Ryan Andrews has ended the season with six consecutive starts in the first team and Chris Wilder said the defender got into his team on the back of his hard work and has earned the right to stay there.

The 18-year-old son of former Hornets striker Wayne Andrews played the second half of the FA Cup tie at Reading in January, but then broke into the team in early April when he started in the 2-2 draw at Coventry.

He’s then kept his place ahead of the likes of Jeremy Ngakia, Joao Ferreira and Mario Gaspar.

“I hear how much people have done with Jude Bellingham and other young players – they do it for themselves these boys,” said Wilder.

“We are all a small piece in the process. Ryan deserved his debut, he deserved to stay in the team and now it’s up to him to carve a career out for himself.

“For him to do what he’s done is great and we try to help him along the way and point him in the right direction. But really he’s in control of his career.

“He’s got good athletic ability and is a natural footballer, and he has a lot of positives. I know supporters have taken to him because of the way he plays.

“He’s had to produce performances to stay in the team, but that’s what all players have to do. There’s no sentiment when it comes to getting games.”

Yesterday completed the 11 games that Wilder was brought in to oversee, and they have yielded only four wins.

However, Watford dropped eight points from winning positions in home games during that time, and those eight points would have seen them finish fifth and be preparing for the play-offs.

“It needed more obviously. The three home games that have done for us are the draw with Wigan and the two defeats against Cardiff and Huddersfield,” admitted Wilder.

“But you have to earn the wins and we didn’t do it, we didn’t do enough in those three games to get nine points. It sounds obvious, but if we had we’d be in the play-offs.”

Wilder took the time to briefly reflect on a season that saw him start as manager of Middlesbrough, and end in charge of Watford.

“It’s been a strange old season and it’s been quite tough,” he said.

“I’ve had a relatively successful career as a manager in terms of winning games and building teams. I’ve had a decent run at it and you have to take the rough with the smooth.

“It’s been a difficult season personally but you learn from it. I’m a better manager for all these experiences.

“People talk about me going off the boil – I haven’t because the drive is still there, my work ethic is as big as ever.

“I’ve won for the majority of my career and I want to get back to that. You learn as much from the bad experiences as you enjoy the good ones.

“Unless I lose my desire and my work ethic, and I get fat and full, and start taking shortcuts, then I’m going to improve.

“You keep learning and trying to improve, and you enjoy it when the sun shines again – and the sun will shine again.”

When asked about what comes next, Wilder wanted to say little.

“Anything else going forward will be a conversation. I’ve not sat down with anybody and talked about things.

“The important thing was putting everything into ending the season on the right note after what has been a disappointing campaign overall.”