The first episode of Watford’s documentary on club captain Troy Deeney premiered on Youtube last night.
The episode details the months surrounding the signing of The Hornets’ number nine who has since gone on to score 133 goals for the club.
Featuring the likes of former manager Malky Mackay and former Watford striker Tommy Mooney, key players in the decision to sign Troy recount the promise the young striker showed during a 14-goal campaign in League One for Walsall.
Deeney has made 368 appearances for Watford. Photo: Watford FC
Malky Mackay signed Deeney for the club in 2010. Photo: Watford FC
Recalling their time playing up top together with the Saddlers, Mooney – who played for Watford 240 times – said: “He was a young scrawny kid, skinny body big head, but he worked and all of the training session that we had he was excellent.
“Like any footballer, at 18, 19 you’re not what you are at 30. It has been a long roller-coaster for him through those years, but you could see how much he wanted success when he was young.”
Tommy Mooney scored 58 goals for the Hornet. Photo: Watford FC
The striker was lined up as a replacement for Danny Graham, when it became clear the club would have to sell the Scottish forward.
At the time, money was sparse at the club and the £350,000 initial fee payed to sign Deeney was part funded by an Elton John concert in Vicarage Road, in May 2010, the documentary revealed.
Watford's golden boy Elton John played to a sell out crowd at Vicarage Road to help fund transfers. Photo: Watford FC
“Without Elton we would never have had Troy, because we just simply wouldn’t have had the money to go and get him”, said John Stephenson, who was head of football business at the club between 2007-11.
Chris Hutchings, who managed the Birmingham-born man at Walsall, said Troy would knock on his “door every other day” to get updates on the move when he found out Watford were interested.
Deeney played for Walsall 123 times. Photo: Watford FC
Following intense negotiations, Troy joined Watford on August 6, 2010, in what his agent Simon Kennedy described as “the best bit of business Watford Football Club have ever done, bar none.”
The next episode will be aired on the club’s Youtube page.
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