This page shows the ELO score history of the selected club - mapping their best and worst sides of all time, and their most unlikely victories and defeats based on their ELO score.
Inspired by ClubELO.com, the ELO rating system is a method of calculating and comparing the relative strengths of teams in competition. For every match played, the ELO scores of the two teams are considered, and adjusted for other factors (such as home advantage), to calculate the likelihood of the match result. When the actual result of the game is known, the ELO score is adjusted accordingly, comparing the expected outcome of the game with the actual outcome - so a victory over Manchester United will be worth more points than one over Supermarine. The resulting ELO score can be used to compare the strengths of teams over time, and to project future results based on the current form of all teams.
Watford
ELO Score History
A historical overview of Watford's ELO scores.
Best Teams in History
A list of the top 15 Watford sides in history, based on their ELO score.
| Year | Date Recorded | ELO Score |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Sunday April 7th, 2019 | 4,075.65 |
| 1987 | Saturday March 21st, 1987 | 4,064.81 |
| 1986 | Saturday April 5th, 1986 | 4,052.28 |
| 2015 | Saturday December 26th, 2015 | 4,045.68 |
| 2016 | Saturday January 9th, 2016 | 4,035.25 |
| 1984 | Tuesday March 20th, 1984 | 4,031.12 |
| 2020 | Saturday January 18th, 2020 | 4,024.25 |
| 1983 | Sunday February 6th, 1983 | 4,022.29 |
| 1985 | Saturday September 28th, 1985 | 4,021.42 |
| 2018 | Sunday September 2nd, 2018 | 4,021.38 |
| 2017 | Saturday November 25th, 2017 | 4,012.38 |
| 2021 | Saturday November 20th, 2021 | 4,008.05 |
| 1982 | Saturday November 27th, 1982 | 3,998.60 |
| 2022 | Saturday January 1st, 2022 | 3,966.27 |
| 2007 | Monday October 29th, 2007 | 3,957.26 |
Worst Teams in History
A list of the worst 15 Watford sides in history, based on their ELO score.
| Year | Date Recorded | ELO Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1903 | Monday April 27th, 1903 | 3,419.57 |
| 1975 | Friday December 26th, 1975 | 3,443.47 |
| 1976 | Saturday January 3rd, 1976 | 3,448.59 |
| 1902 | Saturday December 27th, 1902 | 3,458.41 |
| 1951 | Thursday September 6th, 1951 | 3,460.85 |
| 1959 | Friday March 27th, 1959 | 3,469.79 |
| 1952 | Wednesday April 23rd, 1952 | 3,470.99 |
| 1901 | Saturday February 9th, 1901 | 3,476.61 |
| 1900 | Saturday December 8th, 1900 | 3,481.37 |
| 1927 | Saturday December 3rd, 1927 | 3,488.62 |
| 1956 | Saturday February 18th, 1956 | 3,490.22 |
| 1948 | Saturday February 14th, 1948 | 3,492.58 |
| 1949 | Saturday April 2nd, 1949 | 3,494.74 |
Significant Victories
A list of the twenty most significant victories in Watford history, based on the ELO points difference between the two teams.
| Match | Win % | Score | ELO +/- |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Watford (3,988) vs. Liverpool (4,407) Saturday February 29th, 2020 |
10.11% | 3-0 | +31.5 |
|
Watford (3,565) vs. Birmingham City (3,947) Saturday January 9th, 1960 |
16.72% | 2-1 | +16.7 |
|
Watford (3,781) vs. Liverpool (4,119) Saturday February 21st, 1970 |
20.82% | 1-0 | +15.8 |
|
Watford (3,953) vs. Chelsea (4,252) Monday February 5th, 2018 |
18.26% | 4-1 | +28.6 |
|
Watford (3,863) vs. Chelsea (4,155) Saturday September 18th, 1999 |
21.58% | 1-0 | +15.7 |
|
Watford (4,005) vs. Tottenham Hotspur (4,292) Sunday September 2nd, 2018 |
19.57% | 2-1 | +16.1 |
|
Arsenal (4,243) vs. Watford (3,961) Tuesday January 31st, 2017 |
13.81% | 1-2 | +17.2 |
|
Manchester United (4,022) vs. Watford (3,745) Wednesday October 4th, 1978 |
9.99% | 1-2 | +18.0 |
|
Watford (3,807) vs. Nottingham Forest (4,084) Tuesday October 28th, 1980 |
26.55% | 4-1 | +25.7 |
|
Watford (3,512) vs. Tottenham Hotspur (3,782) Saturday October 6th, 1900 |
30.90% | 2-1 | +13.8 |
|
Brighton and Hove Albion (3,757) vs. Watford (3,490) Saturday February 25th, 1956 |
10.44% | 2-3 | +17.9 |
|
Preston North End (3,856) vs. Watford (3,602) Wednesday January 11th, 1950 |
11.84% | 0-1 | +17.6 |
|
Watford (3,557) vs. Southampton (3,809) Saturday February 10th, 1906 |
32.89% | 4-1 | +23.5 |
|
Watford (3,610) vs. Swindon Town (3,860) Saturday October 14th, 1911 |
32.78% | 2-0 | +20.2 |
|
Watford (3,782) vs. Southampton (4,029) Tuesday September 2nd, 1980 |
29.99% | 7-1 | +29.8 |
|
Wolverhampton Wanderers (3,973) vs. Watford (3,727) Saturday February 16th, 1980 |
11.79% | 0-3 | +30.9 |
|
Plymouth Argyle (3,784) vs. Watford (3,539) Saturday February 25th, 1928 |
10.40% | 0-1 | +17.9 |
|
Watford (3,986) vs. Arsenal (4,230) Saturday October 14th, 2017 |
23.47% | 2-1 | +15.3 |
|
Watford (3,530) vs. Brighton and Hove Albion (3,773) Tuesday August 21st, 1956 |
31.38% | 2-1 | +13.7 |
|
Watford (3,458) vs. West Ham United (3,692) Saturday January 31st, 1903 |
36.43% | 2-1 | +12.7 |
Significant Defeats
A list of the twenty most significant defeats in Watford history, based on the ELO points difference between the two teams.
| Match | Win % | Score | ELO +/- |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Ipswich Town (3,175) vs. Watford (3,693) Saturday November 28th, 1936 |
90.18% | 2-1 | -18.0 |
|
Tranmere Rovers (3,547) vs. Watford (4,015) Thursday January 23rd, 2020 |
92.16% | 2-1 | -9.2 |
|
Newport County (3,509) vs. Watford (3,975) Tuesday September 22nd, 2020 |
92.11% | 3-1 | -13.8 |
|
Nuneaton Borough (3,199) vs. Watford (3,625) Saturday November 21st, 1953 |
86.36% | 3-0 | -30.2 |
|
Bedford Town (3,156) vs. Watford (3,554) Saturday December 10th, 1955 |
84.23% | 3-2 | -16.8 |
|
Leytonstone (3,168) vs. Watford (3,552) Saturday December 4th, 1948 |
83.79% | 2-1 | -16.8 |
|
Watford (3,850) vs. Bradford City (3,501) Tuesday August 28th, 2012 |
90.51% | 1-2 | -9.1 |
|
Northwich Victoria (3,229) vs. Watford (3,562) Saturday January 8th, 1977 |
78.90% | 3-2 | -15.8 |
|
Watford (3,984) vs. Gillingham (3,658) Tuesday August 23rd, 2016 |
88.91% | 1-2 | -8.9 |
|
Cardiff City (3,638) vs. Watford (3,925) Tuesday October 9th, 1984 |
75.42% | 1-0 | -15.1 |
|
Cambridge United (3,496) vs. Watford (3,775) Tuesday August 11th, 1998 |
77.20% | 1-0 | -7.7 |
|
Watford (3,877) vs. Notts County (3,609) Tuesday September 26th, 2000 |
87.28% | 0-2 | -13.1 |
|
Watford (3,550) vs. Walthamstow Avenue (3,285) Wednesday December 10th, 1952 |
89.12% | 1-2 | -17.8 |
|
Merthyr Town (3,561) vs. Watford (3,810) Saturday October 9th, 1920 |
68.18% | 2-0 | -20.5 |
|
Cardiff City (3,669) vs. Watford (3,918) Saturday April 3rd, 1982 |
70.37% | 2-0 | -21.1 |
|
Watford (3,537) vs. Crewe Alexandra (3,292) Saturday September 6th, 1958 |
88.20% | 0-1 | -17.6 |
|
Cardiff City (3,471) vs. Watford (3,711) Saturday March 2nd, 1935 |
65.11% | 2-1 | -13.0 |
|
Bolton Wanderers (3,646) vs. Watford (3,885) Tuesday September 19th, 1989 |
71.78% | 2-1 | -14.4 |
|
Southend United (3,672) vs. Watford (3,906) Tuesday August 28th, 2007 |
74.34% | 2-0 | -11.2 |
|
Millwall (3,736) vs. Watford (3,968) Sunday January 29th, 2017 |
75.56% | 1-0 | -7.6 |
Opponents
A complete listing of Watford's fortunes against all opponents that they have played ten or more matches against - ranked from most to least successful, based on the average ELO points gained or lost in each match.
