MATCH PREVIEW: CARDIFF CITY vs WATFORD

Date: Tuesday 28th July, 2015, 7:45pm kick-off 

The Bluebirds play host to Premier League new boys Watford in our penultimate pre-season fixture ahead of the 2015/16 Championship campaign.

After an eight year absence from the top flight, Watford launched themselves back into the big time with a second-place Championship finish last year. In 2014/15 the free-flowing Hornets were outscored only by AFC Bournemouth – City’s next opponents – as they secured promotion with a game to spare.

A lethal strike-force of Troy Deeney, Odion Ighalo and Matěj Vydra claimed 57 league goals on the way, and everyone at Vicarage Road will be hoping that their attacking options give them every chance of Premier League survival in the season to come.

Quique Sánchez Flores is the man leading that quest, having been appointed to succeed Slaviša Jokanović in the manager’s office. Flores has ample experience for the role, having previously managed the likes of Valencia, Benfica and Atlético Madrid, with whom he lifted the Europa League trophy, defeating Roy Hodgson’s Fulham in Hamburg.

While Matt Connolly enjoyed time on loan at Watford last season, clinching his fourth personal promotional to the Premier League, three others to have recently played prominent roles for both sides have all gone the other way, travelling west over the Severn Bridge.

Don Cowie provided his trademark energy in the engine room at both Clubs, while both Heiðar Helguson and Tommy Smith had two separate spells at Vicarage Road prior to pulling on the City shirt. Smith racked up a huge tally of almost 300 appearances for his home club, while the Iceman scored a total of 76 goals for the Hornets before helping fire the Bluebirds to promotion.

City will have fond memories of this fixture in 2009 as the Bluebirds romped to a 4-0 away victory over the Hornets. This really was a game for the collectors as the travelling faithful were treated to two rarities – an Adam Matthews free-kick strike from inside his own half, as well as a Peter Whittingham headed goal. Whitts’ more conventional hit from the spot and a Jay Bothroyd special took the tally to four.

Interestingly, both sides also netted four the following season, as the Bluebirds earned revenge for a 4-1 December defeat in Hertfordshire with a 4-2 win in the Welsh capital the following month.

Watford: Loach, Mariappa, Doyley, Cathcart, Hodson, Cowie, Jenkins, Cleverley, Eustace, Graham, Hoskins. Subs: Lee, Harley, Bennett, Severin, Lansbury, Henderson, Ellington.

Cardiff City: Marshall, Matthews, Hudson, Gerrard, Kennedy, Burke, McPhail, Rae, Whittingham, Bothroyd, Chopra. Subs: Enckelman, Gyepes, Quinn, Ledley, Taiwo, Scimeca, McCormack.

As a thank you for your continued support, current Season Ticket Holders are welcome to a complimentary ticket for this fixture.

ST Holders can claim the complimentary ticket by contacting the Ticket Office, or via the eTicketing website (login necessary).

LISTEN: Supporters can listen in live on Cardiff City Player HD* for all the action.

WATCH: Extended highlights of the match will be available to subscribers of Cardiff City Player HD*.

SOCIAL: Live updates from CCS will come via our official Twitter account, @CardiffCityFC.

*Search ‘FLI Player’ on the App Store or Google Play Store to download the Cardiff City Player HD App, with content available to subscribers 24/7.