Watford Football Club is a football club from Watford, Hertfordshire, England. The club played in the 2012–13 Football League Championship for the sixth consecutive season since relegation from the Premier League in 2006–07. The club also competed in the FA Cup and the Football League Cup.
Despite guiding the club to an 11th-placed finish in 2009–10, the club's 3rd highest points tally for 9 years, manager Sean Dyche was dismissed and replaced by Gianfranco Zola following the club's takeover by Udinese and Granada owner Giampaolo Pozzo. The club captain was central midfielder John Eustace, although due to injury, Goalkeeper Manuel Almunia was captain for the majority of the season. During the summer transfer window, the club sold two key first team players; academy graduate Adrian Mariappa and goalkeeper Scott Loach. To replace them, Watford brought in two experienced players in Manuel Almunia and Fitz Hall. All other incoming transfers were loan players, mainly from Udinese and Granada. Zola later revealed that the club only loaned the players due to the short time scale between the completion of the take over and the transfer deadline day.
Watford had a relatively poor start to the season, losing 7 of their first 13 games, including a heavy 5–1 loss to Derby County F.C. In the subsequent months however, Watford began to win more matches and started to climb the table, rising to hold the 6th position by the end of 2012. Towards the end of the season, Watford were in contention for an automatic promotion spot together with Hull. On a dramatic final day of the regular season, Hull failed to guarantee their automatic promotion by only drawing to league champions Cardiff, however Watford were unable to capitalise against Leeds and finished the season in 3rd place, entering the play-offs. Over two games, Watford beat Leicester City on aggregate in a dramatic semi-final that saw them face Crystal Palace in the play-off final at Wembley where Crystal Palace won and sealed promotion to the Premier League.
Background
Sean Dyche replaced Malky Mackay as Watford manager at the end of the 2010–11 season. Following the departures of Mackay, Danny Graham, Will Buckley and Don Cowie, Watford were tipped for relegation in 2011–12 by some bookmakers and media organisations. However, Watford finished the season in 11th place with 64 points; Watford's third highest points tally since the departure of Graham Taylor as manager in 2001. At the end of the season, it was confirmed that Rene Gilmartin, Michael Bryan, Josh Walker, Chez Isaac and Tom James would be released – their contracts expired at the end of the 2011–12 season. Former manager Graham Taylor stepped down as chairman shortly before UEFA Euro 2012, indicating that he felt the timing was right and that he was keen to pursue other interests.
Takeover
In June 2012, Laurence Bassini indicated that he was looking to sell the club. Amid reports that the club's bondholders had called in the debt due to an act of default, Bassini stressed that the decision to sell was his alone, motivated by a wish to spend more time with his family. A company owned by Giampaolo Pozzo and his family completed the takeover of Watford on 29 June 2012. The management structure of the club changed significantly in the following weeks, with Rafaelle Riva appointed chairman. Former West Ham United chief executive Scott Duxbury and technical director Gianluca Nani took up similar roles with Watford, while ex-West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola replaced Sean Dyche. The club also stated an intention to make use of the Pozzo family's scouting network, which identifies players for Udinese in Serie A and Granada in La Liga.
Pre season
Watford did not make any signings prior to the start of their pre-season campaign, but their first two games against local featured triallists Daniel Pudil and Almen Abdi. In both matches – away to Boreham Wood and Wealdstone – Watford changed all eleven players at half time. Both games finished as 1–1 draws. The team's first win of pre-season came in a visit to Irish side Cork City, and was followed by an 8–0 win in a match against Barnet at Watford's training ground in London Colney.