Ikechi Anya believes Troy Deeney’s professionalism and ambition rubs off on the rest of Watford’s players and described him as “massive for the club both on and off the pitch”.

Deeney, who has been nominated for the Championship player of the month award, became the first Hornets player to score 20 goals in three consecutive seasons against Middlesbrough on Monday.

His desire to constantly improve is evident to those inside of the club and out of it and Anya recalled the first time he trained with Deeney in 2012 following the striker’s release from prison.

He said: “I remember when he first started training with us [after being released]. I stayed out after a session just practising shooting with him. When he scored he still might not have been happy with how it went in and that is because he is such a perfectionist. He would say ‘well if the goalkeeper was there then he would have saved it’ but I would be like ‘it went in though’.

“So he has improved himself to become the Troy Deeney he is now. He is massive for Watford Football Club both on and off the pitch.”

“If you are not doing it in training he will say ‘come on, it is work time’,” the Scotland international continued. “He is very serious and very ambitious. That does rub off on other people.”

Deeney was made club captain in the summer following the departure of Manuel Almunia and Anya believes it was an easy decision for Beppe Sannino.

Speaking prior to the Derby County game on Friday, Anya said: “I think certain players have that aura about them so it made sense [to make him captain]. If anything maybe he should have been captain a bit earlier.

“He is a leader, not a dictator. He doesn’t expect things from the other players that he doesn’t expect from himself.

“His record has been incredible and he almost has 20 goals for the third season in a row but he has remained humble about it. He does have a little bit of arrogance because every top striker needs that but he is an asset to everyone around him.”

There will be more from Anya in this week's Watford Observer.