With Watford preparing to travel to Ipswich Town in the Sky Bet Championship on Wednesday (April 10, KO 7.45pm), we’ve taken a look at five players who have turned out for both the Hornets and the Tractor Boys.
Trevor Putney
Trevor Putney signed the first professional contract of his career with Ipswich Town in 1980 after impressing then-manager Bobby Robson whilst playing for non-league Brentwood FC.
He would go on to make over 100 appearances for the Tractor Boys during his six-year spell with the club and was named Player of the Season for 1983/84. Putney left in 1986 to join arch-rivals Norwich City.
The midfielder joined the Hornets from Middlesbrough in 1991, where he made 52 appearances during his two seasons with the club. A highlight came in the third round of the 1992 League Cup, where he was named Man of the Match in a 2-1 win over reigning top-flight champions Leeds United.
Steve Palmer
A fan favourite with the Watford faithful during his time in Hertfordshire, Steve Palmer started his professional career with the Tractor Boys after studying at Cambridge University.
The only modern player to obtain a degree from Cambridge joined Ipswich Town in 1989, making 110 appearances for the side before leaving in 1995 to join the Hornets.
A six-year stint with Watford saw him make 234 appearances, and he was named Player of the Season for the 1998/99 campaign as the Hornets secured back-to-back promotions under Graham Taylor. He also became the first player to wear every shirt number (1-14) in a season in the 1997/98 campaign.
Scott Loach
Scott Loach started his football career in the Ipswich Town Academy in the late 1990s before leaving as his family moved to Nottinghamshire in 2000, where he spent time in Lincoln City's youth set-up.
Loach joined Watford in 2006 from the Imps, and made his league debut replacing Mart Poom in the infamous ghost goal game against Reading in September 2008. He would go on to nail down the number one spot later that season.
From then, the keeper made 130 consecutive appearances in the Championship from November 2008 to September 2011. After making a total of 163 appearances for Watford, he returned to Ipswich Town in 2012, playing 33 times during a two-year spell.
Tamás Priskin
Tamás Priskin made the move to England and Watford from Hungarian side Győri ETO as a 20-year-old in the summer of 2006. There was a level of expectation, with the striker having made his senior international debut for Hungary a year earlier.
He struggled to nail down a regular starting spot in his first two seasons but had his most productive campaign in 2008/09, scoring 14 times in 41 appearances. This included goals against Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea in the cup competitions.
Priskin moved to Ipswich from Watford in the summer of 2009, but again struggled for form. His spell included three loan moves, and he was released in 2012 after scoring nine times in 60 appearances.
Michael Chopra
Despite only having a five-game spell with the Hornets on loan from Newcastle United in 2003, Michael Chopra did more than enough to make a lasting impact.
The striker scored five times during his stint, including four away at Burnley in a crazy game that ended 7-4 to the Golden Boys.
The striker joined Ipswich Town in 2011 after spells with several clubs, and ended his first season as top scorer. He struggled in his second, although he did grab a last-minute winner against Watford before moving to Blackpool in 2013.
