In the early 2010s, Watford consistently pushed for promotion to the Championship’s top tier.
During that time, the club had several outstanding strikers, the most noteworthy being Troy Deeney.
Matej Vydra, on the other hand, might have gone unnoticed. During his two distinct stays with the club, the attacker amassed some amazing stats, cementing his place in Championship history.
This form, combined with Watford’s stability in the Premier League, led to his departure for Derby County, where he remained a threat in the second tier.
Now in the latter stages of his career, it appears doubtful that he would return to England, but he can always fondly remember his time at Vicarage Road.
Vydra stuns the Championship
Watford recruited a number of Udinese players in July 2012, as the club’s new owners, the Pozzo family, attempted to take advantage of a loophole governing signings from a single club.
After signing an incredible 12 players on loan, one guy in particular stood out in Vydra. He had an immediate impact in the Championship, coming off the bench for Gianfranco Zola’s side and assisting the equaliser before scoring a stoppage-time winner in a 3-2 triumph over Crystal Palace.
Only two weeks later, he scored again in a comfortable 2-0 win over Birmingham City, reaffirming his spot in the lineup.
The forward continued to be a big threat alongside striking partner Deeney, but it wasn’t until the Christmas time that he really hit peak form.
Three days before Christmas Day, he scored his second double of the season when the Hornets defeated Nottingham Forest 2-0. Following that, Vydra went on a nine-goal, three-assist streak in seven games, helping Watford maintain their playoff drive.
Unfortunately, Vydra scored just one goal in the next sixteen games. However, when it counted the most in the playoffs, he delivered.
He scored twice in the second leg of one of the most memorable play-off semi-finals ever, but his role is slightly overshadowed by Deeney’s incredible late victory.
However, without the Czech-born striker, they would not have made it to Wembley Stadium to face Palace the following week.
Vydra and his colleagues were unable to repeat their season-opening victory over Ian Holloway’s side, conceding to a Kevin Phillips penalty in extra time.
This prompted the forward’s return to Udinese, where he had scored an impressive 22 goals in 44 Championship and play-off games.
Vydra returns to Vicarage Road
After a failed loan spell with Premier League club West Bromwich Albion, Vydra returned to Watford in the summer of 2014.
Picking up where he left off in a Watford shirt, the forward scored in his second appearance for the club, a 3-0 victory over Bolton Wanderers.
This set the tone once more. Although Vydra did not replicate his stats from 2012-13, he did not have to, since the potent combo of Odion Ighalo and Troy Deeney combined for an astonishing 41 goals.
However, this should not overshadow the versatile forward’s performance, as his 16 goals and six assists were essential in a promotion-winning season.
Perhaps fittingly for the justification for this move, Vydra’s 90th-minute goal clinched a 2-0 victory over Brighton in the campaign’s penultimate game, officially confirming Watford’s promotion.
Following promotion, Watford made the striker’s loan move permanent, and he left Udinese after five years.
However, he was loaned out to the Championship and joined Reading just a few weeks later, with the Royals reportedly paying £2.5 million to sign him on a temporary basis.
Unfortunately, his time at the Royals did not go as planned, as he scored only nine goals throughout the season, six of which came in the FA Cup.
This appeared to limit his prospective asking price, but Watford made a wise decision to sell him to Derby the following summer.
The £8 million they collected increased the total earnings from his temporary and permanent moves to above £10 million, making it one of Watford’s most successful business ventures. Vydra not only made big profits for the club, but he also thrived on the field, confirming his reputation as a “streets won’t forget” player with 95 memorable outings for the Hornets.
