NIGEL WRAY has relinquished the bulk of his shareholding in Nottingham Forest. He is now understood to have just a nine per cent holding in line with Football League/FA requirements.

Wray was unavailable for comment this week, but the share-sale has prompted increased speculation about his involvement in Watford.

Wray's cousin, Haig Oundjian's company, Penguin, owns over 80 per cent of Watford, yet he stated in these columns recently that he aimed to revert to becoming a minority shareholder when investors came forward.

The timing of the withdrawal from Nottingham Forest, coincides with the fact Watford are now understood to have investors lined up and standing in line, ready to take over the majority holding at Vicarage Road.

Significant funds are now in the pipeline with a view to paying off the Petchey debt and making more available for the development of the club. The next step is presumably for the 53 per cent holding, previously collected by Rumi Verjee and now held by Penguin, to be made available to the new group.

Wray's cousin, Haig Oundjian, and other directors were unavailable for comment this week, but sources close to the board wonder what the conditions may be, if any, with regard to Saracens, if Penguin are to sell their holding.

Or, is Wray going to match and improve upon the significant sums being offered by investors in order to retain, through his cousin, a controlling family interest in Watford?

Several Watford fans have written this week, questioning Wray's intentions following news of his significant withdrawal from Forest.

As reader Brian Ball put it, asking several questions with regard to Watford continuing to own the lease, etc: "This is not an attack on Mr Wray if his intentions are for the benefit of Watford FC and all concerned."

Mass of fans spur Hornets to home wins

HOME support does make a difference. When home support has topped the 10,000-mark at Vicarage Road this season the Hornets have won on five occasions and drawn the sixth.

They had 14,784 for the Sunderland game at Vicarage Road; 13,522 for Birmingham; 11,292 for Bolton;10,082 for Portsmouth (draw); 10,248 for QPR and 10,218 for Ipswich.

It is not just the First Division that is entering the final and crucial phase; the predict-a-score league which we launched in the Ready To Go pre-season supplement is also coming to a tight finale.

After leading during the Hornets' recent lean period, Mr Don Johnson has dropped to joint third, on 27 points, alongside Tracie Busfield-Birch.

John Bathurst has 28 points and is nestled in behind the leader, Pete Boakes, who is on 29 points, so the lead is considerably thinner than Sunderland's.

Meanwhile, there are five chasers all on 22 points, when we looked on the eve of the Bolton match. Can one of these make a late charge, just like Graham Taylor's men hope to do? Watch this space for a further update next week.

Jason Lee was sent off on Saturday. Jamie Moralee scored on the pitch and it was a winner.

Tony Agana is playing for Leek Town and Ken Charlery has been selected for St Lucia's international side.

Jason Drysdale scored for Forest Green after a minute from the spot against St Albans. Geoff Pitcher scored for Kingstonian and they could be playing at Wembley. Drysdale incidentally won semi-professional recognition when selected for the England XI.

Another ex-Hornet who could be playing at Wembley is Gerard Lavin, for Millwall in the Auto Windscreen game.

Mrs Hocking, Terry Challis tells me your caricature of Graham Taylor is ready.

So there was I, talking to a national pressman I knew in the press room at Birmingham, when I noticed the room had gone suddenly silent. Standing there at the far end of the room, I turned to find Trevor Francis had entered the room and was staring at me. There was no door behind me, I was against the wall, so I looked at him somewhat quizzically.

"Excuse me," he said, somewhat irritated, as he moved towards me.

I moved to one side and he then stood in the space I had occupied and commenced his press conference, while I searched the carpet to see if there was anything significant about that particular spot. Obviously it was hallowed ground.

The Birmingham fanzine was really critical about "over-achievers" Watford and how the Hornets' FA Cup quarter final victory at St Andrew's was the beginning of Blues slide down the League.

After writing such a really disparaging article, I wonder how the writer felt on the Monday night after the Hornets victory.

Watford have granted a free transfer to Danny Grieves, who is spending a week with Colchester this week.

"We obviously hope he gets fixed up for he is a very talented lad. He is gifted and perhaps a start at another club may enable him to break through," said Taylor.

"If we do not see a future for them here, we want them to get a career in the game. As I would say to all the young boys, people get things wrong. Who knows -- Danny might come back to haunt us."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.