The 2014-15 campaign has certainly been an eventful one so far for promotion hopefuls Watford.
The club were incredibly on their fourth different manager by the first week of October, with Giuseppe Sannino, Oscar Garcia and Billy McKinlay all lasting less than a month for various reasons.
In came Slavisa Jokanovic to provide an element of stability in the dugout, and under the Serbian coach the Hornets have resumed their challenge for the playoffs.
They are expected to be there or thereabouts come May, while they could also have one eye on bridging the six-point gap that separates them from the automatic promotion spots during the second half of the season.
August
After a winless pre-season campaign, Watford turned on the style in their opening match of the Championship season, with the dangerous attacking trio of Troy Deeney, Matej Vydra and Fernando Forestieri all on the scoresheet in a 3-0 victory over Bolton Wanderers. They then made it two wins from two by progressing to the second round of the League Cup at the expense of Stevenage.
Their first defeat of the campaign was a heavy one, however. Joel Ekstrand received a red card in just the second minute at Carrow Road, and the Hornets ultimately succumbed to a 3-0 loss at the hands of Norwich City. They bounced straight back, though, with two goals in the last 20 minutes giving them victory over Rotherham United.
A Forestieri brace helped Watford to a 4-1 triumph over nine-man Leeds United next, but they saw their League Cup campaign ended at the second hurdle courtesy of a disappointing 2-1 home defeat to League One side Doncaster Rovers.
They ended their league action for the month with a 4-2 victory over Huddersfield Town, though, despite having a man sent off with 25 minutes remaining. That result left the Hornets second in the table and just one point off the top, but a day later Sannino resigned as manager, saying that he had taken the club as far as he could.
September
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The international break gave Watford time to consider Sannino's replacement, but they moved quickly to secure the signature of former Brighton & Hove Albion boss Garcia. The Spaniard's reign got off to a poor start, however, as they conceded a third-minute penalty against Charlton Athletic and could not find a way back in a 1-0 defeat.
Garcia's side benefited from a penalty in the next game, though, and it was enough to give the new boss his first win at the helm, with Vydra tucking the only goal of the game away against lowly Blackpool. Garcia was absent from the touchlines for that match due to chest pains, however, and he had not recovered in time to watch his side draw 1-1 with Bournemouth in their next outing.
The Spaniard was also missing for the trip to Ewood Park, where his side blew a two-goal half-time lead to draw against Blackburn Rovers. Garcia's health issues ultimately saw him step down from his role just 27 days after getting the job, with the club immediately appointing McKinlay as his successor.
The managerial upheaval did not seem to be having an impact on the players, however, and they climbed joint top of the table in McKinlay's first match in charge courtesy of a 2-1 victory over Brentford.
October
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McKinlay was to last even less time than his predecessor, however, with a 1-1 draw against Brighton spelling the end of his tenure after just eight days and two matches, despite it being enough to keep Watford joint top. Jokanovic replaced the Scot in the dugout, becoming the club's fourth different permanent manager in the space of six weeks.
The new boss could have hardly got off to a better start, guiding the Hornets to a 3-0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough to lift them to the top of the table. They were soon replaced at the summit courtesy of a 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest, but ended the month in the automatic promotion places having shared the spoils against Middlesbrough.
November
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November proved to be a costly month for Watford, despite it getting off to a winning start as they came from behind to beat Millwall 3-1 at Vicarage Road. A trip to face Birmingham City was next up and, buoyed by the appointment of Gary Rowett, the Blues scored a late winner to inflict a first defeat on Jokanovic.
Indeed, that was to be a theme of the month as the Hornets embarked on a difficult and fruitless run of fixtures. Ipswich Town also scored in the final 10 minutes to scrape victory at Portman Road before fellow promotion rivals Derby County did the same in a crucial 2-1 win at Vicarage Road.
A home tie against Cardiff City was the final obstacle of the month, and Watford slumped to a fourth consecutive defeat and second in a row at home with a 1-0 loss to the Bluebirds.
December
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Having begun November top of the table, the Hornets found themselves out of the playoff places at the start of December. However, they soon put an emphatic end to their poor run of form as Deeney grabbed a hat-trick against 10-man Fulham to help his side to a 5-0 victory at Craven Cottage.
Deeney got a couple more goals a week later to help Watford to a 2-1 victory over Wigan Athletic, while they made it three on the bounce away to Reading despite having to play the entire second half with just 10 men.
That winning streak came to an end on Boxing Day as Wolverhampton Wanderers ran out 1-0 winners at Vicarage Road, but they ended the year on a high with a comfortable 4-2 victory away to Cardiff to leave them fifth in the table and right in the playoff mix.
Star man: Daniel Tozser
Must do better: Lloyd Dyer
Where to strengthen in January: Defence
Position at start of 2015: 5th
Mid-season grade: B+
To see Watford's remaining fixtures in 2014-15, click here.
Barney Corkhill
