https://thepompeychimes.net/forum/viewforum.php?f=2 After a rather fortunate score line defeat after 79mins of non-football at Burnley in a well deserved loss, we are back at home sweet home for the visit of Championship new boys Portsmouth. Pompey have had a very difficult start to the season, some of their opening fixtures were rather unkind but it's the luck of the fixture computer I guess. We haven't actually played Portsmouth at home since we beat them 4-2 in the Premiership under Boothroyd in the 06/07 season. That was our final victory of that forgettable season, and both sides have gone through a lot of transitions since that day. This should be a home banker with our home form and we will certainly be the favourites going into this. Problem is, it's a boxing day fixture. I won't go on and on about our weird boxing day curse as we've discussed it already, but it does seem a little strange how we struggle so much in the fixture right after Christmas. My worst memory of it is going to Craven Cottage in the freezing cold in 2000 and watched us get bent over 5-0. Hopefully we'll go with an attacking line up, and put in a much better performance than Burnley and we can finally have some post Christmas cheer on the pitch. I'll keep this one super short. Skyla Predicts: Watford 3 Portsmouth 2
Sadly this will be the end of the unbeaten home record. Our poor Boxing Day record is yet another reason to despise this time of the year.
4 wins in our last 19 Boxing Day matches, Just 2 wins in our last 9, despite most being at home. Only 5 goals from open play in that run too. I fear another disaster this Thursday. And because of everything being forced to stop for Christmas, we then get a blank Saturday too next weekend. Thank the lord it’s only once a year. It’s already once too often.
Ahh St. Stephen’s Day or, as some call it, “the day after Christmas Day” A great occasion for soccer or, as some call it “Association Football”. A little nervous on this one, particularly with Portsmouth’s recent rout of Coventry. Our showing against Burnley (albeit a good team) was troubling. Hopefully my fellow orns, can lift them to continue our excellent home record. I really hope Festy starts on the right. I think he and Baah would make an excellent partnership, if it was given a chance.
Portsmouth have suddenly found a bit of form, beating Coventry 4-1 at the weekend. This is a bit of a worry. I hope we can keep the good home form going but I think the game v Portsmouth will be a very difficult one. I'm not a big fan of games on Boxing Day now that there are no trains, buses or Underground trains running on Boxing Day. T here will be the Boxing Day sales bringing people into Watford. Traffic and parking will be even more dire than usual. Wot a pain for those of us who have a long way to travel.
The last time we played Portsmouth at home was actually on 19th November 2011, with goals from Michael Kightly and Marvin Sordell securing a 2-0 win. Yes, I have far too much time on my hands this week.
Safe journey to you and Happy Christmas! Welcome to the forum! @Cunning Plan Great stats. It’s a shame how few times we’ve played them of late. One of my best friends supports them and we have many happy memories of travelling up to both the Vic and Fratton together from the South West to endure dull 0-0 draws! He’s convinced they’re going straight back down, but I reckon they’ve turned the corner and will be fine, especially with Bishop back (let’s hope his name won’t be an omen for this time of the year) Even putting aside my much publicised dislike of Xmas, I still think this will be a tough one for us on a day where we rarely play well.
Yes we did. Back then we were terrific on Boxing Day. We won 9 out of 10 on that day from 83-94, including 6 in a row!
Here’s a little quiz question for anybody with some time… Who was the last Watford manager to be in charge for successive Boxing Day fixtures? You might be surprised by the answer!
Well done! That’s a very damning stat, isn’t it? Since then we’ve played 14 times on Boxing Day, with a different manager each time. Ok next one… Who scored their only Watford goal the last time we won on Boxing Day in front of supporters? (The Norwich win was during Covid restrictions)
Yes Dyche, Roger’s and Malky only had one season each exactly. My original guess was Zola, but he left two weeks before Boxing Day.
Skyla are you cheating lol Ok final one from me…which total Watford legend played his final match for us on Boxing Day?
I remember the game because on the way home I kept getting "chatted up" by a bloke who followed me all the way up Occupation Road. Just before I turned into another road and told him I liked girls - he went red in the face then apologised before giving me his number. We are still pen pals to this day. He's married now with a kid. Small world.
Strange how we have an excellent record in matches played on the opening day of the season and an appalling record for boxing day games
During that run is it right we have been at home in 15 of the last 17 games on the 26th including the 21/22 ( relegation season) when we played on the 28th - that some sequence of home games if what I was told is correct
Yes I think our last away Boxing Day match was Sheff United away? We have only had 2 away games on 26/12 in the past ten years. Btw, Portsmouth haven’t won on any of the last 5 Boxing Days, so their record is fairly poor too.
Malky Mackay was manager for two complete seasons, but there was no Boxing Day fixture in 2010. I’m not sure if there was a postponement.
Yes, sorry I wrote badly earlier…I meant one season each in terms of Boxing Day fixtures. Malky had only one as the following season our match at Ipswich was a weather casualty. On the topic of postponements, despite being our longest serving manager under Pozzo, Zola never had a Boxing Day fixture as his only one got flooded out (and he then made changes and we lost the re-scheduled fixture, which ultimately cost us promotion)
December 2010 saw the coldest winter for decades and our away game at Ipswich for boxing day was postponed-didnt affect us much (or Mutch who scored in our 3-1 win pre Xmas at QPR-on TV IIRC)-as we continued our 2 wins pre Xmas by going on a 4 match winning run from Dec 28th (souce watford.fcdb.info)
Our last match before Christmas was also postponed that season, so we went 18 days without a game. In the winning run @wehate48 mentions, we beat Pompey 3-0 at home.
My favourite bit of that game was singing “4-0 to the Golden Boys” when Tommy Smith scored their late consolation goal.
