Watford will be aiming to reach the fourth round of the FA Cup when they host Chesterfield at Vicarage Road in the opening game of 2024 on Saturday (January 6, 3pm KO).
Ahead of the game, we have cast our eye over five Hornets who have also featured for the Spireites.
Rob Page
Current Wales manager Rob Page began his career with the Golden Boys before hanging up his boots with Chesterfield.
The central defender made 252 Watford appearances over eight years from 1993 – scoring three times but never in a home game.
He later played 63 times for the Spireites in the twilight of his career, between 2008 and 2011.
Sean Dyche
Former Watford manager and skipper Sean Dyche made more than 200 appearances for Chesterfield after launching his career with the Derbyshire club between 1990 and 1997.
During his time with the Spireites, he captained the team which reached the 1997 FA Cup semi-finals from the third tier.
The no-nonsense centre-back joined Watford in 2002 and made 78 appearances in yellow over three years, before returning to the club to make his way through the coaching ranks.
This culminated in taking the manager’s hotseat in 2011/12.
Bruce Dyer
A product of the Watford youth ranks, Bruce Dyer became the first teenager to command a fee of more than £1 million when he was sold to Crystal Palace in 1994.
The striker re-joined the Hornets from Barnsley for a second spell between 2003 and 2005 and scored 22 goals across his two stays at the club, from 117 appearances.
Dyer briefly featured for Chesterfield in 2008, playing three times from the bench but not finding the target.
Scott Loach
Goalkeeper Scott Loach made 163 appearances in the Hornets’ net between 2008 and 2012, at one stage recording an unbroken run of 129 league games in a row, which is the third highest in club history.
The England Under-21 international spent time on loan at Stafford Rangers, Morecambe and Bradford City before making his debut at Vicarage Road, then spending the 2021/22 season at Chesterfield.
He helped the Spireites to the National League play-offs, making 46 appearances in all.
Wayne Allison
Striker Wayne Allison was the last of three players Steve Harrison signed for Watford from Halifax Town in 1989.
He was unable to hold down a regular place at Vicarage Road, making just seven appearances and failing to find the target.
Allison left for Bristol City in 1990 in a part-exchange deal which saw Mark Gavin join the Hornets, and then signed for Chesterfield in 2004.
The forward made 129 appearances for the Spireites over four years, scoring 24 times.
