2001.
  2. Ngonge was born in Huy, Belgium, but also qualified to represent the Democratic Republic of the Congo internationally and made his international debut for the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1995.
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