AIDY BOOTHROYD insists it is "now or never" for his relegation-haunted Watford side ahead of tomorrow's (Saturday's) visit to West Ham United.

Defeat at Upton Park in the clash between two of the bottom three would virtually condemn the Hornets to life in the Championship next season.

With a full squad to choose from, with the exception of Marlon King, Boothroyd is promising "changes" to the side that performed so ineptly against Bolton last time out in a game he knows has a must-win look to it.

"There has been a lot of thinking done this week but what it boils down to is that we have got 13 games left, seven of which are at home and it's now or never," said the manager. "Time is running out for us and we must put a run together.

"I've never put the white flag up and I don't intend to start doing that now," he added. "We've got to always believe we can do it. The minute we start thinking we are doomed we've had it.

"There are 13 games left and we've got to win a good percentage of those games.

"We've got seven home games and we've got to aim to win as many of those as we can and try and get something away from home.

"I always felt we would get stronger as the season wore on and other teams might take their foot off the pedal. If we have our foot to the floor then that always gives you a chance."

The Hornets were at full tilt on their last visit to Upton Park in the FA Cup and Boothroyd will be demanding more of the same against Alan Curbishley's injury-ravaged West Ham.

"We've been to West Ham already and it's going to be very, very tough," he said. "They'll have players back and we'll have players back and it will be two very different teams that go out and face each other on Saturday.

"We know we have got to beat the teams around us and West Ham are one of those teams."

Boothroyd is canny enough not to be drawn into revealing his hand ahead of the crunch game but the dilemma he faces is how many of his eight January signings to blood at one time and subject to the heat of a relegation battle.

"There will be changes and it will be a different team," he said. "I'm in a position where I've got a big squad to choose players from and there is no point signing these players and not playing them.

"I've got to get the balance right between getting the players in who know what is expected and have been here for a while and the new ones who bring that freshness and that something a little bit different.

"The squad is in place now, I've got players in. It's almost a catch 22, though.

"You get players in and they have to be integrated. But we haven't got time for them to be integrated.

"What I've tried to do is get as many players in place as I can so we can be planning for next year now," the manager added.

Which division that will be in could well be decided tomorrow.