During the 1911–12 season, Kent was forced to retire from playing, due to a persistent knee injury. That season it took the club 6 games to record a victory. Good form thereafter led to hopes of the Championship, but a poor run of form in the spring saw the club finish 9th. This was followed by a 14th-place finish in 1912–13, where the club failed to win any of their last 7 home games, and a poor defensive record in 1913–14 meant that Watford were required to beat Q.P.R. in the final game of the season to avoid relegation. They did, winning 2–0. More positively, the club finished both seasons in profit.