ADRIAN BOOTHROYD, one of the brightest young managers in England, has been rewarded for his progress at Watford with a new four-year contract. It replaces the one-year rolling deal that he signed when joining the club in April.

At the time, the former Leeds United first-team coach took over a team who were struggling to avoid relegation from the Coca-Cola Championship. Having guided Watford to safety, Boothroyd, 34, has steered them into third place this season, behind Reading and Sheffield United.

“I’m delighted to have signed the new deal and can now plan for the long-term development of the club,” Boothroyd said. “In a very short space of time, Watford has come to mean an awful lot to me. This club gave me the opportunity to show my managerial credentials. It was a brave step to take as I had not managed a team before arriving at Vicarage Road. I’ve done my best to repay the faith shown in me, but I’m conscious that we have won nothing yet.

“I’m confident that success will be achieved and winning a place in the Premier League is quite clearly the overriding priority for me. I’m committed to delivering this, hopefully sooner rather than later.”

Boothroyd played for Huddersfield Town, Bristol Rovers, Peterborough United, Mansfield Town and Heart of Midlothian, but at 26 he was forced to retire because of injury. He had started learning the coaching trade at 19 and worked with Peterborough, Norwich City and West Bromwich Albion before moving to Elland Road.

“Adrian has proved himself to be someone who combines exceptional man-management skills with the very best in pure coaching qualities,” Graham Simpson, the Watford chairman, said. “In a short space of time, he has taken the club by the scruff of the neck and given us new purpose, vigour and far greater self-belief.

“I’m confident that we now have a platform in place to mount a serious challenge at the highest level.”

Watford lost their unbeaten ten-match league record — comprising five wins and five draws — in the 4-1 defeat away to Burnley on Saturday.

They lie 20 points behind Reading, the Championship leaders, and are 14 points adrift of Sheffield United.