Tom Cleverley has been appointed the new permanent head coach of Watford.

The 34-year-old took over as the interim boss following the departure of Valerien Ismael at the start of March.

Since then Cleverley has guided the Hornets through a particularly tricky run of fixtures that has seen them play the teams second, third, fourth, fifth and seventh in the Championship table.

In that time Watford have only lost once, and that was a highly controversial 3-2 defeat at Southampton.

He has only won one match, but the fact he has got the Hornets competing against top sides is a step forward as he took over a team that had won only one of its previous 11 league games.

Cleverley made more than 180 playing appearances during two spells at Vicarage Road, the first on loan from Manchester United as a 19-year-old when he spent the entire season with Watford and ended up being voted Player of the Season.

His career started at Manchester United and took in spells with Aston Villa and Everton before he signed permanently for Watford in January 2017.

Cleverley went on to become club captain but his playing career came to an end last season due to injury.

In the summer he was given the job as Head Coach of the club’s Under-18s, where he helped a number of players progress into the Under-21s and even the first-team squad.

He also oversaw Watford’s Under-17 side reaching the final of the Premier Development League Cup.

A very popular figure at the club and around the training ground, Cleverley also knows and played with many of the current squad.

His appointment means the club has hired a permanent boss from within for the first time since the Pozzo family took ownership of the club in 2012.

The new head coach will take charge of his first game since being confirmed when Watford host Sunderland at Vicarage Road on Saturday.