Andrew French is leaving the WO this summer https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/sport/25120466.three-seasons-watford-time-change/ Good luck to him for the future. Shame his time at the paper has been during a very negative period for the club really .
Sad to see him go. A true fan, a nice sense of humour and not afraid to ask difficult questions. All the best Andrew.
That's a shame @AFWO but makes perfect sense. Bit of a thankless job, both with the state of the club/ownership and the financial difficulties facing local journalism across the country currently, but I think you've served us as fans well over your 3 year stint.
@AFWO has done a fantastic job, not only in his reporting, but being a public voice of the fans. Never scared to express his or the fans opinions, questioning and were possible holding the club to account. Big shoes to fill
Damn, I can't believe it's been three years already. Andrew's return was seismic for the Wobby - thinking back to the coverage they had managed beforehand, it was night and day. It's funny that a sports article, the subject of which is in its entirety essentially its author, and which is effectively a career update, can be so interesting and enjoyable to read, and that's testament to @AFWO and his prowess as a journalist and writer. He's been unafraid to ask necessary and important questions, and to call out the reality of both performances on the pitch and decisions off it. I imagine this will probably signal a return to the days of even less communication (with the loss of Andrew's reputation and club connections) and poorer coverage, but Andrew certainly deserves to be relieved from three seasons of late-stage Watford FC. I hope he has a great deal of success in his next venture, and perhaps even the opportunity to earn more money than I presume the Wobby has been able to afford to pay him, given the parlous state of local journalism!
Good luck with whatever you do next @AFWO Will you be giving any insight (if there's anything to tell) on a podcast or something similar to what's it been like dealing with the club over the last 3 years once you're finished at the WO?
Thanks to all for the really kind words. The comments and tweets I’ve had today have actually made me emotional. I had no idea my work did so much for so many. I’ve stayed away from podcasts lately, but when I’ve had my holiday and into my new job in July, I might do some if asked.
Yes I echo what others have said on here @AFWO and thanks for all your hard work the last 3 years, you've done a great job and will be missed. Fun fact, the oldest email I have saved in my email account is from a certain Andrew French in November 2000, responding to a question I asked the club about the matchday program. I believe Andrew was Communications Manager back then, and came back to me with a decent answer with some brief input from GT! Only 25 years later, but thanks for that email too Andrew!
Best of luck @AFWO - always enjoyed reading your considered comments on our club and respect you holding the players, staff and ownership to account when the situation called for it.
Would be great to hear you on some podcasts even if a few times a season to get your take on developments. Would be a refreshing break from Ron and Wendover!
This is a disaster. What on earth is happening to local journalism? It’s the same where I live. Our local paper has sunk so low. Thank the lord Andrew has a new job at least. Class act.
I mean, local journalism is in the doldrums for several reasons; in decent part the public's broad unwillingness to actually pay for the content they consume. But this article is literally Andrew announcing he is leaving by choice, for his own reasons - he hasn't been fired in any way, shape or form. Seems a tad harsh to pin this one on the sinking of local journalism!
All the best Andrew. You're an excellent journo and whoever comes in has a massive void to fill. Watford FC doesn't mean much outside of our fanbase and our inner circle of Hertfordshire but for the people who do care, you made a large part of following the happy and sad times of this club sustainable for anyone else and all who picked up the publication. All the very best in you're new role and I wish you every success going forward.
It makes such a difference having a fan report for the local paper @AFWO you have made a difference in what must have been very difficult and frustrating circumstances. I expect the phrase “banging your head against the door” would have been banging your head against the locked door in your case! You will have many titbits and knowledge of what goes on behind the scenes, we look forward to hearing some snippets of it in the months to come. Enjoy your forthcoming holiday
You will be missed! Always enjoyed your reports! And now we will get some Muppet that has been promoted from advertising a 2 million pound house with a link to zoopla or who serves the best burgers in Watford! Hopefully you had an apprentice?
@AFWO good luck and thank you for your hard work. Can you get involved in finding a decent replacement?
Even though I have zero interest in reading the footballing opinions of someone who has never played the sport beyond doing so in their rancid undercrackers on their playstation while stuffing their face with Wotsits, he seemed like a decent sort.
Is the Watford Observer still going? I know they produce that epileptic fit inducing mess of a website but is the Wobby still available as a printed paper?
Well, I popped in to the tobacconist for some pipe cleaners and a quarter of my favourite toffees the other day and I noticed it wasn't on sale...
Yes it is. Must be bad crime rate in Watford as there always seems to be such a headline on the front page
Video killed the radio star and the endless amounts of pea pods and fan tv and blithering idiots like the L*t*n example have done for provincial newspapers. Good luck Andrew. As ever I Blame Pozzo!
Doesn't help that websites like the Watford Observer are built to extract every single pixel's worth of ad revenue over user experience and accessibility. It's an awful site.
It's a vicious circle, where the ads are so intrusive it's crazy and wildly annoying, but a paper like the Wobby are driven to do it because it's about the only way they make any money (and therefore continue to exist) these days. Again, in decent part because the internet and social media have created a culture where very few are prepared to pay for the content they consume, no matter how important or well-written and sourced (or whatever else) it may be.
I think the WO sells about 3,000 copies a week. So print sales revenue after costs of paper, printing and distribution of about £1,800 a week. That’s got go cover staff costs for content and management of the business. It’s about £40 a year for a digital subscription. I bet they sell less than 5,000 of them a year. If people did not die to fill the obituary notices, and there was not a hard core of people who want to be outraged about fly tipping and takeaways getting poor hygiene scores. Plus it having a professional football club in its catchment . No one would be bothered if it disappeared altogether.
