"In fact, they quietly very much earned the tag of a Premier League staple in the late 2010s. Not particularly glamorous but solid enough. From the start of the 2015/16 season, Watford spent six out of seven years in the top-flight, and so, when they dropped out in May 2022, most expected to see an immediate return. When they started the following campaign with a front three of Ismalia Sarr, Emmanuel Dennis and Joao Pedro, those expectations only grew."
"The parachute payments (money teams continue to receive for up to three seasons post Premier League relegation) have all landed and so they are now competing on a level field. The club's three efforts to be upwardly mobile ended in 11th, 15th and 14th place finishes. Each season they flirted light with the Play-Offs a running joke amongst fans was that they were always within a win or two of the top six whatever their run of results"
Watford spent six of seven seasons in the Premier League from 2015/16, but were relegated in May 2022 and have remained in the Championship. Parachute payments expired and the club finished 11th, 15th and 14th in three seasons, repeatedly flirting with play-offs without becoming realistic contenders. The club has undergone heavy managerial turnover, appointing ten managers since 2021/22. A 2025 summer recruitment prioritized young, unrecognised talent with double-figure arrivals. That strategy excited fans, but manager Paulo Pezzolano was dismissed by October, and a further managerial change followed, prolonging instability and undermining promotion ambitions.
Read at www.fourfourtwo.com
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