THURSDAY was back to the basics for everyone in the Watford travelling party as the familiar grey skies returned - and so did the double training sessions after a one-day break.

It was difficult to believe that the temperature had been well into the 30s on Wednesday as, just 24 hours, later it struggled to get above 15 degrees with constant drizzle and cloudy mist, but that wasn't enough stop the hard work.

The morning session started with a light jogging warm up followed by a slow 11 v 11 match, with coach Martin Hunter stepping in on occasions to point out observations about the team shape and the quality of the passing.

The squad then broke up into three smaller groups with the usual passing drills and small-sided games proving particularly intense - with no let up for more than an hour before the whistle blew to bring it all to an end.

It was then back to the hotel for lunch and a couple of hours of recovery before the squad reconvened in the gym for a circuit put together by Condition Coach Martyn Pert followed by a team meeting led by Martin Hunter where various formations were highlighted on a big screen and then discussed.

Throughout both the morning and the afternoon, Aidy flitted in between the groups, occasionally shouting instructions or encouragement, constantly taking notes and sometimes talking to a player on an individual basis to make a point.

After training Jon Harley, who has been training with the Hornets throughout the Austrian trip, agreed terms on a two-year contract and put pen to paper at the hotel.

When the newest Hornet then joined his teammates for dinner, there was a touching moment when they burst into a spontaneous round of applause to welcome the former Chelsea, Fulham and Burnley man to the club.

There was a slightly different shape to the evening as a group of coaching staff including Malky Mackay, Martin Hunter, Alec Chamberlain, Bob Oteng, Iain Moody, Martyn Pert, Mick Court and Neil McIlhargey took the opportunity to travel up the motorway to watch some UEFA Cup football.

Local side Red Bull Salzburg were playing a preliminary tie against Yerevan Banants from Armenia and were comfortable 7-0 winners. The whole game was a strange one, partly because it was played on a synthetic pitch and partly because the crowd was very Spartan - particularly considering the neat modern stadium that has been built in the Austrian city.