Watford manager Adrian Boothroyd insists the Hornets will be stronger for the experience of a season in the Coca-Cola Championship.

Boothroyd admits the Hornets were unprepared for a campaign in the Barclays Premiership after their "fast-track" promotion through the play-offs last season.

But he is determined to keep the squad together and bounce straight back into the top flight at the end of the 2007-08 campaign.

He said: "Of course there is a part of me already regretting I won't be part of the Premiership next season. I'd love to be a part of it because it's the best league in the world.

"But this is probably what's best for the club long-term and best for me as well. The players and I need a bit of struggle to be able to go and get back up.

"Everybody asks 'were you ready for the Premiership?' Well, no the facts say we weren't. But we've had to go through this season to be ready for it next time."

Watford face a Reading side on Saturday who are pushing for European qualification and Boothroyd holds them up as the perfect template.

He has been studying how manager Steve Coppell built a side and then allowed it to develop in the Championship before they "blitzed" the division last year, winning promotion with a record 106 points.

Reading are now seventh in the Premiership and on the verge of qualifying for Europe, something Boothroyd would relish but Royals boss Steve Coppell is wary of.

Coppell fears a European campaign would be a distraction and drain on resources and said last week he would field a reserve side if Reading do qualify for the UEFA Cup.

Boothroyd understands Coppell's viewpoint - even if he would be shouting from the rooftops if Watford were in Reading's position.

He said: "If I was sat here now with Watford in seventh place you wouldn't be able to get my head through the door!

"But I understand what Steve is saying about Europe being too soon for Reading.

"I was concerned last season about the FA Cup, so I know where he's coming from.

"I can see why Steve would be concerned with European trips and trying to compete in the Premiership. It might detract from the season and players' minds may wander.

"You would also need a big squad to cope with all the different demands."

Boothroyd faces a defensive dilemma for Watford's trip to the Madejski Stadium after centre-back Clarke Carlisle was given a retrospective red card and a one-match ban.

Carlisle had escaped a second yellow card in the defeat to Sheffield United when the referee booked Danny Shittu in a case of mistaken identity.

The error was spotted and Boothroyd is not best pleased that Carlisle was subsequently banned for Saturday's game.

"I appreciated the ref got it wrong at the time, but I'm not sure about retrospective punishment," he said.

"Earlier in the season, Chris Powell was done for a handball when it hit him in the face and we didn't get anything back retrospectively. If it's one way, it should be the other way as well."

With Jay DeMerit rested, Boothroyd could hand a first Watford start to French defender Cedric Avinel who has impressed in the reserves since his arrival in January.

Avinel was on the bench for the Sheffield United game last week and Boothroyd said: "He has done terrifically well since he has been here.

"I wouldn't be worried about throwing the young lad in because he has been great."