8 Worst Watford Managers Ever
2. Colin Lee
Colin Lee was appointed as the manager of the club in March 1990. To be fair to him, Colin inherited a side in decline with the best players already destined to leave. Still, it has to be said that his time at Watford was a disaster.
He was sacked in November the following season after a dismal start when they had been hoping for a promotion challenge in the Second Division. He only won seven of the 35 games he managed for the club, losing 18.
1. Dave Bassett
Bassett’s reign as Watford manager was short-lived. The team had just finished ninth in the 1986–87 season under the management of Graham Taylor, who had left to take charge of relegated Aston Villa. Dave tried to change too much too soon and paid the price.
Instead of retaining the nucleus of the successful side of the mid-80s, he sold several other first-team regulars including Kevin Richardson, David Bardsley, Lee Sinnott and Tony Coton. In came players such as Mark Morris, Trevor Senior, and Glyn Hodges, who did not do as well.
A lack of goals from Senior would see him become a target for the boo-boys, and it didn’t take too long for the fans’ ire to focus on Bassett. Previously free-scoring under Taylor, the team now struggled to find the back of the net. The first twelve league matches would see eight defeats and a paltry six goals scored.
He was sacked in January 1988 with the club bottom of the First Division.