Fordwat possesses just over 37% of the club's shares, former chairman Jim Russo's Valley Grown Salads has almost 30% and Graham Simpson, also an ex-chairman, owns 16.79%.

BBC: Lord Ashcroft enters Watford sale talks

Meanwhile Simpson has confirmed that Shrewsbury will not be signing Rotherham defender Graham Coughlan.

BBC: Shrewsbury net defender Sherriff