Boothroyd: Hands tied

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Former Watford owner Elton John is warning that stability and confidence must be restored to the ailing Hornets to prevent them from sliding further into trouble.

Watford are just one place above the Championship relegation zone and are apparently up for sale, and John believes the current board must go if they can not reinvigorate the former Premier League side.

"The chairman and leading shareholders have made it clear that they wish to sell the club, and this comes despite a profit of nearly £8million having been made last year," said the singer in a statement.

"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.

"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."

Money

Watford raised £12million from the recent sales of Ashley Young and Marlon King but manager Aidy Boothroyd has not been given that money to spend on an injury-hit squad.

John, a former president at Vicarage Road who has twice owned Watford and continues to hold a stake in the club, added: "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.

"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."