Paperwork issue with his replacement kept Pollock at Watford

The defender had signed for the Hornets in the summer of 2021, but his chances in the first team had been very limited.

He’d spent a season on loan at Cheltenham and made nearly 40 appearances, and half a season with Aberdeen in the Scottish Premier League.

However, he had registered just five outings for the Hornets in the 22/23 season, and eight more from the bench (totalling only 107 minutes) in the first half of 23/24 as the January transfer window was heading towards its close.

The defender handed in a transfer request, and had a number of offers at home and abroad, one of which was progressed to the point of completion.

“The deal was done. I was going to sign for a team in Belgium,” he recalled.

“I went over there and everything was pretty much sorted, but there was an issue with Antonio Tikvic’s visa.

“He was coming in but whatever happened stopped that and it was the only reason I didn’t leave at that point.

“I’m thankful it didn’t because since then, under Clevs, everything has turned around for me.

“But I can’t hide it, the deal was done and I was pretty much on my way out.”

At the time, Pollock said the transfer request was something borne out of frustration and needing to play football. He didn’t really want to leave Vicarage Road.

“It wasn’t what I wanted, no, but I wasn’t getting games and I felt I was being messed about,” Pollock admitted.

“The manager at the time didn’t really fancy me, and that’s fine because everybody has their own opinions.

“At my age, I felt I had to be playing games. I pride myself on wanting to play.

“If I’m good enough then I’ll play, if I’m not then I’ll drop down a league if it means I can play. I don’t want to sit around and pick up a pay packet. I don’t play footy for that.

“I was going to leave to get games, the deal was done – and then it fell through. Good job it did.”

Having not departed, Pollock started four games before Valerien Ismael lost his job, but was then named in Tom Cleverley’s first starting XI for the 1-0 win away at Birmingham, and started six of the final nine games under the new head coach.

Climbing high against Derby. (Image: PA)

The defender attributes that opportunity as being a pivotal part of the progress he has made since last winter.

“I played towards the end of last season so I had a little bit of belief going into the off-season,” he said.

“Then I had a really, really top pre-season, trained hard every day and pushed myself as far as I could.

“On a personal level, I wanted Clevs to do well too. He’s a friend, and I wanted to do all I could for him.

“Then there was the freedom. He showed me the belief that gave me freedom and confidence to show people what I can do.

“He helped me believe that I was good enough, and I wasn’t trying to do things I couldn’t actually do.

"Finally we have a manager that we can believe in, and one who wants to develop players.

“I hope this season people have seen what I am capable of, and they have seen in my performances what I always knew I could deliver.

“What I’ve achieved so far this season is what I came to Watford for.”

Ironically, the fixture computer handed Watford an opening-day trip to Millwall, the scene of Pollock’s own personal horror show.

Injuries saw him called into the starting XI at The Den on October 19, 2022, having played only 11 minutes of league football for Watford.

He then made a mistake which led to the Lions’ opening goal, and they went on to rip Watford apart and take a 3-0 lead before half-time – at which point some travelling fans left the ground to head home, such was the calibre of the team’s performance.

For Pollock, it was to be the last time he would play for Watford in the league that season, until a 20-minute cameo from the bench on the last day of the campaign at Middlesbrough.

In between he headed to Scotland, playing 15 times and scoring twice for Aberdeen, whose supporters were very keen for the move to be made permanent.

However, Pollock remained at Vicarage Road and then lined up for Watford at The Den on August 10 this year.

It was a perfect chance to exorcise a few ghosts.

“Every footballer will have grounds where they’ve had good games or bad games,” he reflected.

“Obviously I have thought about Millwall and I’ve wanted the chance to put things right there.

“I didn’t overthink the Millwall game this season at all, but it was in the back of my mind that I needed to go there, do well and shut a few people up.

“I experienced a few tough times after that first game at Millwall, but this season when we went there I just stuck to doing what I know I can do.

“I didn’t put any extra pressure on myself, which is maybe what I did in that first Millwall game.

“I was happy it was the first game of the season, I felt I did well there and it set me up for the season.”

Pollock in action at Sheffield United. (Image: PA)

Pollock feels he was in real danger of being unfairly judged on that one match in south London.

“That night at Millwall probably put a few doubts in everyone’s head, and I think it’s credit to Clevs that he knew me as a player and as a person, and so he was aware that I would bounce back.

“He was the only person at the club at the time that showed any faith in me.

“If you look back over my time here, none of the other managers have shown me any faith or trust.

“I think there was a bit of a negative feeling about me around the club, but that is how football goes.

“You have to take the good with the bad and hope there is more good. I want to continue playing as I have been, and have a lot more good games than bad ones.

“I’m still relatively young for a defender, and I know I’ll have bad games now and then.

“It’s just about being balanced, staying level-headed regardless of how good or bad things go, and keeping your head up.”

He’s certainly done the latter - Pollock has won more aerial duels than practically any other defender in the Championship

“When I was younger my Dad used to be massive on all these little bits of my game, and heading the ball was always a big part of mine.

“And then I had playing time in League Two, and the ball spends a lot of time in the air there.

“When I was at Grimsby, I had coaches like Neil Woods and Callum Lester that worked with me in the youth team, and then when I got into the first team we had a lad called Luke Waterfall, and he is outrageously good in the air.

“Every day after training he wouldn’t let me go in until I’d sent a header over the halfway line about 20 times, and you can imagine that took me a while.

“I learned it wasn’t all about using my neck but it had a lot to do with timing.

“So to be honest if I’m good in the air then it has to go down to Luke and my old coaches.

“They taught me through pure repetition until it has become the part of my game you see now.”

It’s a very useful skill to have, and not just in his own area – Pollock’s flick-on was the assist for Kwadwo Baah’s winner against Middlesbrough.

“It was just timing. The biggest thing about that flick-on was timing,” he said.

“And then being a bit daft like I am, I’m not afraid to put my head into places.

“I wanted to win that ball and flick it on, and I think that is the mentality we have in the squad now: we will run through brick walls for this manager.

“If I have to put my head somewhere I might get hurt then I’m going to do it for the manager, because he has developed a culture and every one of us lads has bought into it.”

From almost leaving in January to being one of the team’s most consistent performers this season, it has been a nine-month whirlwind for Pollock  . . . and he’s currently in another nine months that will change his life.

He and fiancée Georgia are expecting their first baby – this must be the best few months of his life?

“If you’d asked me that a couple of months back I’d have said it was when I signed for Watford.

“Everything seemed to be going so well for me then and they were a fantastic few months.

“But this period now has topped that: engaged, baby on the way, captained my team and playing some of my best football.

“To be honest, just being here with the lads we have and the manager we have is pure class.

“I know he’s a friend of mine, but we have an unbelievable manager who is going to go all the way, and anyone who works with him will say the same I think.

“He is the best coach I have ever worked with, which is a big statement to make but I do genuinely believe that.

“The last few months have been incredible and I feel we’re just getting better and better.

“If we keep doing what we’re doing as well as focus on getting our away form to pick up, then I believe it will just continue getting better.”