Watford put 10 per cent of club up for sale to fans via digital equity in English football first | OneFootball

The club hope to raise £17.5m which will help strengthen the first-team squad

Watford are putting 10 per cent of the club up for sale to the public as they seek fresh investment.

Owner Gino Pozzo hopes to raise £17.5million, valuing the club at £175m, with shares available for just over £12 each.

It is the largest digital equity share offer by a single club in the history of English football.

Fans will receive dividends on their investments but be granted no voting rights with regards to the club’s strategic direction, with improving the quality of Watford’s squad the key driver behind the initiative.

The US-based digital investment company Republic will facilitate the process of overseeing the proposed 10% sale. In 2022, Republic purchased crowdfunding platform Seedrs, which was previously used to raise funds for AFC Wimbledon.

Watford made a profit of £24.1m in the year ending 2023. Share sales to the public are rare in English football and tend to be a last resort for clubs in debt, such as Bolton Wanderers in recent years.

Pre-registration for interested parties opened on Tuesday, and European investors must take a minimum of four shares, while US-based investors must take a minimum of eight.

Traditional currency and cryptocurrencies will be accepted, but the club insists trading can only occur after the completion of a 12-month holding period.

In a statement to fans on Tuesday, Watford said: “In common with many other clubs, we have been exploring opportunities to bring investment into the club to grow the club further and bolster revenue streams which, in turn, allow us to strengthen the playing squads.

“Having looked at a number of options, we have decided to take the exciting and innovative step of becoming the first major English club to offer true ownership to fans and investors alike.”