Elton John: 'Watford FC in danger of plummeting freefall'

1:06pm Wednesday 1st October 2008

By Anthony Matthews

Watford FC’s most famous fan Sir Elton John has launched a stinging attack on the club’s board, warning the Hornets are “in danger of plummeting freefall” and that the directors “should go” if they do not share an optimism about the club’s future.

In a statement, the rock star said: “As a lifelong fan and former chairman of Watford FC I feel I must now express my deep dismay about what is happening at the club. First I should make it clear that the manager and the players have my full support. However, it is clear that the playing staff has been left threadbare after the sale of leading players over the last year or so, and even now I understand that there are still plans for further player sales in January.

“The chairman and leading shareholders have made it clear that they wish to sell the club, and this comes despite a profit of nearly £8m having been made last year (2007). We know from other clubs that when stability and confidence go then there is a danger of plummeting freefall. I fear we could be facing that catastrophe.

“Voices other than my own have already asked the question of what has happened to the money from the sale of some of our best players and the parachute payments. Whatever investment the directors still have in the club is likely to be devalued if stability is not brought back. More than anything else, confidence must be brought back to the playing staff and a real sense that there is a future at the club. If the directors do not have that optimism then they should go.”

The Watford Observer has contacted the Hornets for a response to Elton John’s statement. One is expected but probably not until tomorrow.

However in July Watford chairman Graham Simpson spoke of the need to attract new investment following the controversial sale of striker Darius Henderson to Sheffield United.

He said: “A club of our size cannot sustain a massive wage bill without Premier League funding or additional investment.

“It’s well documented that our parachute payments run out at the end of this season and we simply have to reduce our wage bill ahead of that. If we didn’t we wouldn’t be doing our jobs.

“Overall our football wages for the three seasons across the life of the Premiership payments will come close to £45m, despite the fact we still had the lowest wage bill in the Premier League by over £6m and we haven’t even spoken about transfer fees and the continued investment in the infrastructure at this point.

“Compare this to the miracle Aidy achieved three years ago by getting us into the Premiership on a shoestring budget of £3.5m and you get some perspective.

“We will continue to make decisions that we feel reflect the current board’s intentions to run this club on a sensible and financially solid basis.”