Watford’s board and the club’s major shareholder Lord Michael Ashcroft still haven’t met to discuss the club’s need for new finance but chief executive Julian WInter hopes the two parties will in the next few weeks.

Hornets chairman Jimmy Russo stated in September that he hoped to have met Lord Ashcroft by the beginning of October after the club’s parent company, Watford Leisure Plc, released a statement confirming “significant funding” needed to be in place before the end of this year.

But this week Winter said: “The plan is to still sit down with Lord Ashcroft and we’re hoping to do that over the next few weeks.

“Both sides have an incredibly busy schedule, but we’re confident that a good time and date can be found to discuss Watford FC.”

Lord Ashcroft’s Fordwat Limited has a 37.16 per cent stake in Watford Leisure and Russo hopes the deputy chairman of the Conservative Party will invest money into the company, with the September 11 statement confirming there was a possibility of new equity for the club’s major shareholders.

Russo’s company Valley Grown Salads, which he owns with his brother and vice-chairman Vince Russo, has had to loan the club £3.7m since January to stop the club from going into administration.

Russo has previously stated he is “prepared to put my money where my mouth is” and willing to invest his own cash into Watford if Lord Ashcroft also “comes to the table”.