Watford recorded their second largest attendance figure for a regular season Championship fixture on Saturday as a total of 19,038 supporters watched the Hornets’ 1-0 defeat to Ipswich Town at Vicarage Road.

It is a figure the Golden Boys hadn’t been able to achieve for several years as the club’s East Stand was closed in 2008 and wasn’t rebuilt and reopened until this season.

Saturday’s attendance was also boosted by the travelling Ipswich support. The Tractor Boys brought a contingent of 2,177 fans to the game. 

The highest attendance Watford have ever achieved for a regular season Championship fixture is 19,842. That was set against Coventry City in 2006.

A clash with Crystal Palace drew in 19,041 supporters but that came in the 2006 play-off semi-finals.

Saturday’s attendance is next in the list and is followed by the 18,698 set against Queens Park Rangers in 2007, the 18,602 that was recorded when Watford took on Norwich City last month and the 18,532 that was achieved against Plymouth Argyle in 2007.

Those figures are for the Championship, which adopted its current guise in 2004, rather than the second tier.

Watford highest attendance in the second tier came in 1969 when 27,968 supporters watched the Hornets take on Queens Park Rangers at Vicarage Road.