Nigel Pearson believes it is “crucial” there is togetherness at Watford and wants to pay back the goodwill of the fans as he sets about trying to keep the Hornets in the Premier League.

The new head coach got to work at London Colney yesterday, having been appointed as Quique Sanchez Flores’ permanent successor on Friday and watched on as Watford had the better of a goalless draw with Crystal Palace the following day.

The 56-year-old spoke to the players in the dressing room before he was introduced to the fans and said he was “incredibly touched” by the welcome he was given.

In his first event since taking charge, Pearson told the club website: “The reception was very warm and felt very, very genuine. All I can say is that we intend to pay back the goodwill and faith our fans have for our football club.

“The head coach and players are all visitors. When you’re a fan of a football club, it’s in you. We’ve got to make sure our football team plays with a commitment and a conviction that our fans are proud of.

“I can’t say too much more than that because it’s very easy to talk in terms of style of play. We need to win games however we can. It’s about trying to find ways to win. Fans would expect us to show absolute commitment. That’s a value I always hold as expected from myself and people around me.”

Pearson knows what it takes to avoid the drop, guiding Leicester City to Premier League safety in 2015, 16 years after overseeing another famous escapology act when goalkeeper Jimmy Glass scored at the death to keep Carlisle United in the Football League.

Well known for his leadership qualities, the new Hornets boss believes it is vital everyone within the club does their job as well as possible, not only the players.

“It's crucial [everyone is together],” said Pearson. “Not everybody’s roles are as visible, but, if we're honest, it’s about players being able to go out there and perform. They’re the ones that win the points on the pitch but there’s a bigger picture and whatever role people have within a football club, it’s about them doing what they do as well as they can and it goes for all of us.”

Looking to the challenges ahead, Pearson said: “This is a great chance to get back in and re-establish myself. There’s no doubt in my mind that our players have the capability to produce results which are better certainly than we’ve got so far.

“People talk about sides that are possibly too good to be in a relegation dog fight. We are where we are because we have not been able to produce the types of performances that have earned us enough points so far.

“My job is to try and rectify that or help the players to get a level of organisation and belief in them that we are capable of competing. That’s the priority at the moment.”