Watford’s all-but-empty East Stand was always going to be a big talking points at last nights Fans’ Forum. And it only took until the first question from the floor for it to be brought up.

The was great to hear that both Chairman Graham Taylor and Chief Exec Julian Winter hate seeing it as much as we do. Of course they do. Imagine the embarrassment they must feel when they sit in the Rous Stand black seats with all the guests, club sponsors and see the East Stand.

It must be like putting a photo of yourself on your fridge-freezer when on a diet. The theory goes that the sight of seeing yourself at their worst stops you from opening the door and taking out a delicious pot of ice cream.

So how do we get the new East Stand we have been promised for so long?

With our recent financial problems I had thought that a new East Stand was years and years away. Now in reality it’s still a few years away. However, Julian Winter gave us some hope that could make it happen in the next few years if a Public Sector partnership could be formed.

He gave the example of Preston North End’s new East Stand housing a Primary Care Trust facility – I’ve found some details on it here. So we’re after a public sector partnership that would act as a tenants with facilities in the stand and the club then being be able to secure a loan from the bank.

This would be a far more secure financially for Watford, it wouldn’t take away from the player acquisition funds, it would give the community a great facility, Vicarage Road would be far prettier and a new stand is always a great way to raise the interest in a club.

It’s a win-win for everybody! I wonder what promises of help and support we can get from our MP and Mayor, both who will soon need re-election?