It has been one of the most challenging years in the Watford Sunday League's history caused in part by one of the worst years in living memory for bad weather, which resulted in the difficult decision by the management committee to suspend the 2023-24 domestic cup competitions back in April.

The tone for 2024 started on the first weekend of the year which saw just three games played and although the weather improved for the rest of that month, things then took a more serious turn which saw just 14 games played in four weeks between February 11 and March 4.

Once more regular fixtures resumed, North Watford secured the Premier Division title for a third successive season with Cassiobury Rangers taking the runners-up slot.

WD Bushey, who finished in third place, were denied the Herts Senior Cup as they suffered a heart-breaking defeat after conceding an equaliser with the last kick of the game against Stratford Arms, as the game finished 2-2, before going down to a 4-2 defeat on penalties.

Glenn SSC, who had been promoted up two divisions, finished in fourth place, with Evergreen four points behind them.The biggest surprise was St Joseph’s who slipped to sixth place, although they made up for their indifferent league form with a run to the quarter-final of the FA National Sunday Cup.

Abbots Langley finished third from bottom three points above Forza Watford and FC Unicorn.

SOCA won the First Division title as well as reaching the final of the Herts Intermediate Cup where they went down to a 5-0 defeat to Brewster Plumbing.

Chalfont Saints clinched second place five points behind the champions but nine points ahead of third-placed Old Fullerians who failed to return to the top flight at the first time of asking despite a late run.

For a second consecutive campaign, Watford Sports were title contenders for much of the season before falling in the final few games to finish in fourth. Behind them came Watford United, CF Watford Continentals and The Cross.

Chess United survived the drop by four points from local rivals Batchworth who had asked to be promoted two divisions. They finished a point ahead of bottom-placed Langleybury.

Everett Rovers raced away to the Second Division championship after dropping just four points all season, with just two draws and remaining undefeated. They where 15 points ahead of runners-up Sparta Phoenix who also reached the semi-finals of the Herts Junior Cup.

St Joseph’s Reserves finished in third, with Hertfordshire Athletic in fourth. They had the remarkable record of not drawing a single game, with ten wins and ten defeats. Athletic also finished as the division's second highest goal scorers, and also had the second-best goal difference, but were still unable to clinch a promotion place.

Behind them just six points separated the next five teams, West Herts, Watford Youth Sports, Francis George, Dunnings Bar and Inter. Abbots Wanderers and Dome Bar finished in the bottom two places.

Woodside Reserves clinched the bottom division title finishing three points ahead of Carpenders Park Royals, who pipped Chorleywood Cub AFC to promotion by two points, but following a vote by the member clubs they were removed from the league in August due to poor behaviour.

FC Railway, who had spent the vast majority of the season in second place, slipped away to finish fourth although they finished 13 points ahead of Bricket Wood Acorns.

In the middle part of the table only six points divided four clubs, the aforementioned Acorns, Surely Wood, AFC Watford and Everett Rovers Reserves.

The bottom two sides, Abbots Athletic and PTH United, finished with just two wins between them all season, with PTH’s only victory coming against Abbots 3-2 in April to ensure that no team in the four divisions failed to win a game.

The 2024-25 season started on the first day of September but a week later saw a remarkable number of goals scored as 103 were scored in 15 games, adding up to an average of 6.86 goals per game.

That day WD Bushey Rangers and St Joseph's shared ten goals in a 5-5 thriller, with Cassiobury Rangers beating Chalfont Saints 2-0, whilst in the First Division St Joseph’s Reserves won 10-2 against CF Watford Continentals, Everett Rovers overcame Old Fullerians 7-0, Sparta Phoenix and Watford Town shared six goals in a 3-3 draw, Chess United also drew 2-2 with Watford Youth Sports, whilst Forza Watford beat Watford United 2-1.

In Division Two Hertfordshire Athletic saw off Francis George 11-4, Batchworth beat Inter 5-0, Watford Youth Sports 2nd beat WD Bushey Rangers Reserves 4-3 and Woodside defeated Langleybury 7-1.

The bottom division saw Bricket Wood Acorns beat AFC Watford 4-2, Everett Rovers and Chorleywood Club AFC draw 2-2, FC Railway beat Dome Bar 3-2 and Surley Wood beat Nascot AFC 3-0.

Incredibly, just a few weeks later on October 27, the league saw 105 goals scored across 17 games.

As we end the year, WD Bushey Rangers are leaders of the reduced six-team Premier Division, they are one of three clubs who have also yet to suffer defeat in the top flight along with St Josephs and North Watford.

Evergreen are in second place with only one defeat to their name which came with a 4-2 loss against North Watford on September 15. Three sides, North Watford, Evergreen and St Joseph's, have reached the last eight of the Herts Senior Cup, with North Watford and Evergreen drawn against each other which ensures the league will have at least one team in the semi-finals.

In Division One, Forza Watford have bounced back from their relegation from the Premier Division as they head the table with Everett Rovers, who have carried on their form following promotion last season, to sit four points behind the leaders with three games in hand as well as reaching the last eight of the Herts Intermediate Cup.

The remainder of the table is very tight with only 11 points dividing bottom-placed Watford United from third-placed Watford Town.

Division Two is currently shaping up to be a three-way fight between Woodside, Hertfordshire Athletic and Watford Youth Sports 2nd. Both Woodside and Hertfordshire Athletic have reached the fourth round of the Herts Junior Cup.

The Third Division is proving to be the most competitive of the league's four divisions with only 12 points separating current leaders FC Railway on 19 points and bottom-placed Nascot AFC on seven points.

Away from the football and weather, this year saw three management committee stalwarts pass away.

Eric Hand, who had formed the league back in 1955, died in November aged 97. Just a few weeks earlier vice-chairman Brian Stedman had also passed away after a short illness, while former general secretary Peter Drum, who had only left the committee at the end of last season, also died.