Knight draws end to relocation plans

3:15pm Tuesday 20th February 2001

WATFORD just could not find the land needed to build a 25,000 all-seater stadium away from Vicarage Road.

The Hornets and Saracens were forced to re-focus on their present ground after failing to find anywhere to move.

"We tried to find a new site for the club," said Watford's east stand project manager Gerald Knight.

"Basically Watford and Saracens brought us in to find a new stadium not very far away from Vicarage Road.

"They were looking for a 25,000-capacity stadium and they did not want anything bigger than that. It was a very difficult task because they needed about 25 acres just for the stadium and car parking."

He went on to state that when looking around Watford, there were not many feasible sites.

"Eventually we had to come to the conclusion that it was just not going to work. So the club thought about it for a while and decided to make the best of Vicarage Road."

The Green Belt proved a stumbling block and, while the local council might support Watford on certain issues, he explained, you would then have to undergo the lengthy process of trying to persuade the Government.

"Had you been prepared to invest a lot of money and five or six years, you would have a chance, but no more than that. I didn't want to lead the club into a long drawn-out process that had only a slight probability of success.

"Watford Council were helpful but Three Rivers and Hertsmere have no reason to bend over backwards for Watford Football Club. Watford have a soft spot for this club, but why should Three Rivers or Hartsmere have one?"

One of the prime sites considered was Leavesden Aerodrome.

"It didn't stack up. The firm that bought it, at the time we were looking at it, threw up values by what they are trying to do there and just made it unaffordable for the club.'

The project manager went on to point out that most clubs that have relocated recently, have done so with commercial backing.

"It has happened at Bolton, Derby, Reading, Huddersfield and Stoke, I think. All these stadiums have been on big sites and other developments has helped.

"Most of those sites are not as tight, in terms of Green Belt and other planning constraints, as Watford is.

"In the south it is more difficult. In Grimsby, for instance, we have just got through a 90-acre site with enabling development. There is loads of land and it is relatively cheap.

"You would have to put 1,500 car parking spaces, which take up some space , even thought it doesn't sound enough.

"Nowadays, you cannot have as much car parking space as you want. There are guidelines and the Government says one parking space for every 15 seats.

"So a 25,000-seater stadium would have less than 1,700 car parking spaces. You are looking for 23 to 24 acres to do that. It just couldn't be done."

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