WATFORD's ticket office remains busy as anticipation continues to mount ahead of the biggest match of the season so far at Vicarage Road tomorrow (Saturday, September 17).

The Hornets had already sold 12,500 tickets for the clash with Sheffield United by yesterday afternoon and hopes are high that a large number of fans will turn up on the day to see if Adrian Boothroyd's team can maintain their excellent start to the season by getting a result off the Championship leaders and round off the perfect week, following Tuesday's victory against Norwich City and the acquisition of Les Ferdinand and loan-signing Carl Fletcher.

Tomorrow's game would have seen first play second had Ibrahima Sonko not scored a late winner for Reading against Crystal Palace on Tuesday night to keep the Royals ahead of Watford on goal difference, but it still remains the most appealing fixture outside the Premiership this weekend.

The Watford boss though, conscious that it is still early days, is looking at tomorrow's match as part of the bigger picture.

"With so many games in such a short space of time I think it is important that we do get a solid base, and that's what it is for us," said Boothroyd of his team's seven-game unbeaten run in the league. "We've got to get better, that's for sure, and that's the challenge now.

"But every game for us, because of the way the fans are reacting, is massive and I'm sure everyone would want to be part of a crowd like that," he added, looking back on Tuesday night's win over Norwich when the noise levels rekindled memories of those amazing Carling Cup nights against Southampton and Portsmouth last season.

The crowd, buoyed by an exceptional first-half display by the Hornets, played their part in ensuring Boothroyd's men survived a late Canaries onslaught and the superb atmosphere certainly touched Graham Simpson.

"I can never, ever remember seeing the East Stand, the Rous Stand and the Rookery all on their feet at the same time singing Yellow Army," said the chairman. "There was like an energy coming through that I have never seen before and it is something we need to recreate."

For the full story, don't miss this week's edition of the Watford Observer.