When Sir Elton John joined Graham Taylor as an honorary life president of Watford FC in 2009, it resumed a partnership that brought a golden era to the Vicarage Road club.

With John as chairman and Taylor as manager, the Hornets rocketed up the Football League, winning promotion from Division Four in 1978, Division Three the following season and Division Two in 1982.

The glory run did not finish there either, as Watford Football Club incredibly ended the 1982-83 season as League runners-up and the following year reached the FA Cup final, where they lost out 2-0 to Everton.

Taylor then left the club in 1987 for Aston Villa, but he returned to Vicarage Road 10 years later with Watford FC languishing near the bottom of the Second Division.

Amazingly, the former England manager worked the oracle again, this time guiding Watford FC to the Premiership in successive seasons, the latter promotion in 1999 via the play-off final, where they beat Bolton 2-0.

The joy was short-lived, however, as Watford FC were relegated a season later after finishing 20th.

The Hornets reached the FA Cup semi-finals in 2003 and the League Cup semi-finals in 2005, but it was not until 2006 that Watford saw a turnaround in its League fortunes.

Under manager Aidy Boothroyd, Watford FC beat Leeds United in the play-off final to win promotion back to the Premiership, only to be relegated a year later.

Watford FC, who began life in 1881 as Watford Rovers, were founder members of Division Three in 1920 and of Division Four in 1958. Watford FC gave its fans a taste of what was to come a decade later by climbing into Division Two for the first time in 1969.