Town midfielder helped keep me in a job - Dyche

And he admits the Huddersfield Town man helped keep him in his first post at Watford, after a sticky start to the season six years ago.

The Hornets won two and lost seven of their first 13 league games, but recovered to finish 11th - Watford’s highest finish for four years - after losing one of their last 11 games.

Dyche was replaced by Gianfranco Zola after the Pozzo family takeover that summer, and ended up at Turf Moor in late October 2012.

Hogg is expected to line up for the Terriers tomorrow at Turf Moor, and said: “Brilliant, love Hoggy, without some of his performances, I might not have still been in a job.

“There were a few players there who absolutely stood up to the challenge.

“We lost seven of the first 13 I think, and he played a big part in making sure we turned everything round and only lost seven of the next 33 or so.

“I've a lot of time for him as a lad, and he was tremendous for me, I'm delighted he's gone on and done well for himself.”

Dyche took over from Malky Mackay in the summer of 2011, as the club sold on Danny Graham, Will Buckley and Don Cowie, and he brought in Hogg from Aston Villa, the midfielder making 40 appearances that season: “At the time it was a big signing for us, it looks mad now, it was £300,000 or something, we brought in £5-odd million and spent about £900,000..

“He was a big chunk of that but he did very well for us, really good signing, really solid lad and a good pro, who did brilliant to come through injuries early in his career, he did both of his knees, but he's fit as you like.

“Now and again me and Woany get a text from him, a real good lad..”