Watford boss Malky Mackay says a "great burden" has been lifted off the club but is still unsure of transfer plans (From Watford Observer)

It's the attitude to the club moving forward that may suffer most with the recent changes. Whatever the merits or otherwise of the Russos, I always got the impression they wanted the club to progress. It's early days and I hope I'm proved wrong, but the focus of the new regime doesn't seem to be on the pitch as much off it.

I hope Malky has the funding he needs to stabilise the current squad and take it forward. We're in with a decent shout of the play-offs. A little investment on the field could reap some very decent returns…

Let me rephrase some of my previous post: The Russo's wanting to take the club into administration are not the actions of men who 'want the club to progress'. However, i got the feeling that they would certainly like to swank around premier league hospitality suites and, for the sake of a few quid, might invest if they thought there was a chance of it happening. With the new regime I don't get the feeling that on-field progression is important. In fact, a successful club might be perceived as a burden to whatever development schemes are in the offing...

Whatever the long term plans of the Russo's were (good or bad) I did get the real feeling that they had a genuine interest in running the club properly, getting our finances in order & with limited resources very keen to make steady progress on the football front, whilst communicating with the supporters & I am sure with Malky. With Ashcroft I just cannot see this happening, it's seems to me we will be back to being left in the dark as supporters & as mentioned above does he care whether we are in the Championship or league 2... I fear not.

I suspect Malky is just talking from the manager/player point of view in the fact for now off field pressure has gone but ofcourse like you say for how long and this time next year will we be in the same position?

oh malky the burden has only just started ,hope you enjoy your meeting when you find out just how much chance you have of improving your squad with the "new regime" !
concentrate on getting some wins remember it was the Russo's that appointed you ,you have a new boss now

Like many others, I have been following the ongoing saga at Watford Football Club without commenting so far.

However, now that the recent “dust” appears to be settling, I think it is time to appraise the current situation and make suggestions as to a future course of action.

As I understand the present situation, Lord Ashcroft’s company – Fordwat Limited – has paid £4.93 million to Valley Grown Salads – the company owned by the Russo brothers – and thereby ensured that Watford Leisure Ltd (in which Fordwat Ltd hold a 37.16% stake) will retain the football ground.

Lord Ashcroft, as a Vice Chairman of the Conservative Party, has been using his considerable personal wealth to bankroll a number of prospective parliamentary candidates (PPCs) in marginal seats throughout the UK, presumably including Richard Harrington, the Conservative PPC for Watford.

It must follow that Ashcroft’s interest in Watford Football Club will change once the general election has taken place next year.

If Harrington’s bid to become the elected MP for Watford is successful then it may be that Ashcroft will continue to support WFC with his own considerable wealth.

If – on the other hand – Harrington’s bid for parliamentary success in 2010 is not successful, I expect Ashcroft will no longer retain an interest in sustaining WFC.

In the aftermath of the 2010 general election, all the uncertainty over the future of WFC could return once again.

It seems to me that there is one way to remove a lot of the uncertainty.

Watford Borough Council has the finances and the powers to purchase properties on behalf of Watford residents.

They should use their resources and powers to buy the football ground and thus remove this ongoing uncertainty for all WFC’s supporters.

The ground and the club could then be separated from one another with the Council renting out use of the ground to the Club (Watford Leisure Ltd.).

It is not up to the Council to run the Club.

Whoever runs the Club will have to ensure their own working capital requirements are met and that the Club is run on a more sustainable financial basis in future.

I think it is incumbent upon Dorothy Thornhill to step forward and declare whether or not she supports the idea of the Council purchasing the football ground.

If she is not prepared to do so, I believe someone else should stand for election as Mayor in 2010 who is committed to simplifying this present sorry mess once and for all time for the benefit of WFC supporters and local residents.

I think it is very unlikely that Watford Council would buy Vicararage Road ground but other clubs have grounds owned by the local council.
Went to Peterborough last week and I believe that is council-owned.
Would solve a lot of problems and avoid Fordwat!!