Tom Cleverley sets impressive Watford record despite Millwall defeat, it’s not happened since 2019

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Watford and Tom Cleverley have had an inconsistent 2024/25 season so far, with the 2-1 defeat at Vicarage Road to Millwall the latest frustration for his side.

Mattie Pollock gave the Hornets the lead with his first league goal for the club, putting his side on course for a crucial win in their pursuit of the play-off places after just 30 minutes.

However, Millwall fought back through Casper de Norre after he slotted into the corner with just half-an-hour left to play to level the score and set up a tense finish for both sides.

It was Alex Neil’s men who came out on top, with Josh Coburn’s header sinking Watford late in the game. It leaves Cleverley’s side with plenty to do if they are to get into the top six in the Championship by the end of the season.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
7	Bristol CityBristol City	36	13	14	9	46	39	7	53
8	BlackburnBlackburn	36	15	7	14	41	37	4	52
9	MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough	36	14	8	14	55	47	8	50
10	NorwichNorwich	36	12	13	11	57	49	8	49
11	WatfordWatford	36	14	7	15	46	50	-4	49
12	MillwallMillwall	36	12	12	12	36	37	-1	48
13	Sheffield WednesdaySheffield Wednesday	36	13	9	14	50	56	-6	48
14	QPRQPR	36	11	11	14	41	46	-5	44
15	SwanseaSwansea	36	12	8	16	38	46	-8	44

However, the news wasn’t all bad for Watford and Tom Cleverley this weekend, even if other Championship results mean Watford’s play-off chances faded, with the Watford boss completing a feat that no other manager has achieved since 2019.

• READ MORE: Bristol City become dark horses for promotion this season as they look to end decades-long exile from top flight

Tom Cleverley completes impressive year in charge of Watford

Despite successful seasons that have seen the club promoted to the top-flight and also go on deep runs into the FA Cup in recent years, Javi Gracia is the only Watford manager — of the 15 permanent bosses in the last ten years — to have taken charge of over 50 games in a single spell at the club.

Gracia was also the only boss to take charge of the club for one whole year, but both feats are something Cleverley has now matched at Vicarage Road after taking over from new Blackburn boss Valerien Ismael.

The ex-England midfielder knows the club more than most after featuring 181 times for Watford as a player between 2017 and 2023, with Cleverley continuing to win the hearts of fans since taking over in the dugout a year ago.

Incredibly, Gracia was the first to also achieve the feat since Gianfranco Zola in 2013, meaning that a year or more in charge for a Watford manager has only occurred three times in 13 years of the Pozzo’s ownership.

Cleverley’s side are in the mix for a top six finish this year, albeit they face competition from a lot of clubs for those last two spots. Whatever happens from here, it has to be seen as a positive season and perhaps that could lead to a change in how the Pozzo family typically operate.

• READ MORE: Who will win the Championship Golden Boot race?

Watford require a strong end to the season under Tom Cleverley

With Cleverley in charge, there is clear harmony around the club that needs to remain for this season at least, regardless of what happens over the next two months.

For many Watford fans, Gino Pozzo should look to extend Cleverley’s current deal to keep that togetherness rolling into next season, even if they fall short of their top six ambitions after West Brom and Coventry City claimed vital victories this weekend.

Since those wins, Watford’s play-off chances have diminished slightly according to Opta, who now predict the Hornets to finish as low as 12th come the end of the season.

The upcoming fixtures are season-defining at the business end of the season, but they should not define what happens next for Cleverley; he has done magnificently well in difficult circumstances at Vicarage Road and is breaking trends in the process.