Features: Cleverley's Other Debuts

He stayed at the club, taking up a role within the Academy as Under-18s Lead Coach. This saw him make his debut in the dugout at Vicarage Road for the FA Youth Cup third-round tie against Manchester City, on December 19 last year.

Ahead of his coaching debut at the stadium, the 34-year-old said: “I’m thoroughly looking forward to it. It’ll be a nice reunion for me back at the stadium.”

His side fell to 2-0 defeat, but there was still a moment to reflect on his first time at Vicarage Road as a coach.

“I’m very proud,” he said. “It was very strange actually, going into the manager’s room, and sitting on the front row of the dug-out. I thoroughly enjoyed it. A great learning curve for me.”

The game against Leeds United today (Friday March 29, 8pm KO) marks another stage in Cleverley’s Watford journey, which has taken him to four separate debuts at Vicarage Road.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to enjoy it until at full-time when that whistle goes,” he said.