Since the beginning of December there has been rumour and speculation about our club. Yet because Watford Leisure is a plc very little has been allowed to escape about the possible takeover. In fact the initial statement from the club came about because of the ââ¬Åspeculation in the pressââ¬Â. To be honest I had seen very little in the established press, but there were many questions being asked on the different forums attached to WFC. As people tried to find out just what might be happening many different people and companies were brought into the realms of possibility. SEGRO and Nigel Rich were among the early front runners, with talk about relocating the club to Elstree. This made some sense as SEGRO have some development there and hold quite a land bank on the site. Then we had the news that another party was no longer in talks as it appeared that it was not a genuine approach A boat manufacturer from Italy became the subject of intense investigation, but was that due to a simple miss-spelling of a name or was there something behind the suggestion. Then last Friday a further statement was issued with two names being given, one who is well known in his field of work, while the others remains a mystery. Today, Sunday, we have turned full circle with the Elstree site once again being suggested as a new location for our club. If the latest ââ¬Åsourceââ¬Â of information is correct then we might know something soon. Somehow I feel that if we left the Vic it would be difficult for some, certainly in my case as I have sixty years of memories lodged there. Yet I can see the economic case for leaving, providing that people would still support the club. However much we love the old place, can it really be made ââ¬Åfit for purposeââ¬Â? When you look around at some of the identi-kit stadiums about they do offer modern facilities, even if they remain soulless and have no tradition. I suppose that at the end of the day it will come down to economics, but I would hope that when an announcement is made about the future, it is clear, and shows exactly what new owners hope to achieve.
Having visited some of these new identikit stadia (MacAlpine/Galpharm, Pride Park, Walkers, Emirates, Madjewski, Amsterdam ArenA, Wembley, etc) they all have something to offer and given time they will, to the younger fans more speedily, replace the old delapidated football grounds we call home. Watford, with our three sided stadium, is an odd case as, unlike most of the new stadia, it has been developing over a period - since the Shrodells was torn down to make way for the Rous - and has not grown out of a flat piece of wasteland. As has been mentioned elsewhere there is a possiblility of a move to Elstree or somewhere else near the M1/M25 but for a far more modest outlay any prespective new owner would do a lot better to remain in Watford at the Vic and develop the East Stand. Staying where we are would preserve the history of the club, keep the fans happy (who wants to move anyway?) and not turn the club into rootless drifting entity.
As a newcomer to Watford I have only been going to the Vic for nearly 50 years. Ordinarily I don't like losing the history associated with a club but given that we have a three sided stadium in a hard to access and park area, a sloping pitch that some always comment on if they get beaten I would not mind a relocation to a good accessible site.
Im with Brag on this one , some teams have been rehomed whilst there old ground got `developed` then the developers cut and run and leave the club saddled with the debt! We dont want this! What happened to that development of the Vic with the hospital and flats for the nurses etc!
IF this consortium takes over, and IF they come in on the premise of a ground relocation, then there are huge obstacles to overcome before such a thing could be realised. Finance for one, and planning permissions from two local authorities for another , not to mention a possibly hostile fan reaction that could cause new owners to reconsider if it was fierce enough. The trouble is that when property development starts to determine the future of a football club, then the football, the fans and the community take a back seat. This consortium, from what little we know about it, does not have the look of a group that is going to bring stability to the club, or consolidate the progress made under GT/ Winter/Malky.
We are all still dealing in the realms of speculation, yet without it would the two names have been published? I would prefer to stay at a refurbished Vic because of so many happy days there. I would like to see a new east stand even if we cannot fill what we already have simply to make it look like a proper ground again. I would like to see the large sign that says Watford FC attached to the flats above the Rookery, it was shown in the planning permission. If the prospective buyers have a plan that will generate some income that will keep us going there in a modest way I would be happy. I am still wondering about the fact that the specialist in sports injuries is leading this consortium. It seems strange that if it were a move out for the land value, and I cannot see that being so valuable with all of the demolition and dodgy ground there, why someone else, more property orientated, is not leading the bid. I think that things are getting close, but there is many a spill twixt cup and lip.
Its the six investor bit that bothers me How do we keep all in accord and doing what we want It doesnt sound very stable!
