Edwards Griffiths disappointed with Saracens' attendances at Watford (From Watford Observer)

Edwards Griffiths disappointed with Saracens' attendances at Watford

11:20am Friday 12th February 2010 in

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Edward Griffiths says the inability to raise attendances at Vicarage Road is Saracens' biggest disappointment this season.

The chief executive has boosted the profile of the club by taking them to Wembley, where they will play for the third time this weekend against Worcester Warriors, but their matches in Watford have fallen well below their target of an average of 15,000.

Speaking at a fans' forum on Wednesday night, Griffiths said: "The single greatest disappointment this season is our inability to increase crowds at Vicarage Road. I don't want to make excuses but there are a couple of factors involved. We've had some really miserable nights in terms of temperature and weather which I think has affected the crowds to some degree.

"But there are issues at Vicarage Road which we all know about which is largely one of access and secondly of comfort within the stadium.

"Our position is we have a contract with Watford and we want to work with them to improve the facility and make that work better.

"Wembley has given us an opportunity to take the club to a place where I don't think any of us would have believed possible a year ago.

"If I'd sat here a year ago and said we'd play Northampton in front of 45,000 then play against South Africa on a Tuesday night and get nearly 48,000 and then play Worcester, during the Six Nations, and get over 40,000, I just don't think anyone would believe it.

"So Wembley has opened a new world for the club and that will be reflected in the kind of sponsorships and deals we've managed to conclude for next season.

"We have shown we're a club with ambition and this year more than 200,000 people will watch Saracens. I talked about an average crowd of 15,000 and if you take the Wembley games we won't be far off.

"However, that would be hiding the real issue which is our home matches and that is a major issue. It's something we have to work on and look at all the options.

"We're always looking at all the options but at the moment we're contractually committed to Vicarage Road and we're working with them. We have a good relationship with them and want to try and get the East Stand off the map and get a better East Stand, get the South-West corner kitted out and get the stadium up to what you'd want a top class entertainment venue to be like."

Saracens are aiming to attract 65,000 supporters to their fourth match at Wembley this season when they play Harlequins in April. The Guinness Premiership side have planned for four games at the stadium next season including a Heineken Cup game and a Boxing Day clash.

Griffiths also reiterated his disappointment at the booing from supporters towards the end of Sunday's defeat to Newport Gwent Dragons. Some of the crowd expressed their frustration after Derick Hougaard failed to find the target late on with several long-range drop goals and penalties.

But Griffiths said: "I think it's definitely disappointing because in any club with a winning culture that's just not what you'd hear. Some times people don't appreciate what's required to win in a sense.

"I made my views clear in September when it happened after the Gloucester game.

"We want to build a winning club and a winning club is through the directors, the staff, the coaches, players and the supporters. Winning clubs don't boo their own teams.

"We want to win, we make absolutely no apology for that at all. We don't want a three-year plan. We want to win the Premiership this year and we think we know how to but the booing doesn't help.

"We don't want to become a team that finds it easier to play away from home. I know it's only a small fraction but unfortunately the vocal minority sometimes get heard.

"We would like people increasingly to say 'what are you doing here? Why are you booing?’ People sitting next to these people to turn around and question them and say it's not helping.

"I can't sit here and say it's anything but negative and we're just trying to take all negativity out of the club in whatever form. It just doesn't work."