Watford chairman Scott Duxbury believes a new deal between the Premier League and EFL would significantly bolster the club’s finances.
The Hornets released their 2024/25 accounts a fortnight ago, Duxbury stating that the £15.9m loss highlights the “significant challenges” facing second-tier clubs.
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The chairman acknowledged the “very accurate and balanced picture” painted by the Watford Supporters Board, who provided detailed analysis of the club’s financial situation.
But Duxbury is perfectly aware that further help is needed if Watford are to reach a stage where profit realised in player sales can be immediately reinvested into the squad.
A new deal between the Premier League and EFL has stalled recently, with the newly-founded Independent Regulator prepared to step in to mediate if necessary.
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Duxbury said in the club’s Digital Digest ahead of the Charlton Athletic match: “I was really heartened to read the analysis on our most recent set of accounts from the Watford Supporters’ Board.
“It painted a very accurate and balanced picture of our business to the supporters but, more pertinently, reflected the significant challenges of running a club in the Championship. Many Championship clubs lose at least £20m.
“We try and extinguish our losses through player trading. Ultimately, we are striving to get to a position where we sell a player and the money is fully used to reinvest in a squad to sustain a challenge for promotion.
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“That is why the new Premier League deal is so crucial, as it will generate another £7-8m in distributed revenue, which will move us closer to a sustainable club not always reliant on player trading to support losses.”
