WISA, the Watford Independent Supporters' Club, this week mirrored the concern of many fans that Saracens' owner Nigel Wray might opt to sell his interest in Nottingham Forest and turn his attentions to Vicarage Road.

WISA, unimpressed by Wray's activities at Forest, do not want him in control of Watford's fortunes and policies.

While the Football League step up their efforts to ensure Wray and his cousin Haig Oundjian reduce their holding in either club, an official indicated this week that the situation has to be resolved before next season. If not, and the two clubs are in the same division, they have power to relegate one of them, I am told.

WISA, in the meantime, have called for the club to make a statement about the ownership and to assure supporters the club is not owned by a group who put rugby first.

WISA's statement is as follows:

"We are writing in response to repeated expressions of concern from our members regarding the financial future of Watford Football Club. At the present time we have no idea who our main shareholder is, or is likely to be, although we understand that Mr Nigel Wray's cousin, Haig Oundjian, has a company that has 80 per cent control of Watford FC.

Lack of information from the club, including a failure to address this issue at the shareholders meeting, has the effect of increasing anxiety and speculation amongst supporters. This is entirely understandable given our previous experience with Mr Petchey.

Inevitably, speculation has focused on whether or not Mr Wray will fill the vacuum. His involvement with Nottingham Forest gives us serious cause for concern. We are in regular contact with our friends at Nottingham Forest's supporters' club who tell us that Mr Wray lost interest in their club and that he now wants to sell.

Forest supporters assume that he had hoped to make a short-term profit from his investment. At the same time that he was refusing to invest in order to save the club from free-fall down the league, he was also announcing an additional £5 million investment in Saracens!

Apparently, many of the services attached to the club, from PR to programme printing and catering, have been farmed out to companies based in the South East.

Forest supporters feel that Mr Wray has no interest in football and certainly no interest in their club. They are urging us to be very, very cautious.

The Saracens Internet reports that Mr Wray is talking openly about his wish to abandon ship at Forest and get on board at Vicarage Road. The fact that he has already attempted to set up a company to buy the lease on the ground and that his cousin is heavily involved suggests that this is the case.

The FA have instigated and the Football League are investigating, but, given Mr Wray's record at Forest, it is quite legitimate for Watford supporters to be very concerned and to ask the obvious question: are you Petchey in disguise?

The man appears to have no interest in football for its own sake, but is interested in rugby and property development.

The West Watford area is the recipient of funds from the EU, it is centrally located, close to the M25 and the M1, and we all know that the future of the hospital next door is in question and that part of that site might be available in the future.

What guarantees do we have that Vicarage Road will continue to be the home of Watford Football Club? We have a right to ask this question.

So what can we do? Firstly, we have to continue to ask the club for information. We may not all be shareholders, but as supporters we all have a stake in Watford Football Club and we have a right to be kept informed and told the truth.

Secondly, we should continue to keep in touch with other football supporters, especially those at Forest who are going through difficult times. Bad ownership kills football and it is in all our interests to stand together.

Finally the best possible outcome from this letter would be a public statement from our chairman. For many of us, Elton is our voice in the board room. We know him, we don't doubt his love for the club and we have come to trust him.

The longer the silence continues, the more suspicion and anxiety will rise. In the meantime, we have a team to be proud of, get behind the lads!" -- Hazel O'Callaghan (on behalf of WISA's committee), Acme Road, Watford.

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