Ed Still reveals new £50 fine at Watford - it involves his brother Will | OneFootball

Ed Still will fine his Watford players £50 if they call him by the name of brother Will.

Ed Still has already made his mark at Watford ahead of his first game in charge of the Hornets.

Still's men travel to Preston North End this Saturday in an encounter which sees two Championship play-off contenders come up against each other.

Watford have failed to win any of their last six league games, but remain just three points behind the top six, while sixth-place Wrexham are not in league action this weekend, thanks to their FA Cup meeting with second-tier rivals Ipswich Town.

Preston would leapfrog the Red Dragons into the play-offs if they get the better of Still's side at Deepdale on Saturday.

Ed Still will fine Watford players £50 if they call him by his brother's name

Watford drew 1-1 with North End in their first Championship meeting of the season back in November, and will be hoping to go one better in Still's first game.

Meanwhile, as reported by Sky Sports' Anthony Joseph via X, the new Hornets boss will fine his players £50 if they call him by his brother's name, Will.

Will earned a strong reputation for his performances when managing French sides Reims and Lens, but went on to oversee a poor tenure as Southampton boss earlier this term.

The 33-year-old's stint in the Saints dugout witnessed him win just two league games in 13 attempts, leaving the Hampshire club languishing near the Championship relegation zone, even though they began the season with aspirations of landing an immediate Premier League return.

Southampton have re-established play-off credentials under new boss Tonda Eckert, epitomising how poorly Still performed at St Mary's.

Watford will hope that Ed can enjoy greater success at Vicarage Road than his brother did on the South Coast.

Ed Still needs fast start at Watford to prove potential doubters wrong

Still's career to date makes a mixed reading, as he has previously been sacked by Belgian clubs Charleroi, Eupen, and Kortrijk before becoming Anderlecht's assistant.

The 35-year-old boasts reasonable credentials as an assistant boss, as Anderlecht occupy a top-four spot in the Belgian top flight.

However, Watford fans may be concerned by the fact that Kortrijk sacked him on 25 September 2023, having only appointed him ahead of the 2023/24 season.

Furthermore, Still was previously dismissed by Eupen in April 2023, thanks to a 5-1 defeat to Zulte Waregem and a 7-0 loss to Club Brugge in his final two games at the Kehrwegstadion.

The Championship is one of the most competitive leagues in world football, so many Watford fans may be rightly sceptical of Still's arrival, given some of his poor showings in Belgium.

However, defeating Preston on Saturday will heavily bolster the Hornets' play-off credentials at a key stage in the season, and supporters may quickly forget their new manager's previous performances.

Following their visit to North End, Still's men take on automatic promotion candidates Ipswich, before successive clashes against fellow play-off chasers Bristol City and Wrexham.