Troy Deeney's former mentor and ‘taxi driver’ Tommy Mooney believes Watford’s captain will go one step further than he did by proving the doubters wrong in the Premier League and said the idea of the striker one day playing for England “isn’t out of the question”.

One of the main reasons Watford fans’ favourite Mooney was brought to Walsall in 2007 was to help with the development of the then 19-year-old Deeney as he approached his first full season in League One.

Deeney only managed one goal in 38 appearances during his first full season with the Saddlers but Mooney had already seen enough; he had no doubts he would go on to greater things.

The progress was steady at first and has since accelerated to the point that earlier this month Deeney became the first player in Watford history to score 20 goals in three consecutive seasons.

Mooney said: “Troy deserves the success he is achieving but ultimately – and hopefully due to a Watford promotion – we will see how strong he is in the Premier League.

“There have been things said about him [making the step up]. You could make comparisons with Troy and myself. There were times when the Championship was too easy for me but the Premier League was too much. I was a Championship player. I didn’t have enough to play in the Premier League. That accusation may be put at Troy but I think he can prove people wrong.

“I think he will score goals in the Premier League because his type of goals can be scored at every level. It is not like he beats three people and puts them in the top corner [which would be harder against better defenders]; he scores scruffy goals, aggressive goals and simple goals and you can score those types of goals in the Premier League and Championship. To score as many goals as he has at Championship level suggests to me that he will do it again at whatever level.”

The Hornets captain is a huge Birmingham City fan – he has the Blues badge tattooed on to his leg to prove it – and in 2009 Mooney joked “I bet Troy would rather play for the Blues than England”.

Representing the Three Lions seemed an unlikely dream six years ago. But 65 goals in three years has made Deeney the most consistent striker in English football’s second tier.

He will almost certainly play in the Premier League in the near future – with or without Watford – and Mooney said: “Over the years the top Championship scorers have had a chance at international level.

“Now, is he a Harry Kane? No. Is he a Raheem Sterling? No. But what he does do is put the ball in the back of the net and every team – whether that is at international or school level – need a goalscorer and there have been times where Championship players have played international football. Ok not over several years but I wouldn’t say it is out of the question. It would depend on if the other players can score the amount of goals Troy can.

“Scoring goals regularly in the Premier League would guarantee it (an England call-up) for me.

“It is up to Troy. I know nobody will work harder to do it than he will.”

‘Take this young lad under your wing’ Mooney, who is now loan manager at Aston Villa, spent more than seven years at Watford, with his 63 goals in 288 appearances in all competitions making him the 16th highest scorer in the club’s history.

Birmingham was to be his next stop and he also helped the West Midlands club into the Premier League via the play-offs.

Further moves were to follow and after making himself a fans’ favourite at Wycombe Wanderers, he finished his time in English football with move to Walsall in the summer of 2007.

Mooney explained: “When Richard Money signed me at Walsall he said to me ‘I want you to come in to play but I also want you to take this young lad under your wing. He explained Troy was a big Blues fan and he used to watch me on the terraces and we hit it off from day one because he was very similar to me at that age.

“He was very raw but we did a lot of work together.”

Watford Observer: Walsall boss has his say on Troy Deeney's prolonged transfer to Watford. Picture: Action Images

Mooney also used to be Deeney’s ‘taxi driver’ at times, giving him lifts to his mum’s house. “He probably still owes me a few quid in taxi fares so I will remind him of that,” the 43-year-old joked.

Deeney has always been a big personality and never lacked self belief.

“He was a confident and strong character but in a good way,” Mooney said. “As you get older you start losing patience with some of the young players nowadays but he wasn’t one of those. He is very eager to learn, he worked harder than everybody else at his age at the time, which always buys a little time with me. If people work hard then it shows how much they want something and he certainly did that.

“We played together so we were teammates so it wasn’t like a coach-player relationship but there was a mutual respect there for each other which I’m sure is still there today.”

Like at Watford, Deeney had a slow start to his Walsall career. He impressed on loan at Halesowen Town, with eight goals in ten games, but in his first full season with the Saddlers only managed one goal in 38 outings – although just 18 of those were starts.

But he had already seen enough in their only season together to know the striker would prove to be a success. The key to Deeney fulfilling his talent has been his desire, according to Mooney.

He said: “Watford supporters are not stupid; he is one of their favourites for a very good reason because of his work-rate and commitment to the team, whether that is scoring goals, clearing one off the line or closing someone down. The Watford supporters appreciate that – fortunately for me because that was all I ever did; I worked hard.

“He deserves everything that he has achieved and hopefully he will go on to score goals in the Premier League.”

Repaying the faith Deeney had problems on and off the field early into his Watford career. He managed just three goals in his first 54 games and Deeney has since admitted that losing four family members in two-and-a-half years contributed to him having “a little bit of depression”.

The striker would go out drinking regularly and – a week after he found out his dad Paul had terminal cancer – he was involved in a nightclub brawl that would result in a two-and-a-half month prison sentence for affray.

It was to prove to be a life-changing moment and Deeney has not looked back since his release. His 65 goals and leadership has helped the Golden Boys to the brink of promotion to the Premier League.

“He has made silly mistakes but he has repaid the faith of those who stood by him,” Mooney said.

“He held his hands up from day one but as a young lad there were no problems because I wouldn’t have given him the time of day if he was one of those types of players. He was a good lad. I was happy to give him lifts home and work with him because he showed he had a chance to make it.

“There were certainly no issues with him at all during my time at Walsall and Richard Money wouldn’t have brought me in to work with him to get the best out of him if he was a bad lad. Managers, coaches and senior players don’t do those sorts of things for players like that.

“We lost touch a little bit when he went to Watford and then he started moving ahead of me in the record books, which I thought was a bit rude,” Mooney joked. “I gave him plenty of grief for that.

“Since then we have stayed in touch. He rings me every now and again for a bit of advice. And I ring him every now and again for advice that he probably doesn’t want. We speak openly to each other.

“I’m really pleased for him and he deserves all of his accolades and success.”

Mooney was speaking ahead of his return to Vicarage Road on May 19 as part of the Play with a Legend event.

Mooney and Watford legend Luther Blissett will be playing on opposite sides as Hornets fans have the chance to play with two of their heroes and then enjoy a pint with them afterwards.

Mooney, whose son Kelsey is on Aston Villa’s books, said: “I really enjoy these events. I had a fantastic time at Watford and enjoyed a great relationship with them so whilst I can still get around the pitch, it will be nice to be back at Vicarage Road playing alongside the fans. I have played there hundreds of times but if you gave me a chance to play there tomorrow I would.

“It will be good craic to play with the Watford supporters but don’t be mistaken, I want to win.”

Tickets for the Vicarage Road event cost £179 per player and include a 90-minute game and post-match dinner. For more information on the event click here, email info@playwithalegend.com or call 0208 2026766.