Former Watford owner and lifelong supporter Elton John has expressed his profound “upset and disappointment” regarding the club’s current trajectory following a devastating 4-0 home defeat to 22nd-placed Burnley.
The Hornets currently languish in 20th place in the Championship, having suffered three consecutive league losses and failing to secure a win in five of their last six outings.
In a social media comment on Instagram that has since been deleted, the legendary musician shared his frustrations: “As a lifetime supporter of Watford FC, I am very upset and disappointed at the decline over the past few weeks. I really feel for the supporters who have to watch this.”
Watford brought in Alessio Dionisi as manager in June on a two-year deal. The Italian marks the 12th permanent head coach appointed by the club since the conclusion of the 2020-21 campaign.
While Dionisi’s tenure began promisingly—including a victory over Southampton and draws against Wrexham and West Ham—the team’s form has plummeted. Aside from a 2-1 home win against Preston last month, the club has struggled to find any momentum.
Saturday’s collapse saw the team trail 3-0 within the first 25 minutes. The loss was particularly stinging given that Burnley had only managed one league win in 2026 and had not won an away match in nearly a year prior to the fixture.
Sir Elton John’s history with his boyhood club is extensive. Across two separate stints as owner, he presided over the club’s ascent from the fourth tier to a second-place finish in Division One and European competition under the guidance of Graham Taylor in the 70s and 80s.
During a second takeover in the mid-1990s, John once again re-hired Taylor, leading the club back into the Premier League via successive promotions in 1999.
The 79-year-old, who has a stand named in his honor at Vicarage Road and chronicled his bond with the team in his 2024 book, *Watford Forever*, officially stepped away from club ownership for the final time in 2002.