From The Rookery End - A show about Watford FC

Watford have finally cracked the away-day curse – and they’ve done it the hard way. In this episode of From The Rookery End , Jon and Jordi relive the 3–2 comeback at Derby after 280 winless days on the road, and dig into what it tells us about this team’s growing character. They talk Luca’s predator instincts in the box, Mama’s raw talent and rising expectations, another Baah’s worrying injury, a...

Join Jon, Jason, DCW and the Brigadier as they walk down Occupation Road and towards the Railway Arms. They pick apart a match that started in style but fizzled into frustration. The lads break down Watford’s bright opening spell, Bola’s superbly taken goal, and the tactical twist of Javi’s surprise 3-4-3 formation. They debate Shelvik’s role in conceding the free kick, the manager’s reluctance to...

Mike and Kieran react to Watford's 1-1 draw on the road at Ipswich in a game that saw Imran Louza score his fourth in four games, Tom Ince come in for the injured Rocco Vata, more rotation at centre-back, and our first signing of our Moroccan world cup winner Othmane Maamma Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this weekend's FTRE, Jon, Jason, Kieran and Jordi shelter from the rain as they stand outside Vicarage Road to celebrate a dominant 3–0 win over Middlesbrough — and Rob Edwards’ return. The team unpack a near-perfect display under Javi, from Selvik’s superb save to Bola’s standout performance against his old club, Louza’s growing influence, and a front line that finally clicked. With Ipswich aw...

Watford’s midday clash with Coventry had it all — flashes of brilliance that frustratingly led to missed chances, diabolical defensive lapses, and big tactical questions for Javi Gracia. In this week’s From the Rookery End , Jon, Jordi, and Mike break down the highs and lows, from Doumbia and Vata’s attacking promise to the influence of Louza in midfield and the players chosen to support him. Can...

Three points, a proper performance, and a sense that something’s finally clicking . In a extra midweek podcast, Jon, The Brigadier and Adam Drury, from the Watford Observer, relive Watford’s home win over West Brom — from Imran Louza running the show to Rocco Vata’s fearless flair. There’s talk of tactical tweaks, defensive grit, and the all-important question: is this the start of a real Watford...

Jon, Jordi, and Colin get stuck into Watford’s their first impressions of the second Javi Gracia Era. The guys chat about what his return might mean for the team’s identity and how things unraveled in that frustrating match against Sheffield United. From puzzling lineup choices to questions about tactics, they don’t hold back. With some big games coming up, the pressure’s on Gracia to find a spark...

Watford’s coaching carousel spins once more — Paulo Pezzolano is out, and Javi García is back in. In this episode, we dive into the emotions, the logic, and the chaos behind another managerial reset. Was Pezzolano’s dismissal inevitable? Does Gino deserve credit for acting quickly? And what does Javi’s return really mean for a club still searching for stability? We talk about the surprise warmth o...

In this week’s episode, Jon, Mike and Jordi break down Watford’s hard-fought 2–1 home win over Oxford United , with Jeremy Ngakia grabbing both goals and continuing to impress with his calm, professional displays. We dive into all the big moments and standout performances from Vicarage Road — who shone, who struggled, and how the Hornets finally got the job done. But it wouldn’t be Watford without...

After being a Fratton Park on Wednesday night, Colin Mace (the Brigadier to you and I) sent in a message with his thoughts on the game and the Watford fans. We'll be bak with a podcast after the home game against Oxford United. Come on you Orns Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Another game, another shake-up — but how many changes is too many? Jon, Mike and Adam Drury, from the Watford Observer discuss how Watford looked lost in a dreadful first half where Hull should’ve been out of sight, only for Paulo Pezzolano’s faith in his team to finally pay off after the break. We break down the transformation: Semedo’s starring role, Baah’s worrying treatment (and injury), and w...

Mike, Colin and Olly gather the day after Watford's 1-0 defeat to Millwall at the Den on Monday night and attempt to make sense of another confusing team selection and disappointing performance Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Watford fell 1-0 at home to Blackburn on a day that was about much more than football. As the club looks ahead to celebrating Elton John’s 50th anniversary of becoming Owner and Chairman of the Hornets, the team took to the pitch in a striking Elton-inspired special blue kit. The game began brightly, but the spark never quite caught fire. Outside the Hornet Shop, Jordi, Mike, Jason and Colin gathe...

Dave and Jas are joined by Opta's Matt Furniss to take stock of the squad now that the transfer window is closed, with plenty of new faces through the door and crucially the big three of Chakvetadze, Louza and Baah staying put. How optimistic should we feel ahead of the rest of the season? Is the goal of promotion a realistic one for this group of players? And how do feel about Paolo Pezzolano fro...

For the second weekend running, Nestory Irankunda delivered another sensational free kick — and somehow, this one was even better than last week’s strike. Despite his brilliance, Watford were held to a 2-2 draw at Vicarage Road against Southampton . Post-match at the Mad Squirrel , Jon, Mike, DCW, and the Brigadier broke down the game. They discussed: A disjointed first half and what went wrong. H...

As the Hornets made their second away trip of the season, this time down to south Wales to face Swansea City, the team behind the microphones was split in two. Mike, Kieran, and Ryan braved the long journey down the M4, while Jon, Jordi, Olly, and DCW opted for the considerably shorter — and far more sociable — trip to the Railway Arms opposite Bushey station. The big question heading into the gam...

Dave, Mike and Jason gathered at the Mad Squirrel after Watford's 2-1 win over QPR to discuss the Hornets' first win of the season thanks to a first half brace from big Luca Kjerrumgaard. There was a surprising change of system from Paulo Pezzolano and plenty of encouraging individual performances for us to purr over, with the mood only slightly sullied by Imran Louza's late and straight red card....

As the 2025–26 season got underway for Watford, Jon, Mike, and Kieran headed down to The Valley to watch the Hornets take on Charlton Athletic — only to see them suffer a gut-wrenching defeat to an injury-time goal. With the season’s business now underway, we took the chance to share our first impressions of the new players, the returning faces, and the fresh style of play under Paulo Pezzolano’s...

Pre-season is nearly done and we are days away from the season kicking off at the Valley on Saturday, when Paulo Pezzolano and the 2025-2026 Watford team take on Charlton.  After being in position for a few months, we wanted to get to know a bit more about the current Watford Head Coach. However, we decided to take a different route. To find out more about Paulo, we spoke to a couple of famil...

The new season is creeping ever closer, and Watford’s 2025–2026 squad is beginning to take shape. But is it a squad capable of making a serious push for the play-offs – or even a return to the Premier League? In this episode of From the Rookery End , DCW, Jon, and Matt Furniss break down the squad as it stands. They assess how the new signings might improve on last season’s performance, debate whe...

It was a short trip to Grosvenor Vale to see Watford’s 2nd preseason game against AFC Wimbledon in the Football Manager Cup. The sweltering heat gave a few problems for both players and fans in the stands, but it was another run out for the squad, still very much in its infancy, and Paulo to learn a little more about the players he has at his disposal. Jon, Jordi and Kieran didn’t read too much in...

Ever wondered how Watford’s iconic yellow gets from sketch to Vicarage Road? This week, we’re joined by Watford FC’s Head of Retail, Kevin Newman, for an exclusive deep dive into the making of the 2025/26 home kit! From the first design doodles to final manufacturing, we unpack the timelines, the tricky business of pricing, and how sustainability plays a part in every stitch. Plus, we spill the te...

With Watford announcing the formation of a Supporters Board and asking for applications from supporters to be a part of it, Mike spoke to Steve Temple, Chair of the Watford Supporters Trust to find out more, including: What is the aim? How will it work? Who should apply? Why is it important?  There is also an update from Teve about the future and importance of the Watford Supporters Trust, wi...

PAULO, HECTOR & HOW WE’RE FEELING With the dust settling on Tom Cleverley’s departure, Jon, Mike and DCW got together to try and sum up their current feelings on the state of play at Vicarage Road. The trio talk Tom’s departure and where it leaves us, discuss new Head Coach Paulo Pezzolano - why Gino chose him and some do the challenges he might face, and hear from talkSPORT’s Adrian Durham ab...

Here we go again, then. DCW was joined by Mike and Jas to discuss Gino Pozzo’s decision to sack one of the most popular Head Coaches in recent Watford history.  The trio try to make sense of the decision, and in doing so question what future Watford can hope to have under the leadership of Pozzo, Duxbury and Nani. The season may be over, but the drama doesn’t stop. This is From the Rookery En...