Loan star key to Ainsworth swoop

Watford`s new wing trickster, Lionel Ainsworth, has revealed that on-loan Hornets hitman Theo Robinson was instrumental in securing his last gasp transfer from Hereford into the Championship big time minutes before the transfer window slammed shut.

And the former England Youth international, who was released by Derby County in the summer, has Theo to thank for giving him the green light to impress Aidy Boothroyd when the Hornets supremo carried out spying missions on his on-loan star.

Ainsworth, whose last effort in a Hereford shirt was to dump Leeds United out of the FA Cup, shared a house with Watford loanees Robinson and leggy midfielder Toumani Diagouraga during his spell at Edgar Street and he told local newspaper hacks "It was Theo [Robinson] who revealed [Watford manager] Adrian Boothroyd was watching and liked me. If they had not been checking up on Theo and Toumani, they may not have noticed me".

The pacy winger, who also is well known to Watford coach, Ex England U20 boss Martin Hunter, made his Watford debut when he got 12 minutes of action as a sub in the 3-2 defeat at Barnsley.