From The Rookery End - A show about Watford FC

Watford's 2024–2025 Season Ends with a 1–1 Draw Against Sheffield Wednesday, Luton Town were relegated, and we marked a major milestone with a 15th birthday party for the podcast! Post match in the Mad Squiirrel, we were overwhelmed by the number of people who came to say hello — it was wonderful to see so many familiar faces we’ve met over the last 15 years, as well as plenty of new ones. We were...

For the final away game of the season, DCW made the trip up to Lancashire to see a poor hornets performance against Blackburn. Joined by Charlie from WD18, they saw a team that seems to be limping its way to the end of the season but also the conversation many fans might be having - will Tom Cleverly be the Watford manager next season? Plus there are few addendums to the 2014-2015 anniversary podc...

It’s now been 10 (TEN!) years since Watford sealed promotion to the Premier League on a sunny afternoon on the South Coast. Many will remember that famous win at Brighton, but to celebrate the milestone, we thought we’d look back at the whole season. Join Jon, Jas, DCW and Mike as FTRE takes you back through a momentous season that really did have it all.  Altogether now; Tommie Hoban’s havin...

Easter is a great time to gorging on chocolate eggs. Watford gorged on red cards. In a two parts. Dave and Mike discuss the Burnley loss and Adam Drury joins Mike to breakdown the loss away at Pompey. Even with two defeats and three red cards the boys are able to find positives, even if Jon wasn't there. but the true faults and frustrations of this Watford team still shine through. Two games to go...

After heading to the Hawthorns (via the brilliant Vine pub!) Mike was joined to discuss the game by Colin and Adam Drury. The trio talk about Tom’s achievements this year and whether he actually deserves more credit, despite a downturn in results. Adam and Colin disagree on how culpable the midfield is in giving up goals, while there is also chat about Jeremy Ngakia’s good form, Caleb Wiley’s impr...

Welcome to the latest episode of FTRE, recorded in two parts as we look back at Watford’s narrow win against Hull in the Chanpionship, and the U18’s heroic effort in the FA Youth Cup Semi Final against our old friends Manchester City. The senior side will have been pleased to get back to winning ways in a game where the defence was the bright spot, while the U18s provided a timing endorsement of t...

Mike and DCW look back at the defeat to Bristol City on Saturday and try to make sense of how we should feel about our season given that our already slim chances of making the play-offs are now almost certainly done and dusted Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It was a sunny day at Vicarage Road but the 0-0 draw against Plymouth Argyle was a little bit dull. Howeve, Jon, Jason, Mike and Kieran gathered outside the Hornet Shop to discuss the performance, particuarly that of the younger stars in the Watford ranks. And, after he annouced his Parkinson Diagnosis, the boys look at at the Aidy Boothroyd's time as Watford manager and the 2005-2006 season which...

With so much to disucss, from two games of football (Watford 1-0 Swansea -- Oxford 1-0 Watford) to the lack of striker, the tired looking Georgi Chakvetadze, the returning of investment money and is the season over? there was only one way to decide on what to discuss ... THE WHEEL. Jon, Jason, Jordi and Mike gathered, a little later than normal, to discuss it all... and more. Thanks for waiting an...

It was a cliche, as Watford v Millwall was a game of two halves. First half was great, the second was simply awful. Jon, Jason, Jordi and Mike met to discuss it , outside the hornet shop. Plus, with the passing of former Watford player Dennis Bond, Jon talks to David Harrison, from the Watford Treasury, to discuss his time as a Watford player. We go again, never to high, never to low COME ON YOU O...

It was by no means a classic, but there were plenty of positives for Mike, Jordi and Colin to discuss after Watford’s Stoke stalemate. The trio talk Tom’s tactics, Louza’s continued resurgence, defensive delight after a third clean sheet in a row, while also considering the ongoing goalscoring conundrum. The Academy is also on the agenda, alongside a look towards the remainder of the season. Oh an...

The nature of youth football has changed over the years, and while Watford’s focus may have shifted at times, it feels as though the Academy is now firmly back at the forefront of the Football Club’s operations. In this special podcast we talk to the people that have worked so hard to transform the Hornets’ youth setup and learn how the Academy is not just nurturing footballing talent, but also en...

After a 2-0 home win against them lot up the M1, Jon, Mike, Jason and Colin gathered at the Railway Arms to discuss the win, the players who stood out, Tom's choices before and during the game plus a special new FTRE podcast that is coming out this week. COME ON YOU ORNS Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After 1-0 win away at Middlesbrough. Jon, Jordi and Adam gathered to react to the win and how the Hornets might have started to revive their season at the Riverside. With one eye on next weeks derby match against Luton, they discuss how a new foundations seems to be forming in Tom Cleverly's Watford squad with a new centre back pairing and the continued redemption of Imran Louza. Tom will have som...

DCW and Mike convened the morning after Watford's 2-2 draw away at Sunderland to assess the performance and reflect on some much needed reasons to be cheerful - a very steady debut for Egil Selvik, an encouraging first start for Doumbia, a promising central defensive partnership of Pollock and Abankwah, and an absolute worldie from Imran Louza. If only we could defend set pieces... We also hear fr...

Jon, Jas, Mike and Kieran gathered at the Mad Squirrel to discuss an entertaining but ultimately disappointing early kick off against Norwich.  There is praise for Pollock and Abankwe, who looked tremendous as a CB pairing, plaudits for Imran Louza, a bleak Bayo assessment and serious questions for Gino et al. It was a spirited second half, but is it enough? Listen, and let us know what you t...

DCW and Jas are joined by Opta's Matt Furniss for another rummage through the numbers and they attempt to work out why this Watford side are so bad in the first 15 minutes of games, what Moussa Sissoko and Edo Kayembe are failing to do in midfield, and with less than a week to go in the January transfer window we look at whether Emmanuel Dennis part III, an out of sorts Kelechi Iheanacho or Red St...

After a tumultuous week (even by Watford standards!) Mike and Jon got their heads together to work thorough the events of the last few days in the world of Watford. It’s a wide ranging chat about the state of the Football Club; give it a listen and let us know your thoughts. When the going gets tough, the tough get going. This is From the Rookery End. Come on you ‘Orns. Hosted on Acast. See acast....

After a long and late visit to Cardiff in the week, Mike and Arlo headed to Derby to see Watford win 2-0... Away Follow Mike through out his day as he experience the little felt away win, hear the fans clear message for Gino and support of Tom Cleverley as well as much improved performance from the squad. Post Match, Mike catches up with Charlie from WD18 to talk through the match plus we hear fro...

Mike, Andy and Arlo made the midweek trip across the border to South Wales and saw Watford emerge with a point after a largely miserable performance against relegation strugglers Cardiff City With rumours gathering pace over recent days that Gino might be up to his old tricks again, is it enough to ease the pressure on Tom Cleverley for now? We tackle that thorny issue as well as hearing from a nu...

We might have seen a wonder goal from Rocco Vata but having a Cup game on a Thursday night was not only weird but also unsuccessful. Mike, DCW, Jordi and Kieran headed to Craven Cottage to see the Hornets take on Premier League Fulham and discussed all that has been going on at Vicarage Road this week - Bachmann's injury and Jebbinson's exit, plus what they saw on the pitch, including a few lesser...

Watford slumped to a third straight defeat at Vicarage Road, as Chris Wilder’s depleted Blades took all three points in our first home game of 2025. Much like the game, this is a pod of two halves, with Colin and DCW joining Jon pre-match, leaving Mike, Jas and Kieran to talk through the game at the final whistle. There’s praise for Jeremy Ngakia who marked another fine performance with his first...

It was a wet and drab start to Watford's 2025, but Colin, DCW and Mike made the trip to Loftus Road to see the Hornets go behind early (yes, that's not going away) and they stay there. With the enforced changes to Tom Cleverly's starting XI, how did the guys think the team put up with another physical side and another heavy away defeat! Not the start to the new year we all dreamt of but we keep fo...

With Watford’s unbeaten home record finally gone, Colin, Jordi and Mike got together to discuss the two Feative home games against Portsmouth and Cardiff. Do fans take themselves too seriously? Did Baah’s “take the L” dance contribute to Watford taking one of their own against Cardiff? Was the ref to blame - or was it just one of those days for Tom Cleverly’s Hornets? It’s all here in this, the la...

After the bonkers end to Watford's 2-1 Boxing Day home win, Jon and Jason, as they walked away from the ground, had a quick chat about the game and the players that made an impact on the result. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.