Championship football is back again - and didn't the break fly by!
One thing's for sure; both teams will be raring to go with something to prove – but from different heights of the league table!
North End will want to continue their impressive form from last season, putting their lack-lustre performance against West Ham in the play-off final behind them. Billy has had to strengthen the squad up front, with Hibbert and target man Dichio coming in.
And most importantly, they are set to solve their on-going problem on the left side, with an offer going for Stoke’s Lewis Neal, with Marlon Broomes going the other way. But Billy is adamant that we have enough players already in the squad to replace Eddie, such as McKenna and Davidson. But that’s if they stay fit!
Watford will want to improve their disappointing 18th place after such a good start to the 2004-05 campaign. Manager Adrian Boothroyd’s major concern has been the lack of strikers in the squad, after the big loss of Danny Webber to Sheffield United for £500,000 and Heldar Helguson going to Fulham for £1.3m. The Hornets are hoping Marlon King will fill the void, on a year loan from Nottingham Forest.
MATCH PREDICTION: A comfortable 2-0 win for PNE – with Nugent getting off to a good start for the new season!