Deadline passes and Saracens future at Vicarage Road is still unknown (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

Deadline passes and Saracens future at Vicarage Road is still unknown

10:40am Saturday 4th September 2010 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(5)

Saracens deadline for telling Watford if they are staying at Vicarage Road has passed and there has been no comment from either club as of yet.

The Hornets activated a break clause in the two clubs' agreement at the end of May, which meant the Men in Black would leave the ground next summer unless a new lease was agreed.

Sarries’ chief executive Edward Griffiths initially described Watford’s September 3 deadline as flexible but his opposite number, Watford’s Julian Winter, quickly reiterated that the club wanted to know by yesterday.

A decision should have been made at the rugby club’s board meeting yesterday but it is unclear whether Saracens have informed Watford if they are staying at Vicarage Road beyond this season.

On August 19, Winter said: "We have given them a couple of proposals around a future lease and their response will be back to us by September 3.”

Winter continued: "I think we have to know where we are. That is what we have agreed. We need some certainty with Saracens so we can crack on and plan with or without them."

Both parties could have activated the break clause this summer but had neither done so before June 1 this year, then Saracens could have remained at the stadium until 2017 on the same agreement, which Watford described as "not an option they would like to consider".

Former Hornets chairman Andy Wilson made it clear Saracens would need to increase the 'rent' they pay Watford more than 18 months ago.

The rugby club currently pay £489,000 a year, but that lease was agreed when Watford were desperate for Sarries to stay.

"It is not £500,000 profit," Winter explained when asked if Watford could manage without the money from Saracens.

"In profit terms it is nowhere near £500,000. There would be an impact on the bottom line if they leave but we are already preparing contingency plans around that happening, we are not just continuing without being prepared for it."

Watford have made two separate proposals to Saracens and the development of the South West corner of Vicarage Road and the East Stand are part of the discussions.