1881 - The club is formed, as Watford Rovers.
1882 - Home game start in Vicarage Meadow.
1883 - Rose & Crown Meadow becomes the venue for home matches
1886 - The first competitive matches are played in the Herts County Cup and FA Cup
1889 - The club moves to Colney Butts Meadow when Rose & Crown Meadow is lost to urban development
1890 - Rovers become the football section of the newly-formed West Herts Club & Ground at Cassio Road.
1893 - After three years of internal conflicts over the club name, 'West Herts' is universally accepted.
1896 - West Herts join Division 2 of the Southern League.
1897 - Professional game adopted
1898 - Rival club Watford St Mary's is absorbed by West Herts, and the name 'Watford' is adopted.
1900 - Promoted to Division 1 of the Southern League.
1903 - Relegated to Division 2 of the Southern League. John Goodall appointed club's first manager.
1904 - Promoted to Division 1 of the Southern League
1909 - The club becomes a limited company, and its committee is replaced by a board of directors.
1915 - The Southern League championship is won.
1917 - After two seasons of wartime activity as a member of the London Combination, the club suspends operations for two years.
1919 - Post-war football begins
1920 - The Southern League's First Division (including Watford) becomes Division 3 of the Football League. It is styled 'Division 3 (South)' a year later, when a corresponding Northern section is added.
1922 - Vicarage Road becomes the club's new home ground.
1939 - Normal competitions cease when war is declared, and the club embarks on seven seasons of football under wartime conditions.
1945 - The FA Cup competition begins again.
1946 - Normal League activity is resumed.
1958 - Watford are founder members of Division 4 as the League's lower section is reorganised.
1960 - Promoted to Division 3.
1969 - Champions of Division 3, and promoted to Division 2 for the first time.
1970 - The club reaches the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time.
1972 - Relegated to Division 3.
1975 - Relegated to Division 4.
1978 - Division 4 Champions and promoted to Division 3
1979 - Promoted to Division 2.
1982 - Promoted to Division 1.
1983 - By finishing second in Division 1, Watford qualify for entry to the Uefa Cup.
1984 - Watford reach the FA Cup final for the first time in their history where they unfortunately lose 2-0 to Everton.
1988 - Relegated to Division 2.
1992 - Division 2 of the Football League becomes Division 1, as the top flight form the Premiership.
1996 - Relegated to Division 2 (formerly Division 3).
1998 - Division 2 champions and promoted to Division 1 (formerly Division 2).
1999 - Under Graham Taylor the club is promoted to the Premiership via the play-offs after overcoming Bolton Wanderers 2-0 at Wembley Stadium.
2000 - After one season in the Premiership the club is relegated after finishing 20th on 24 points.
2002 - Watford's players and staff save the club from going into administration by agreeing a 12% pay deferral.
2003 - Watford reach the FA Cup semi-final where they face Southampton. The Premiership side beat the Hornets 2-1 at Villa Park. That year the Hornets temporarily sold Vicarage Road.
2005 - The Golden Boys are knocked out in the League Cup semi-final against Liverpool, the final aggregate score is 2-0. After a campaign entitled 'Let's Buy Back The Vic' with donations coming from fans as well as former owner Elton John donating the entire proceeds of a concert held at the Vic, the club was able to repurchase the stadium for £7.6m
2006 - Under the stewardship of Aidy Boothroyd the club completes a remarkable turnaround and is promoted to the Premiership via the play-off final after beating Leeds United at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff.
2007 - Watford reach the FA Cup semi-final at Villa Park where they lose to Manchester United. In May of that year the club is also relegated from the Premiership.
2008 - The Hornets lose out in the Championship play-off semi-final to eventual winners Hull City. In November, boss Boothroyd leaves Watford by mutual consent. Later that month, following Malky Mackay's caretaker stewardship, Chelsea reserve team boss Brendan Rodgers joins the Hornets as first team manager. The following month Chairman Graham Simpson and Chief Executive Mark Ashton resign.
2009 - Rodgers steers Watford to safety in the Championship, but then opts to return to his first English club Reading as their manager. After a recruitment process in the early close-season, chairman Graham Taylor proudly announces the appointment of Mackay on a three-year contract. A vibrant Hornets respond to their 37-year-old manager's urgings to hit a Play-Off spot before Christmas
2010 - Watford's early-season form tails off and a poor run leaves them in urgent need of a couple of wins come April to ensure safety. It's a feat that Mackay's side achieve with a few games to spare, and a 4-0 victory at Coventry City on the season's final day is as much one of relief as a look to the future with youngsters heavily involved.
