Watford created a club legend for just £500,000: View | OneFootball

Troy Deeney became a club legend for Watford after signing from Walsall back in 2010.

Highlights

Most clubs have a very limited list of legends, but one that is almost certainly on Watford's is Troy Deeney.

The dominant striker spent eleven years at Vicarage Road and had many memorable moments in the black and yellow of Watford.

Bought for just £500,000 including add-ons, nobody would have expected the striker to have such a successful time and one of his strikes will forever be etched in Hornets folklore.

Looking back, Deeney had his flaws off the pitch, but on it, he was a superstar and has become somewhat of a modern-day legend.

Deeney's Watford emergence

Having signed from Walsall in 2010, you would have been forgiven if you thought that Deeney would not have had much of a career at Vicarage Road after a poor first season.

Returning just two goals, the forward was surprisingly used on the right-wing rather than his favoured position as a natural number nine.

The summer of 2011 saw the departure of manager Malky Mackay, and it was his number two, Sean Dyche, who was given the managerial position.

Dyche, not the figure he is now, gave Deeney the opportunity to play up-front and the striker duly rewarded his manager with a decent return of 11 goals and five assists in 43 games.

Whilst a better return, this was only an inkling of what was to come from Watford's number nine.

The 2012-13 season saw the forward's career burst into life as he netted 19 for Gianfranco Zola's side.

This helped Watford to a third place finish, and it was in the play-off semi-final fixture against Leicester City that he etched his name into the club's history.

In the dying seconds of the match, with Watford needing a goal to secure their place in the final, the Foxes had a penalty to send themselves to Wembley.

Manuel Almunia made a huge double save to deny Knockaert and the rest was history as Watford counter-attacked at a rapid pace before Jonathan Hogg put it on a plate for Deeney to strike home.

This excitement was somewhat brought down by Crystal Palace seeing Deeney's side off 1-0 in the play-off final, but it is still a timeless moment that shows the passion of football.

Following that season, he continued to dominate Championship defences and scored 21 in 2014-15 as he helped his side secure promotion to the Premier League.

Premier League success for Deeney

The step-up to the Premier League was always going to see Deeney's goalscoring exploits drop. But, the forward continued to score at crucial moments, and he was persistently the man the Hornets supporters turned to as their talisman.

His first season in the top-flight was actually his best, as he managed to score a brilliant 13 goals in a side that only managed 40 across the campaign.

In the subsequent seasons in the top flight, Deeney continued to be a formidable presence, netting 34 goals over the next four years.

The 2018-19 season also gave the striker the opportunity to feature in the FA Cup final as his goal in the semis against Wolves proved crucial in a 3-2 AET win. Albeit they were defeated in the final 6-0 by Manchester City, this is a moment that will live long in the memory of Watford fans.

Deeney's Watford departure

After relegation in the 2019-20 season, Deeney would play a bit-part role in his final full-season with the Hornets as he netted seven in nineteen games to help secure a return to the top-flight at the first time of asking.

Two games into the following season, the striker was released and made his final appearance in a 2-0 defeat to Brighton.

Writing about his departure, Deeney said: "I feel tremendous pride for what I've achieved and the friendships and connections I've made. Watford literally has changed my life.

"Watford is a small part of planet Earth but for some of the most turbulent years of my life it was the centre of my universe and I couldn't have wished for better supporters holding me up and I have been truly honoured to be the captain of that club and the fans".

Following this, Deeney went on to have spells at both Birmingham City and Forest Green Rovers, but it is at Vicarage Road where he will be remembered most fondly.

The nominal fee that Watford paid for his services was rewarded with 419 appearances, 140 goals and 62 assists.

In his goal against Leicester, he has one of the most iconic moments in football history and his name will ring around Watford for years to come.