We need to grasp this olive branch Watford are offering.

Upon returning to the Watford Observer three years ago, one of the first articles with this by-line attached talked of the need for Watford FC to drastically improve their communication.

Years of sitting in the stands, particularly after the heady days of the Premier League and the trip to Wembley in 2019, led to frustration due to a lack of knowledge about off-field matters, targets, plans, and ambitions.

That leads to a lack of confidence, which, if not addressed, can erode trust and belief in anything eventually shared.

So, upon starting the job, having the opportunity to speak with chairman Scott Duxbury in depth was a great start.

Hats off to the chairman for answering all of the questions. He didn’t avoid a topic, refuse to comment, or ask for any of his answers to be kept private.

It was, as far as I could tell, a series of very honest, open, and transparent responses to some pretty thorny questions: relegation, Roy Hodgson, Mogi Bayat, Ben Foster’s go-pro…

There was also a mention of hell and water, but we’re not going there.

In fact, if three years of doing this labour of love hasn’t eroded too much memory, the first question as we reflected on the Munoz/Ranieri/Hodgson debacle was something along the lines of ‘At what point did you realise this season was a disaster’.

So, 36 months later, it feels as if, despite my best efforts, I have failed.

Although each head coach and dozens of players have happily spoken freely, openly, and often very interestingly, interviews on the top floor of the London Colney offices have been few and far between.

It’s a shame, and it appears to be a missed opportunity: the club could have used a trusted local newspaper with a correspondent who is a lifelong fan and has worked for Watford FC to act as a liaison between the club and its supporters.

We were eager to work with the club. Journalists understand that some things must remain off the record, others can be briefed but not quoted, and there are many instances in which the newspaper allows the club to communicate with their supporters through its pages and website.

Personally, I was concerned that by giving the chairman such a forensic and brutal grilling in that first interview, my chances of getting another opportunity – or achieving the holy grail of an interview with Gino Pozzo – had been extinguished before they had even begun.

However, communication has improved slightly.

And so, as someone who came into this job with a manifesto of “get them talking to the fans,” it would be wrong to react negatively to the announcement of plans for a new Supporter Board.

The club cannot be encouraged to be more transparent and accessible if they refuse to communicate in the desired manner.

Yes, there will be many fans who have lost faith in the club’s leadership and will dismiss this new idea before it even begins.

And that is understandable; putting your money on a horse with very poor recent form is not a risk many people want to take.

But please, give it a chance before dismissing it.

This particular olive branch waved by the club may turn out to be a long stem of prickles, but if you don’t understand it, you can’t judge.

Clearly, EFL regulations played a significant role in Watford’s current trajectory, but does it really matter how it happened? Isn’t it more important that it simply happens?

Of course, many obstacles must be overcome before even the most ardent supporters can be confident that the Supporters Board can and will deliver on its promises.

Pedro rumours could bring Watford a windfall.

But it is in our hands. Each of us can apply to be a part of it, we will each have a vote, and we will all be able to judge once it is up and running.

It just feels unfair to see some of the more pernicious and fatalistic criticism of something that has the potential to deliver what has been missing for far too long… before it even has a chance.

A core group of people, the majority of whom are simply fans like the rest of us, have worked tirelessly to bring this project to where it is today.

Even if your faith in the club is at the ground level, dismissing the Supporters Board before it is formed is dismissing the efforts of fellow fans whose only incentive and goal in all of this is to try and deliver something that we can all enjoy.

This job has exposed me to a fanbase, which includes some very smart, wise, and skilled individuals.

If those people step forward, are elected, and can apply their combined knowledge and love for our club, the Supporters Board has a chance.

There are many ‘ifs’ in there. That applies to any new scheme, business, or idea.

But there is one more ‘if’ that we should all remember right now.

If we, as fans, fail to take advantage of the opportunities presented to us, the club cannot be held responsible.

At this point, there is nothing to gain from dismissing it casually, just as it would be equally foolish to sit back and assume that all of the previous years’ problems will be solved as soon as the Supporters Board is operational.

It’s the same with head coaches: for some, the hiring of Paulo Pezzolano is enough to call the 25/26 season off three months before it begins. For others, it’s time to pop a bottle of bubbly on the bow of HMS Promotion.

At this point, no one can make any definitive statements about next season.

It’s the same for the Supporter Board: could be a total carve-up, could be brilliant.

What we have seen in 2025, is two public statements from the owner. Not a huge number, but it’s larger than the zero of many of the previous seasons.

As with the Supporters Board, it’s not fair to say ‘he doesn’t say anything’ but then moan when he does.

One mantra that has served me well is that you can disagree, dislike, and disbelieve what someone says, but you cannot ignore it.

Pozzo’s statement between the sacking of Tom Cleverley and the appointment of Pezzolano was relatively lengthy, offering some explanations and opinions as well as setting some targets.

He has talked of renewed vigour and while some of the changes at the club since have been rather unpalatable, as owner he has the right do that.

And if he believes those changes are necessary to get the team and club back to where we know they can be, we will only judge them after we see what they deliver.

The owner is not a fool. He understands that by saying what he did, he has placed a greater burden of expectation on himself and the club than if he had stated that he hoped to finish above halfway.

If he had said the latter, he would have received harsh criticism. He is chastised for having his head in the clouds when he says play-offs and promotion are reasonable expectations.

Yesterday, the club announced its retained and released list.

Far faster and more publicly than in the past, and early enough to prevent steam from escaping the ears of those who believe any delay is clear evidence of a Machiavellian conspiracy.

It’s all different aspects of the same message: if the owner believes Watford can improve, if Pezzolano is the man to do so, if sharing a retained list is an attempt to be more forthcoming, if the club believes the Supporter Board can help deliver transparency, communication, and greater unity… then we must at least give such things a chance to happen (or not) before judging the degrees of success.

One thing is particularly clear.

If the owner wants to sell the club in the future, he will have a much better chance of doing so if it is successful and healthy both on and off the pitch.

And if that’s the case, supporters are far more likely to enjoy the art of fandom.

It is not in his best interests to set Watford up for failure: less chance of selling, less chance of getting what he believes is the right price, more chance of criticism, and a higher chance of exiting the Championship through the basement rather than the skylight.

It is difficult for me, like many others reading this, to find patience, understanding, belief, and confidence in a club that has done little to foster any of these qualities.

But being a football fan isn’t easy, and when it is, fans become complacent, resulting in tourists at home games and empty seats on big occasions (see the blue half of Wembley Stadium last Saturday).

The Supporters Board should be supported and given a chance, if only because it will include people like us: Watford fans whose sole interest is Watford FC.

Just like with the new head coach and the team he assembles, judgement can arrive after a period of time, providing us with tangible evidence and facts to work from.

Until then, please try to hold on to the hope of change at Watford FC, no matter how slim it is for you, that the Supporters Board can help to deliver.

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