Graham Simpson believes Aidy Boothroyd will go on to be a better manager after explaining why he felt it was time for a change at Vicarage Road.

The chairman, who strongly refuted claims that the former Hornets boss received a £600,000 pay-off and said his severance package “does not financially prejudice the club in any way whatsoever” faced the media at the club’s London Colney training ground this lunchtime.

Simpson reiterated Boothroyd’s departure was by “mutual consent” and said: “When you’re involved with people’s jobs and livelihoods and discussions about form it’s never easy.

“I looked at the situation over the last 12 months and I looked at the way the football team had been performing with around 12 wins in 48 games and you do start to think we’ve got a good squad here, I have great respect for Aidy, and I felt it was time for Aidy and I to sit down and have a chat about the future and we did.

“It was mutual discussion and I believe with young managers first time around – he did a fantastic job, let’s be absolutely clear, he took us into the Premiership at the first time of asking, a cup semi-final – but everybody’s human and everybody needs a little break occasionally because it is a hard, hard job.

“Everybody needs a little break and then they come again and I think we felt after having a little discussion that that probably was right for Aidy.”

“I have great respect for Aidy, I think he has been a very good manager and I think he has the potential to be a great manager. He needs to learn on certain things, like we all do in life, but I think he’s got great potential. He’s a great communicator, a great motivator, a great organiser and there’s no reason why after a break he’ll come again and be even better.”