Simpson set to step down
12:36pm Thursday 3rd July 2008
Comments (38)Watford are looking for new owners after chairman Graham Simpson announced he is looking to step down.
Simpson has decided, after six years in charge, to look for a new leader to take the club forward. The largest shareholder, Lord Ashcroft, and Simpson are both ready to sell their shares.
Simpson said: "During my tenure I believe the club has made rapid progress both on and off the pitch.
"What is important now is that this progress is maintained and we find someone who is prepared to invest in the club's long term future."
To read more about this development see tomorrow's Watford Observer.
Your Say YourWatford Observer
JonBoy, Watford says...
2:50pm Thu 3 Jul 08
If we are a sinking ship what does that make Simpson?
HOOF, England says...
3:41pm Thu 3 Jul 08
Good riddance Simpson,any chance of taking that numpty of a manager we got with you?
mitch kings langley, kings langley says...
4:41pm Thu 3 Jul 08
Get your 'SAVE THE VIC' Buckets ready boys..!We've just been shafted!
Thanks for all you've done mr Ashcroft which WAS ..???
Thats why Hoofers is still here..all that blcks about standing by the manager..They didn't want to pay him off..
Collin..They wouldn't be told eh mate...!
Thanks for all you've done mr Ashcroft which WAS ..???
Thats why Hoofers is still here..all that blcks about standing by the manager..They didn't want to pay him off..
Collin..They wouldn't be told eh mate...!
lovefriedonions, kings langley says...
5:27pm Thu 3 Jul 08
yes simpson's team only got us promoted to the premiership once and failed to make us an established premiership side finishing only in the champ play-offs last year.
A million miles from where we were when he took over post Vialli...you silly whingers. We're a Barnsley not a Wolves/Birmingham and that's why we'll struggle this year - not due to Simpson.
A million miles from where we were when he took over post Vialli...you silly whingers. We're a Barnsley not a Wolves/Birmingham and that's why we'll struggle this year - not due to Simpson.
VoR, Watford says...
5:41pm Thu 3 Jul 08
Of FFS people......will you please give it a rest!!!
GS within his 6 yr tenure has saved us from oblivion, oversaw us in the Premiership and now feels he's taken things as far as he can and wants the club to move forward with a bit more weight behind us, so we can compete with the ever growing clubs that now grace the league, we wont be able to go back up without having a bigger investor end of.
I say hat's off to him and believe he's entitled to his bonus's, anyway he's only ever had the club at heart and doing this is for all our benefit although we all knew this was coming, so hardly big news, maybe it's a way of alerting more potential buyers?
Come on, get behind the club we love and stop all this negativity.....It's boring!
don't think a certain Mr Muskett will post, I've heard he's been banged up, or did i dream it?
GS within his 6 yr tenure has saved us from oblivion, oversaw us in the Premiership and now feels he's taken things as far as he can and wants the club to move forward with a bit more weight behind us, so we can compete with the ever growing clubs that now grace the league, we wont be able to go back up without having a bigger investor end of.
I say hat's off to him and believe he's entitled to his bonus's, anyway he's only ever had the club at heart and doing this is for all our benefit although we all knew this was coming, so hardly big news, maybe it's a way of alerting more potential buyers?
Come on, get behind the club we love and stop all this negativity.....It's boring!
don't think a certain Mr Muskett will post, I've heard he's been banged up, or did i dream it?
lovefriedonions, kings langley says...
5:55pm Thu 3 Jul 08
VoR - 100% correct.
We're lucky we've had the success we've had in the last 5, 10, 30 years and GS played his part and should take a bow.
We're lucky we've had the success we've had in the last 5, 10, 30 years and GS played his part and should take a bow.
Hexham Hornet, HEXHAM says...
6:41pm Thu 3 Jul 08
Many of us may not have agreed with everything GS has done, but he has saved the club and given it the potential to become a Premier team. He is second to Elton John in what he as achieved in his time at the club and anybody that can't appreciate this should say what he more could have done with the resources available. He is one of the last Chairman supporters, as whoever takes over is likely to be looking at the club as an investment opportunity. Thanks GS for bringing us success and stability and giving what was a virtually bankrupt club a future.
VoR, Watford says...
6:50pm Thu 3 Jul 08
Well said Hex and Fried.....there are people that can see further than the end of their noses then.
Hex you are indeed a wordsmith.
Col you are indeed a gimp, how many other posts have you had removed?
Hex you are indeed a wordsmith.
Col you are indeed a gimp, how many other posts have you had removed?
WD18Firm, West Watford says...
7:45pm Thu 3 Jul 08
At last... PLAN B is revealed in full!
Hornet Cornet, Hornetsville says...
9:19pm Thu 3 Jul 08
Must admit I reckon that GS' time with the hornets has been unspectacular. What has been specatcular is the downfall of that idiot manager. We're in for a relegation dogfight fellow happy clappers.
GrahamTaylor, Watford says...
10:45pm Thu 3 Jul 08
Yes let see......
He saved the club by selling the ground so we had to pay twice as much to get it back. We had an unexplained hole in the accounts which led to Dim Shaw stepping to one side. He fell out with the Salad brothers who are due to have their loans repaid this year. He cashed in by selling the land wrapping the ground for housing instead of doing a sale a lease back to provide future revenue streams. He paid himself a big bonus and a fat salary and will now no doubt receive a very big profit by getting out before the ship sinks. Very clever mister Simpson! No comparison to SEJ who never took a penny out of the club.
He saved the club by selling the ground so we had to pay twice as much to get it back. We had an unexplained hole in the accounts which led to Dim Shaw stepping to one side. He fell out with the Salad brothers who are due to have their loans repaid this year. He cashed in by selling the land wrapping the ground for housing instead of doing a sale a lease back to provide future revenue streams. He paid himself a big bonus and a fat salary and will now no doubt receive a very big profit by getting out before the ship sinks. Very clever mister Simpson! No comparison to SEJ who never took a penny out of the club.
Winston, Bushey says...
6:37am Fri 4 Jul 08
and that is why wfc have not invested using the transfer money from last season - Simpson budget for this season sell before you buy?
Clearly this man sorry wimp has no goal with wfc - yes it is time to go.
As for this season no new signings to date and the clock is ticking!
Clearly this man sorry wimp has no goal with wfc - yes it is time to go.
As for this season no new signings to date and the clock is ticking!
Vicar Rage, Watford says...
8:44am Fri 4 Jul 08
If Watford are in such good health, as the chairman keeps telling us, why is that he and the major shareholder are telling us they want to sell up right now - just before the start of pre-season training, when we still haven't signed a player?
I fear we may only discover the extent of the club's parlous finances after they have gone. And that may not be soon either - after all, a club that appears to have sell before it can buy, with apparent debt and in the midst of expensive redevelopment work is not exactly a tempting proposition.
All I would ask is, when Simpson and Ashcroft book their cab out of town, make sure it's one big enough to take the Chief Executive with you.
I fear we may only discover the extent of the club's parlous finances after they have gone. And that may not be soon either - after all, a club that appears to have sell before it can buy, with apparent debt and in the midst of expensive redevelopment work is not exactly a tempting proposition.
All I would ask is, when Simpson and Ashcroft book their cab out of town, make sure it's one big enough to take the Chief Executive with you.
Winston, Bushey says...
3:43pm Fri 4 Jul 08
Watford chairman Graham Simpson insists his search for a new buyer to take the club to the next level will take as long as it needs to - one problem with that statement WFC will not be looking at promotion as it is clear that the Chair and other members of the board who are jumping ship will not be investing further monies
Roger68, St Albans says...
5:57pm Fri 4 Jul 08
How amazingly churlish half the posters to this site are. Simpson took a risk by investing a lot of his own money into the club when it was on the verge of bankruptcy. He brought in and backed a manager who masterminded a Premiership promotion, a Cup semi-final and a play-off in three seasons. He has rebuilt the infrastucture of the club. Name another Chairman who has done the same. He knows he can take the club no further without further investment but is at the limit of his own resources, so needs to bring in new investors, something he made clear months ago. He is a business man not a philanthropist so obviously the timing and terms of any takeover will need to make financial sense to him as well as to the club--but he has promised he will only sell to investors who understand the ethos of the club. What more do you want guys? In the world of football, Simpson is one of the good guys.
Vicar Rage, Watford says...
8:30pm Fri 4 Jul 08
Roger - the chairman was certainly brave to step in when he did. We owe him thanks for doing so. I do not argue with that at all.
However, he chanced upon a manager who, in his first 15 months, pulled raabits out of the hat to get us to the Premiership.
But that success seemingly convined the chairman to allow the manager to do as he pleased, as from that point on, the transfer policy, football staff recruitment, team selection, performances and results went largely unquestioned. If anything was ever said privately it certainly did not divert the manager from his 'my way or the highway' attitude.
Financially, the club reaped the rewards of those successful months, and also banked the fees gained from cashing in on players who were pivotal to that success.
We are told the club is 'not really in debt' - yet should it be in any debt at all? After all the money that came in, should Plan B really be, as it seems, to cut costs and spend next to nothing?
We've come full circle. When Boothroyd arrived we were a very average team sitting just below mid-table with no money to spend. Does the prospect for next season really look very different to that which Boothroyd inherited?
It was great when we were on the way up, but we've been very much on the way back down for the last 12 months or more.
I don't doubt Simpson is a Watford fan and a nice guy. But I believe we can only truly judge for ourselves what state he will leave the club in (rather than accept his assessment) once he has gone the true extend of life inside Vicarage Road is revealed.
However, he chanced upon a manager who, in his first 15 months, pulled raabits out of the hat to get us to the Premiership.
But that success seemingly convined the chairman to allow the manager to do as he pleased, as from that point on, the transfer policy, football staff recruitment, team selection, performances and results went largely unquestioned. If anything was ever said privately it certainly did not divert the manager from his 'my way or the highway' attitude.
Financially, the club reaped the rewards of those successful months, and also banked the fees gained from cashing in on players who were pivotal to that success.
We are told the club is 'not really in debt' - yet should it be in any debt at all? After all the money that came in, should Plan B really be, as it seems, to cut costs and spend next to nothing?
We've come full circle. When Boothroyd arrived we were a very average team sitting just below mid-table with no money to spend. Does the prospect for next season really look very different to that which Boothroyd inherited?
It was great when we were on the way up, but we've been very much on the way back down for the last 12 months or more.
I don't doubt Simpson is a Watford fan and a nice guy. But I believe we can only truly judge for ourselves what state he will leave the club in (rather than accept his assessment) once he has gone the true extend of life inside Vicarage Road is revealed.
40 years a fan, Rickmansworth says...
10:08pm Fri 4 Jul 08
As a passionate supporter I read the Watford Observer`s pages on the football
club each week.
I read with interest Mr Simpson`s remarks that the majority of the £50million
income over the last two years has gone on salaries.
I read with even more interest that "according to the 17th Deloutte
annual review .... Watford paid £17.7 million in wages in 2006/07" and "that
figure has been trimmed to around £11 million".
When discussing Marlon King`s salary you quoted Aidy Boothroyd as saying he was
not paid near the £22,000 per week that was in the press for King - so I am
assuming it is fair to assume that he has not earned more than £2 million in
the last two years.
I am allowing a generous £2 million for other staff members.
According to my maths the total paid out is £32.7 million, £17.3 million short
of £50 million, with only the salaries of messrs Simpson and Ashton to account
for.
I would be very grateful if Mr Simpson
would explain to me, and a lot of other concerned supporters the error of my
calculations.
club each week.
I read with interest Mr Simpson`s remarks that the majority of the £50million
income over the last two years has gone on salaries.
I read with even more interest that "according to the 17th Deloutte
annual review .... Watford paid £17.7 million in wages in 2006/07" and "that
figure has been trimmed to around £11 million".
When discussing Marlon King`s salary you quoted Aidy Boothroyd as saying he was
not paid near the £22,000 per week that was in the press for King - so I am
assuming it is fair to assume that he has not earned more than £2 million in
the last two years.
I am allowing a generous £2 million for other staff members.
According to my maths the total paid out is £32.7 million, £17.3 million short
of £50 million, with only the salaries of messrs Simpson and Ashton to account
for.
I would be very grateful if Mr Simpson
would explain to me, and a lot of other concerned supporters the error of my
calculations.
Hexham Hornet, HEXHAM says...
11:46pm Fri 4 Jul 08
Why is everybody knocking Simpson? This is a man who has put his own money into a club and lead it out of potential bankruptcy. I assume the people who have been criticising him are also relatively ealthy and have the ability to put right everything they feel he has done wrong. It is so easy to pick at someone when you are not in a position to do any better. How many would have risked a large percentage of their disposable assets and income on a venture like this? If they are complaining that he may make some money of what he has done is this because they are jealous? How many would not expect some reward if the risk he took paid off? Come on, it's time to get real and put your money where your mouth is.
I have a small shareholding in the club. I would love to have more, but can't afford to. I have put my money where my mouth is and am happy with where the club is now, compared to where it was when GS took over. He has not done everything to my liking, but he has earned the right to make the mistakes he has made simply by his investment, both of time and money, in a cause he truly supports.
I have a small shareholding in the club. I would love to have more, but can't afford to. I have put my money where my mouth is and am happy with where the club is now, compared to where it was when GS took over. He has not done everything to my liking, but he has earned the right to make the mistakes he has made simply by his investment, both of time and money, in a cause he truly supports.
40 years a fan, Rickmansworth says...
6:23am Sat 5 Jul 08
Hi Hexham. Is it knocking Mr Simpson to query that his own figures don`t add up? I would want to know where £17 million of my clubs money has disappeared to whatever good (or not) someone has done for the club in the past. Wouldn`t you?
GrahamTaylor, Watford says...
9:13am Sat 5 Jul 08
Roger68 wrote:Sorry but I don’t remember Mr Simpson kicking a ball during our promotion season but yet he took huge bonus. I do think some of the criticism of Boothroyd is harsh but you can not give credit to GS for his appointment that was Ashton. He did not invest much either, do you not remember all the sales of the ground or indeed all the share issues.
How amazingly churlish half the posters to this site are. Simpson took a risk by investing a lot of his own money into the club when it was on the verge of bankruptcy. He brought in and backed a manager who masterminded a Premiership promotion, a Cup semi-final and a play-off in three seasons. He has rebuilt the infrastucture of the club. Name another Chairman who has done the same. He knows he can take the club no further without further investment but is at the limit of his own resources, so needs to bring in new investors, something he made clear months ago. He is a business man not a philanthropist so obviously the timing and terms of any takeover will need to make financial sense to him as well as to the club--but he has promised he will only sell to investors who understand the ethos of the club. What more do you want guys? In the world of football, Simpson is one of the good guys.
He will now walk away a very rich man. Don’t get me started on the ‘where has the premiership money gone?’ debate.
This club has been miss managed off the field for a long time, why do you think the Finance Director resigned and the Club tried to sue the WO when he wrote a letter to the paper?.... Please close the door on your out Mr SImpson
Hexham Hornet, HEXHAM says...
10:06am Sat 5 Jul 08
40 years....Surely the year end accounts for each season Simpson has been Chairman will give you truer figures than your guesswork. There are also loan repayments and interest to take into account and also the fact not all transfers are paid up front. There are other allocations of funds as well - it is not just transfers in, wages and salaries etc that the money goes on. If the money had gone missing I am sure that it would have been noticed by people outside the club by now and questions from a higher body would have been asked. Why not become a shareholder and ask these very questions to the board?
GrahamTaylor, Watford says...
10:25am Sat 5 Jul 08
Hexham Hornet wrote:Hexham.........
40 years....Surely the year end accounts for each season Simpson has been Chairman will give you truer figures than your guesswork. There are also loan repayments and interest to take into account and also the fact not all transfers are paid up front. There are other allocations of funds as well - it is not just transfers in, wages and salaries etc that the money goes on. If the money had gone missing I am sure that it would have been noticed by people outside the club by now and questions from a higher body would have been asked. Why not become a shareholder and ask these very questions to the board?
The Football club is a subsidiary of the PLC hence accounts for the football club are not available to you and me!
Why do clubs do this? Primarily it is because Football clubs cannot pay dividends but it does allow a smoke and mirrors approach to other aspects of football finances. Can you honestly say you are happy that all monies add up? I can’t!
I'm a shareholder but only of the PLC, that does not entitle you to ask questions of the football club finances. You are correct about loans etc but this only exist due to the miss management of the club.
Roger68, St Albans says...
4:07pm Sat 5 Jul 08
Graham Taylor(sic)--Simpson was a rich man when he got involved with Watford, but owning the club will not have made him richer. In fact, if making more money was his aim he should have stayed with his travel business. After reading some of the abuse he is getting from so-called "fans" he may be regreting he didn't. Vic--I do not think you "chance" upon a succesful manager. I think you make a bold appointment and then back his judgements. You criticise Simpson for not getting rid of Boothroyd last season, but I prefer a supportive Chairman , not one who panics and sacks his managers every 6 months.
Winston, Bushey says...
5:07pm Sat 5 Jul 08
Watford chairman Graham Simpson says the Championship outfit have no desire to sell defender Danny Shittu, despite interest from Premier League clubs - Simpson you r word - your word is not worth the breath you breath.
If the price is favourable you will sell - and sod WFC.
Your intentions are not hounourable to the supporters of WFC all you what is to cut and run with a sizeable profit - which could have brought us new squad players!
If the price is favourable you will sell - and sod WFC.
Your intentions are not hounourable to the supporters of WFC all you what is to cut and run with a sizeable profit - which could have brought us new squad players!
40 years a fan, Rickmansworth says...
6:48pm Sat 5 Jul 08
Hexham thanks for replying. I understand what you say and if Mr Simpson had said similar to the Watford Observer I would not be asking these questions. But he didn`t. There is a direct quote from him saying that most of the £50 million had gone on wages. Either the WO misquoted him or my questions are valid.....
Hexham Hornet, HEXHAM says...
9:03pm Sat 5 Jul 08
Winston, if the club make a packet from selling Shittu and Shittu wants to go to develop his career further does that mean that GS is shafting the club? He would put funds from the sale to be made available to fund another purchase. If Shittu fels that he is too good for the club and he wants to move then it would be foolish to keep him as he would help the team spirit and it would be more sensible to make a considerable profit by selling him rather than leave on our books until the end of his contract, when he would leave on a free. That would be bad business and detrimental to the long term future of the club and everybody would say what bad business it was to miss out on making a profit from selling him.
GrahamTaylor, Watford says...
10:14pm Sat 5 Jul 08
Roger68 wrote:Roger 68(prat)
Graham Taylor(sic)--Simpson was a rich man when he got involved with Watford, but owning the club will not have made him richer. In fact, if making more money was his aim he should have stayed with his travel business. After reading some of the abuse he is getting from so-called "fans" he may be regreting he didn't. Vic--I do not think you "chance" upon a succesful manager. I think you make a bold appointment and then back his judgements. You criticise Simpson for not getting rid of Boothroyd last season, but I prefer a supportive Chairman , not one who panics and sacks his managers every 6 months.
Answer my concerns then.......
If Simpson is so rich why did he need to pay himself a big bonus? Why maximise the clubs profits for the short term (then sell up)? Why not invest his own cash instead of doing a sale and lease back agreement? Why does he not communicate with the fans on the finance instead choosing to hide behind the PLC, why cut off the paper and the supporter trust, when they ask difficult questions?
Oh you can’t! Take those rose coloured spectacles off.
Hexham / Winston
Shittu WILL be sold it is just question of do a prem team want him or will he go to Scotland.
40 years a fan, Rickmansworth says...
7:06am Sun 6 Jul 08
An epitaph to the chairman:
1. A huge Hornets fan (fact).
2. Put in a large amount of his own money (fact)>
3. Was involved in bringing in AB (fact).
4. Loan repaid in full +interest (fact).
5. Created players benevolant fund- 1/2 million and paid it all to himself (fact).
6. Reduced size of board and put himself in position to decide his own salary(fact).
7. Appears to be a big hole in clubs finances?
8. If we hadn`t have sold Young, Bouazza and King would we now be in administration??
1. A huge Hornets fan (fact).
2. Put in a large amount of his own money (fact)>
3. Was involved in bringing in AB (fact).
4. Loan repaid in full +interest (fact).
5. Created players benevolant fund- 1/2 million and paid it all to himself (fact).
6. Reduced size of board and put himself in position to decide his own salary(fact).
7. Appears to be a big hole in clubs finances?
8. If we hadn`t have sold Young, Bouazza and King would we now be in administration??
Winston, Bushey says...
8:52am Sun 6 Jul 08
Hexham Hornet wrote:sorry, do you believe that that money will go for players.
Winston, if the club make a packet from selling Shittu and Shittu wants to go to develop his career further does that mean that GS is shafting the club? He would put funds from the sale to be made available to fund another purchase. If Shittu fels that he is too good for the club and he wants to move then it would be foolish to keep him as he would help the team spirit and it would be more sensible to make a considerable profit by selling him rather than leave on our books until the end of his contract, when he would leave on a free. That would be bad business and detrimental to the long term future of the club and everybody would say what bad business it was to miss out on making a profit from selling him.
Taking past transfers I dont think so - take the transfer action from last year has that been made available - of course not!
What is done is done the future is not bright what is the goal for the new season - promotion? stay in the black? avoid relegation? new owners? new manager? who kinows this is a business no longer a game of football long gone are the tradions.
take newcastle for example the chair is willing to sell at double what he paid for the club - good for him but what happens to thr clu?
Hexham Hornet, HEXHAM says...
11:06am Sun 6 Jul 08
Graham Taylor and Winston, all I can say is that if it is that easy to bu a club and then sell it 6 years on at a considerable profit then why don't more people do it. You both seem to say that GS has not put his own money into the club. There are so many people happy to knock the man, when all he has done is save a football club, and possibly earnt some profit by doing this. Would you have preferred he had not stepped in and the club had just folded? If it is so easy then off you go, lads. Raide the required funds, buy the club, run it well and in 6 years time decide whether or not you want to sell your stake in it and also make a profit for yourself in doing so. As it is so easy the banks will support you and earn their share of the profits. Remember the money GS put in was not his own, so you say, so there is no personal risk to yourselves. Perhaps it is not so easy to do, but you all seem to say that's how GS did it. Oh, and why not tell us how you would have run the club over the same period of time as GS has, and where would it be now - my guess is it would no longer be in existance.
GrahamTaylor, Watford says...
1:14pm Sun 6 Jul 08
Because you need the right club and you need to buy when it is more or less rock bottom when the value can only go one way. i.e. Up that of course is a judgement call which is why Hommer is an astute businessman.
Don’t be so stupid, you and eye could not do this, you need capital behind you for people to take the risk. A bit like getting a mortgage. Hommer would have had to put up some guarantees.
He has not possibly done anything. He WILL earn a lot of money from this. Is this right it? Depends on your view. Somebody tried to compare him to SEJ, no comparison IMO.
SEJ never took a salary out of the club never paid himself a penny never charged any interest on loans and never made a profit on the sale of any assets. OK so SEJ is a multi millionaire but Hommer still has his own business, which presumably, is making a reasonable return for himself so why take extra out of the club?
The club would not have fold it would have gone into administration. Would it have come out healthier in the long term (appently we still have debt!) you will never know that is a hypothetical debate and assumes nobody else would have stepped in.
The club not been run well, you cannot ignore all the bad practise / press and the fact the club tries to STOP the WO reporting it tells it own stroy.
Don’t be so stupid, you and eye could not do this, you need capital behind you for people to take the risk. A bit like getting a mortgage. Hommer would have had to put up some guarantees.
He has not possibly done anything. He WILL earn a lot of money from this. Is this right it? Depends on your view. Somebody tried to compare him to SEJ, no comparison IMO.
SEJ never took a salary out of the club never paid himself a penny never charged any interest on loans and never made a profit on the sale of any assets. OK so SEJ is a multi millionaire but Hommer still has his own business, which presumably, is making a reasonable return for himself so why take extra out of the club?
The club would not have fold it would have gone into administration. Would it have come out healthier in the long term (appently we still have debt!) you will never know that is a hypothetical debate and assumes nobody else would have stepped in.
The club not been run well, you cannot ignore all the bad practise / press and the fact the club tries to STOP the WO reporting it tells it own stroy.
40 years a fan, Rickmansworth says...
4:32pm Sun 6 Jul 08
It is frustrating that what ever we post won`t make any difference. I have it on good authority that he has had his money back plus and I don`t understand why he said he has spent £50 million on wages if this doesn`t add up. I guess if his personal wealth is more important than OUR club then good for him.
Roger68, St Albans says...
9:25pm Mon 7 Jul 08
Last comment on this topic, mostly directed at the misrepresentations perpetuated by "Graham Taylor". Simpson is a rich man but he is not super -rich. He has invested as much as he can afford into Watford--indeed more than is probably prudent from a strictly business point of view. He has made considerable personal investments via share placements and in loans to the club, which were risky at the time, and though he has seen his loans repaid he would make a loss on the shares if he sold up now.These investments directly funded player puchases and ground improvements and made promotion possible, though unfortunately not sustainable, given the huge costs of operating in the Premiership. The bonus he was paid last season was agreed before promotion was achieved and represents a reasonable salary for the Chairman of a business of this size. He was not Chairman when the sale/lease of the Vic was agreed and in fact made it a priority to buy back the ground . He has never avoided answering legitimate questions from the press or public--see his letters on the club website from last Feb. Nevertheless he is still misrepresented by so-called fans using the W.O. website as a platform for abuse--to call him "thief" is shameful.All I can say is --you will miss him when he has gone, and be careful what you ask for, because it may come true.
GrahamTaylor, Watford says...
12:17pm Tue 8 Jul 08
Oh yes lets believe everything the club put on its PR machine – the official club website!
Hommer was a member of the board that sold Vicarage Road and became chairman 2 month later, please don’t try to insult peoples intelligence by saying him had nothing to do with it. Before you accuse me of misrepresenting please get your own facts right.
GS is paid a healthy 6 figure salary for his troubles, is it therefore also correct for him to take such large bonuses? Perhaps if it was instead of a salary, then maybe but certainly not as well as, IMO. This agreed before promotion! Another misrepresentation WFC would not have been able to afford to pay it had we not been promoted – fact.
As you pointed out, Hommer is a wealthy man why take any money at all for his troubles other than interest on his loan payable in line with the Bank of England’s Base rate? After all he still has an income from his other investments. Are these the actions of a true fan?
GS has not funded a single player purchase, please name one? GS has REPEADTEDLY not just dodged questions asked by the supporters trust and the paper but also took legal action following a letter to the paper from the former Finance Director. Explain that then? Why not just respond? Why still no transparency of the event that occurred with the Russo’s?
If peoples opinions of Hommer are misplace then I am sorry he has brought it on himself.
Hommer was a member of the board that sold Vicarage Road and became chairman 2 month later, please don’t try to insult peoples intelligence by saying him had nothing to do with it. Before you accuse me of misrepresenting please get your own facts right.
GS is paid a healthy 6 figure salary for his troubles, is it therefore also correct for him to take such large bonuses? Perhaps if it was instead of a salary, then maybe but certainly not as well as, IMO. This agreed before promotion! Another misrepresentation WFC would not have been able to afford to pay it had we not been promoted – fact.
As you pointed out, Hommer is a wealthy man why take any money at all for his troubles other than interest on his loan payable in line with the Bank of England’s Base rate? After all he still has an income from his other investments. Are these the actions of a true fan?
GS has not funded a single player purchase, please name one? GS has REPEADTEDLY not just dodged questions asked by the supporters trust and the paper but also took legal action following a letter to the paper from the former Finance Director. Explain that then? Why not just respond? Why still no transparency of the event that occurred with the Russo’s?
If peoples opinions of Hommer are misplace then I am sorry he has brought it on himself.
Hexham Hornet, HEXHAM says...
11:32pm Tue 8 Jul 08
The club has progressed in so many ways in the last 6 years. The club own the ground. The plans to improve the stadium are now well under way, the Academy is becoming well established, the training ground has new facilities. We have been in the Premier league well before most fans dared to dream we would be and are building into a club who could get back there if things on the pitch don't go tits up like they did last year. We do still owe money, but that is mostly catered for in the financial planning.
We are in a much healthier position than we were when Vialli left. That is due to Ray Lewington's off field management in the first instance and also the work of the various directors that we have had since Simpson took over.
The club need younger blood with money, a love of WFC and a realistic vision of what Watford can achieve in the short, medium and long term. The two Chairmen that have really made Watford a top 40 club are Elton John and Graham Simpson and we should appreciate how GS has taken the club forwards.
The snipers should be careful with their accusations and maybe they should not hide behind their noms de plue when they make claims that some people may consider challenging in law.
We are in a much healthier position than we were when Vialli left. That is due to Ray Lewington's off field management in the first instance and also the work of the various directors that we have had since Simpson took over.
The club need younger blood with money, a love of WFC and a realistic vision of what Watford can achieve in the short, medium and long term. The two Chairmen that have really made Watford a top 40 club are Elton John and Graham Simpson and we should appreciate how GS has taken the club forwards.
The snipers should be careful with their accusations and maybe they should not hide behind their noms de plue when they make claims that some people may consider challenging in law.
GrahamTaylor, Watford says...
6:54pm Wed 9 Jul 08
I haven’t said anything that isn’t in the public domain so I no need to hide behind a PC.
Unfortunately some people bury their heads in the sand and see everything Watford through rose coloured spectacles.
Unfortunately some people bury their heads in the sand and see everything Watford through rose coloured spectacles.
Hexham Hornet, HEXHAM says...
8:32pm Wed 9 Jul 08
GT, I am not saying that all GS has done is perfect, I have even been known to point the finger at times. My point is that he does not deserve all the abuse he has received, and he is within his rights to earn from his position - so long as it i all above board and open. The fact that Elton John did not take money out of the club is irrelevant, especially as the financial situation is so different today and football clubs need to be run as a business rather than as a hobby. Also Elton's comparative wealth in the late 70's and the 80's was immense compared to Graham Simpson's today so he could afford to do things the way he did.
I will admit that I am not as well read in the goings on at Vicarage Road as you, but even you would have o admit that the club has achieved a lot more in the last 6 years than you would have expected it to when he took over. If you were to go back those 6 years what would you have expected to happen? Certainly not the Premier League, FA and League Cup Semi-Finals nor the progress with ground improvements. You would not even have dreamt of a football academy in Harefield. Are all of these bad things for the club and should GS be strung up for leading Watford through them? You cannot compare him to SEJ, for the reasons I explained above, but you can put him up there alongside him for what he has achieved in comparison to the other Chairmen the club has had.
To change the subject.... it's good to see that the comments are in chronological order with the first at the top. Well done WO for listening to the criticisms.
I will admit that I am not as well read in the goings on at Vicarage Road as you, but even you would have o admit that the club has achieved a lot more in the last 6 years than you would have expected it to when he took over. If you were to go back those 6 years what would you have expected to happen? Certainly not the Premier League, FA and League Cup Semi-Finals nor the progress with ground improvements. You would not even have dreamt of a football academy in Harefield. Are all of these bad things for the club and should GS be strung up for leading Watford through them? You cannot compare him to SEJ, for the reasons I explained above, but you can put him up there alongside him for what he has achieved in comparison to the other Chairmen the club has had.
To change the subject.... it's good to see that the comments are in chronological order with the first at the top. Well done WO for listening to the criticisms.
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NG_Watford, Watford says...
12:54pm Thu 3 Jul 08