Saturday 5 March 2016 12:19, UK
Troy Deeney has admitted that if Watford had not been promoted to the Premier League last season, he and several other players would have looked to move on.
The Hornets overcame three managerial changes to seal their return to the top flight last season and currently sit comfortably in mid-table under Quique Sanchez Flores - their fourth boss in 18 months.
Promotion seemed a long way off at the beginning of the 2014/15 campaign after they had finished in a disappointing 13th the season before but Deeney says it was crucial for his career that they secured it.
"We made the headlines for getting a new manager in every week!" Deeney, speaking exclusively to Soccer Saturday ahead of a Saturday Night Football clash with Watford, told Sky Sports.
"From the players' point of view, it didn't affect the dressing room too much. We had a strong mentality, and said to ourselves: 'This is going to be the year to go up'.
"If we didn't, quite a few would have left - myself included - so we had a real good go and it worked out well.
"It has been brilliant so far. Everybody thought we were going to go down, with another new manager coming in and all the pundits didn't have us down for a win until December. We've been upsetting the odds and playing some good stuff.
"The owners have come and it has worked. It isn't like they have come in and had a trial to see if it works. They've done the same at other clubs and thankfully it works here too.
"There have been a few mistakes along the way, in terms of people coming in and out, but the owners seem to have got it right."
The Hornets take on Premier League success story Leicester in front of the Sky Sports cameras - a rematch of that famous 2012/13 play-off semi-final when Deeney grabbed an injury-time winner.
Watford were beaten by Crystal Palace at the final hurdle that year, but Deeney admits that neither Leicester nor the Hornets were equipped for promotion back then and believes both benefited from a prolonged spell in the Championship to prepare for the rigours of the top flight.
"If either team would have gone up at that time, we would not have given ourselves a fighting chance in the Premier League," Deeney said.
"It didn't look like it at the time, but it worked out well for both clubs. Leicester had a fantastic season the season after and won the Championship.
"They then didn't start off well in the Premier League, but in the last 18 months it has become something of a fairy-tale.
"You have to look at them for inspiration. Robert Huth has been amazing, [N'Golo] Kante has been getting all the headlines, but if you look at the rest of the team, then it is pretty much the team that went up.
"You have to give them credit for that. They didn't come up and say that the Championship players were not good enough, and then went out and signed loads of Premier League players.
Many doubted Deeney had the ability to make the step up to the top flight, but the Hornets skipper has formed one of the deadliest strike duos in the division with Odion Ighalo.
"I've been here six or seven years now, and I am at the point where I have done all the hard stuff now, when there wasn't enough kit to go around, and now I am making sure I am here to enjoy the riches," Deeney added.
"The first season is always a 'feeling out' season. Look at Jamie Vardy last year. I've scored goals and made a few assists too.
"I am happy with my overall performance, and I am looking to finish the season strongly and do even better next year."
Watch the full interview with Troy Deeney on Soccer Saturday from midday on SSNHQ and watch Watford v Leicester live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 5pm.
