Birmingham City vs Watford LIVE: Championship result, final score and reaction
Follow live coverage as Birmingham City face Watford in the Championship today.
An increasingly competitive second tier in English football remains an intense and exciting competition, with the prize of a place in the Premier League on offer at the end of the season.
Last year Southampton, Leicester City and Leeds United were relegated from the top flight and all are hopeful of making a quick return - but the likes of Norwich City, West Bromwich Albion and Sunderland all have real promotion ambitions too.
At the other end of the table, QPR, Cardiff City and Birmingham City will hope for better campaigns than last year’s relegation struggle - while newcomers Sheffield Wednesday will be looking to survive after dramatic progress through the play-offs.
Follow live updates from today’s game in the live blog below.
Birmingham City FC 0 - 1 Watford FC
Birmingham City vs Watford
17:00
Match ends, Birmingham City 0, Watford 1.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:59
Second Half ends, Birmingham City 0, Watford 1.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:59
Foul by Jay Stansfield (Birmingham City).
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:59
Foul by Tyler Roberts (Birmingham City).
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:57
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:57
Substitution, Birmingham City. Scott Hogan replaces Lukas Jutkiewicz because of an injury.
Birmingham City vs Watford
17:07
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:54
Delay in match because of an injury Mattie Pollock (Watford).
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:54
Delay in match because of an injury Lukas Jutkiewicz (Birmingham City).
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:56
Attempt missed. Lukas Jutkiewicz (Birmingham City) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Juninho Bacuna.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:53
Daniel Bachmann (Watford) is shown the yellow card.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:53
Attempt missed. Paik Seung-Ho (Birmingham City) left footed shot from outside the box is too high following a corner.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:53
Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Francisco Sierralta.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:50
Attempt saved. Lukas Jutkiewicz (Birmingham City) header from the centre of the box is saved.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:49
Attempt saved. Tyler Roberts (Birmingham City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Juninho Bacuna.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:48
Substitution, Watford. Francisco Sierralta replaces Yáser Asprilla.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:48
Yáser Asprilla (Watford) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:48
George Hall (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:47
Foul by Juninho Bacuna (Birmingham City).
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:44
Foul by Lukas Jutkiewicz (Birmingham City).
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:43
Substitution, Birmingham City. George Hall replaces Ethan Laird.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:43
Substitution, Birmingham City. Gary Gardner replaces Ivan Sunjic.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:41
Attempt missed. Lukas Jutkiewicz (Birmingham City) header from very close range.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:41
Tyler Roberts (Birmingham City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:41
Yáser Asprilla (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:41
Ivan Sunjic (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:40
Attempt missed. Vakoun Bayo (Watford) left footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Edo Kayembe.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:40
Attempt missed. Edo Kayembe (Watford) left footed shot from outside the box.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:40
Offside, Watford. Tom Ince is caught offside.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:38
Foul by Ivan Sunjic (Birmingham City).
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:38
Substitution, Watford. Matheus Martins replaces Ismaël Koné.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:38
Substitution, Watford. Tom Ince replaces Giorgi Chakvetadze.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:35
Attempt missed. Emanuel Aiwu (Birmingham City) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Juninho Bacuna with a cross following a corner.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:35
Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Ryan Porteous.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:35
Attempt missed. Jay Stansfield (Birmingham City) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Juninho Bacuna with a cross.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:38
Attempt missed. Ethan Laird (Birmingham City) header from the centre of the box following a corner.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:33
Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Ismaël Koné.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:33
Attempt blocked. Ivan Sunjic (Birmingham City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Juninho Bacuna.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:30
Substitution, Birmingham City. Lukas Jutkiewicz replaces Jordan James.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:30
Substitution, Birmingham City. Tyler Roberts replaces Koji Miyoshi.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:30
Attempt missed. Koji Miyoshi (Birmingham City) left footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Jordan James.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:30
Ryan Porteous (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:28
Attempt saved. Koji Miyoshi (Birmingham City) left footed shot from long range on the right is saved in the centre of the goal.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:28
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:27
Giorgi Chakvetadze (Watford) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:27
Delay in match because of an injury Ethan Laird (Birmingham City).
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:27
Foul by Giorgi Chakvetadze (Watford).
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:25
Attempt missed. Vakoun Bayo (Watford) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right misses to the left. Assisted by Edo Kayembe.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:24
Offside, Watford. Vakoun Bayo is caught offside.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:24
Substitution, Watford. Vakoun Bayo replaces Emmanuel Dennis.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:24
Attempt missed. Ivan Sunjic (Birmingham City) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:20
Attempt saved. Koji Miyoshi (Birmingham City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:20
Attempt blocked. Emanuel Aiwu (Birmingham City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Juninho Bacuna.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:18
Foul by Ryan Andrews (Watford).
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:17
Attempt missed. Juninho Bacuna (Birmingham City) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Lee Buchanan.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:15
Tom Dele-Bashiru (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:15
Attempt saved. Yáser Asprilla (Watford) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Edo Kayembe.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:15
Offside, Birmingham City. Paik Seung-Ho is caught offside.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:15
Attempt blocked. Jordan James (Birmingham City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Juninho Bacuna.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:14
Corner, Watford. Conceded by Lee Buchanan.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:14
Attempt blocked. Jay Stansfield (Birmingham City) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Paik Seung-Ho.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:14
Foul by Emmanuel Dennis (Watford).
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:12
Attempt missed. Ivan Sunjic (Birmingham City) right footed shot from the centre of the box.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:08
Foul by Yáser Asprilla (Watford).
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:08
Foul by Ismaël Koné (Watford).
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:08
Corner, Watford. Conceded by Lee Buchanan.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:08
Attempt blocked. Mattie Pollock (Watford) header from very close range is blocked. Assisted by Yáser Asprilla with a cross.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:05
Corner, Watford. Conceded by Ivan Sunjic.
Birmingham City vs Watford
16:04
Second Half begins Birmingham City 0, Watford 1.
Birmingham City vs Watford
15:48
First Half ends, Birmingham City 0, Watford 1.
Birmingham City vs Watford
15:48
Attempt missed. Yáser Asprilla (Watford) left footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the right following a corner.
Birmingham City vs Watford
15:48
Corner, Watford. Conceded by John Ruddy.
Birmingham City vs Watford
15:48
Attempt saved. Emmanuel Dennis (Watford) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Yáser Asprilla.
Birmingham City vs Watford
15:45
Goal! Birmingham City 0, Watford 1. Emmanuel Dennis (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box.
Birmingham City vs Watford
15:45
Corner, Watford. Conceded by Ethan Laird.
Birmingham City vs Watford
15:45
Attempt blocked. Emmanuel Dennis (Watford) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is blocked. Assisted by Giorgi Chakvetadze.
Birmingham City vs Watford
15:44
Attempt saved. Emanuel Aiwu (Birmingham City) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Koji Miyoshi with a cross.
Birmingham City vs Watford
15:44
Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Giorgi Chakvetadze.
Birmingham City vs Watford
15:42
Ismaël Koné (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Birmingham City vs Watford
15:42
Offside, Watford. Emmanuel Dennis is caught offside.
Birmingham City vs Watford
15:40
Attempt missed. Yáser Asprilla (Watford) left footed shot from the right side of the box.
Birmingham City vs Watford
15:38
Attempt missed. Juninho Bacuna (Birmingham City) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Jordan James.
Birmingham City vs Watford
15:38
Offside, Watford. Tom Dele-Bashiru is caught offside.
Birmingham City vs Watford
15:37
Foul by James Morris (Watford).
Birmingham City vs Watford
15:33
Attempt missed. Yáser Asprilla (Watford) right footed shot from the centre of the box.
Birmingham City vs Watford
15:33
Attempt missed. Tom Dele-Bashiru (Watford) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Ismaël Koné.
Birmingham City vs Watford
15:33
Attempt blocked. Juninho Bacuna (Birmingham City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jay Stansfield.
Birmingham City vs Watford
15:33
Attempt blocked. Yáser Asprilla (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Ismaël Koné.
Birmingham City vs Watford
15:30
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Birmingham City vs Watford
15:29
Delay in match because of an injury Emanuel Aiwu (Birmingham City).
Birmingham City vs Watford
15:28
Offside, Birmingham City. Jay Stansfield is caught offside.
Birmingham City vs Watford
15:30
Offside, Birmingham City. Lee Buchanan is caught offside.
Birmingham City vs Watford
15:28
Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by James Morris.
Birmingham City vs Watford
15:35
Attempt missed. Jay Stansfield (Birmingham City) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
Birmingham City vs Watford
15:28
Attempt blocked. Juninho Bacuna (Birmingham City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jordan James.
Birmingham City vs Watford
15:25
Corner, Watford. Conceded by Ethan Laird.
Birmingham City vs Watford
15:23
Lee Buchanan (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Birmingham City vs Watford
15:23
Ethan Laird (Birmingham City) hits the bar with a header from the left side of the six yard box. Assisted by Juninho Bacuna with a cross following a corner.
Birmingham City vs Watford
15:21
Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Ismaël Koné.
Birmingham City vs Watford
15:20
Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Ryan Andrews.
Click here to read the full blog on The Independent's website
