Watford manager Adrian Boothroyd insists Marlon King will stay put after a disappointing defeat to Preston.
Irvine takes no credit for 'lucky' substitution that led to goal
Watford manager Adrian Boothroyd insists that Marlon King will not leave the club after their disappointing 1-0 defeat at struggling Preston.
The striker was the subject of a failed £4million bid from Premier League side Fulham this week and Boothroyd is determined to keep hold of him.
Neil Mellor scored the only goal of the game in the 75th minute handing Alan Irvine's side a deserved victory.
The 27-year-old made the move to the Hornets two years ago and has enjoyed a successful spell at the club.
Boothroyd said: "At this time of year there is a lot of speculation and when you have your good players and you are successful then people are going to come for your players.
Changes
"But it is quite simple - we don't need to sell. Especially to a club who we might be changing places with.
"In order for a player to move I've got to want him to go, the player has got to want to leave, the money has got to be right and there has got to be a replacement.
"None of those four criteria are being met so I don't care how many times it gets flashed across Sky Sports News or how much speculation there is, I want him to stay so he stays. That's it."
The defeat leaves Watford in third place but Boothroyd believes his side can still gain promotion to the top flight.
"We're chugging along chasing that big jackpot again of promotion and if we can maintain our away form and improve our home form then we will be in good shape.
"I'm bringing nobody in at the moment. I'm trying for a couple but so is everyone. There will not be wholesale changes."
Luck
Meanwhile, Preston manager Alan Irvine admitted it was luck rather than judgement that saw Mellor score within minutes of coming on.
He said: "It was a substitution inspired by cramp so I can't take too much credit for that.
"Thankfully Neil was in the right place but he is a predator and someone who has a good goalscoring record.
"Right throughout the team everyone performed really well against very difficult opposition.
"There were two great debuts and I said to them before the game that I didn't expect them to last the game.
"They gave everything they had and were running on empty when they came off."
