A referee who hasn’t officiated in a Watford fixture for two seasons is due to be in charge when Valerien Ismael’s side bid to follow up their fine opening day victory over QPR with another three points at Vicarage Road on Saturday.

Geoff Eltringham has been appointed to referee the Championship fixture against newly-promoted Plymouth Argyle, who also kicked off their campaign back in the second tier with a home win, beating Huddersfield Town 3-1.

The County Durham official, who started his season by showing seven yellow cards in Stoke City’s 2-1 victory over West Bromwich Albion last weekend, didn’t referee any Hornets games in the 2022/23 campaign.

In their previous season in the Championship though, he was in the middle for three Watford fixtures in 2020/21 – and they ended in three wins for the Hornets.

Shaun Hudson and Carl Fitch-Jackson are due to be the assistant referees for the 3pm kick-off, with Scott Tallis on fourth official duties.