Ashton quits the board at Watford

Chief Executive Mark Ashton has left Watford as the boardroom upheaval at Vicarage Road continues, writes Tom Collomosse

Ashton, a close ally of former chairman Graham Simpson, quit last night, with the Championship club set to make an official announcement today.

Ashton's exit, as predicted in Standard Sport yesterday, paves the way for ex-directors Jimmy and Vince Russo - whose Valley Grown Salads company is the club's second largest shareholder with a 29.13 per cent stake - to be re-elected to the board.

Standard Sport understands Jimmy Russo is keen to replace interim chairman Andy Wilson, an associate of largest shareholder Lord Michael Ashcroft, who does not want the job long-term. Lord Ashcroft has a 37 per cent holding, which he is thought to wish to sell.

The plan is to have a five-man board in place by the New Year whose first task will be to bring in at least £5million fresh investment - something Simpson and Ashton failed to do.