New boys look to provide Hornet's sting
Watford new boys Will Hoskins and Lee Williamson insist they can score the goals to rescue the club from the Barclays Premiership abyss.
The duo yesterday became manager Adrian Boothroyd‘s second and third signings of the transfer window, after joining on three-and-a-half year deals from Coca-Cola League One side Rotherham.
The Hornets currently prop up the Premiership, 10 points adrift of safety, and are in dire need of extra firepower after netting just 12 times in their 20 league fixtures.
Striker Hoskins, 20, who has been prolific for the Millers this season with 16 goals, said: “I‘m a player who thinks you can score from anywhere. If there‘s an opportunity, I‘ll try and get it in the net – anyhow, from anywhere.”
Williamson has netted six times from midfield this season and also talked up his own goalscoring credentials.
“I‘m a midfielder who likes to push on and score as many goals as possible,” the 24-year-old told the club‘s official website, weww.watfordfc.co.uk.
“That‘s the one thing that I‘ve added to my game this season and I‘ll hope to bring that to Vicarage Road.”
Neither player is fazed by the difference in class between League One and the top flight or the relegation battle ahead.
Williamson said: “The main difference will obviously be playing in the Premier League, but it‘s a place I‘ve always wanted to play and it will give me an opportunity to prove myself.”
Hoskins added: “Ever since I‘ve been playing with Rotherham, it‘s been a relegation battle so I‘m used to this sort of situation.
“I helped them get out of it last time and let‘s hope we can do it at Watford this year.”
The duo join Moses Ashikodi in linking up with Boothroyd, who sees the transfer window as his best chance of lifting his side from the bottom of the Premiership.
The Millers pair could cost the Hornets a combined £1 (€1.49m) and have an outside chance of making their debuts today in the FA Cup match against Stockport.
Yesterday also saw West Ham manager Alan Curbishley make his first signing of the transfer window, capturing Fulham captain Luis Boa Morte.
The Portuguese winger, who can also play in attack, moved to Upton Park for an undisclosed fee but the 29-year-old was thought to be valued at around £5m (€7.4m) by the Cottagers.
The player will go straight into the squad for his new club’s FA Cup clash against League One side Brighton, where he could play some part, and is in line for a first start against his former club on January 13.
Wigan manager Paul Jewell has continued to make the best of the January window, following up the capture of Andreas Granqvist and Kristofer Haestad by loaning David Unsworth from Premiership rivals Sheffield United until the end of the season.
Unsworth has been a key player for the Blades in recent years but fell out of favour with manager Neil Warnock following the club’s promotion from the Coca-Cola Championship.
Other deals yesterday included Kelvin Etuhu from Manchester City to Rochdale on loan and Kevin Burgess from Middlesbrough to Darlington on a free.
