Rich pickings for Lee at Watford

Watford 3rd choice keeper Richard Lee has confirmed he`s shelved plans to seek out a short-term loan deal after Mart Poom popped his shoulder in the 2-1 draw with Reading.

Lee has been out in the Hertfordshire wilderness since returning from a pre-season knee injury with Aidy Boothroyd opting to back up Estonian stopper Poom with the youthful legs of 19 year old Scott Loach.

But with Watford medical guru Andy Rolls confirming Poom "will be out for the foreseeable future" all thanks to dislocated his shoulder (sustained in a challenge with Kevin Doyle) the door could be opened again for Lee to restake a claim for the first team shirt.

In his weekly blog at www.richardleegk.co.uk, the stopper said "…Up until Poomy`s injury on Saturday I had actually just begun to look for a short-term loan in order to get some games…it will now be a battle between myself and Scott [Loach] for the shirt".

Many on-lookers had fully expected Lee to be first choice again this season, after making 41 appearances last season, but a quite awful mistake away at Hull in the Play-Offs appeared to have put the final nail in Lee`s Watford career under Aidy Boothroyd.

Lee even admitted himself that he has been "surprised not be included" in a matchday squad this season but knows the score, insisting "I`ll once again be fighting for a chance. I`ve been in this position many times before so I know the script".

The first act of that 'script` will be played out tonight but Hornets boss Boothroyd is expected to keep his faith in the youthful head of Loach and put Lee on the bench for the Carling Cup clash with the Hammers.

But hey, the gloves are off….

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