RIP Graham Taylor, former England manager, dies aged 72

[Pickman's model]

died at 72

 

[skyscraper101]

That's yer allotment etc.

 

[JimW]

Bit sudden, always had a good impression of him even during the England days.

 

[editor]

Former England manager Graham Taylor has died at the age of 72.

Taylor was a defender for Grimsby and Lincoln City before becoming a manager when he took over the latter in 1972.

He also had two spells at both Watford and Aston Villa - leading both to the runners-up spots in the old First Division - as well as having a stint at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Taylor was appointed England manager in 1990 and spent just over three years at the helm of the national team.

He must have hated how this stuck:

 

[Virtual Blue]

i remember his diamond formation and how the english failed to qualify against the Netherlands.

 

[editor]

Ere, OK

Graham Taylor Unveils The Sho’ot – The New (And Quite Possibly Fake) Football Boot For Managers | Who Ate all the Pies

 

[skyscraper101]

 

[skyscraper101]

If you had to do a top 10 of memorable Sun headlines, the Turnip Taylor one would be right up there with Kinnock, Gotcha, and Freddie Starr Ate My Hamster

 

[Geri]

Gutted. He was a kind, decent and honourable man. RIP.

 

[discokermit]

i met him and his wife rita in venice, i asked if i could take a photo of my girlfriend and him, he asked rita if she could take on of the three of us with my camera which she was very happy to do. we were there to see wolves in the anglo italian cup. he and rita chatted with us for quite a while, were happy to chat and in no rush to go. we didn't talk that much about the football, we spent more time chatting about venice.
seemed like a really nice bloke.

 

[discokermit]

He must have hated how this stuck

good of you to repeat it then, four posts in on his obituary thread.
didn't he do enough charity marathons for you?

 

[editor]

good of you to repeat it then, four posts in on his obituary thread.
didn't he do enough charity marathons for you?

I don't think he'll mind now.

 

[Sprocket.]

If he had spent his career at Watford and Villa he would have been held in much higher esteem now.
Sadly that poison chalice of being associated with the England job left him looking a fool.
He was a nice bloke in a world of journalistic sharks and critics.
RIP.

 

[peterkro]

Is the Guardian picture editor trying to tell us something:

 

[Ted Striker]

He must have hated how this stuck:

Never thought it did tbh - anyone I know associates with him with "Do I not like that" etc.

That doc basically turned round public opinion by being a good egg. Still one of the best bits of TV ever made. I can still quote so much of it - spent my GCSE's watching it on repeat (along with the Fast Show).

He blazed the trail in amateurish England facepalm disappointment. And managed to do it with a shit squad, not like todays superstars.

 

[Ted Striker]

Gutted. He was a kind, decent and honourable man. RIP.

...in a sea of wankers.

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

Sad news. Always seemed like a good man and was Lincoln City's best ever manager even if he didn't do too well with England (which he shares with everyone else who's tried in the last fifty odd years.)

Fuck the Sun, obviously.

 

[The Octagon]

Before Taylor (and Elton John to be fair) Watford had barely glimpsed the top tier of football.

Since he joined them they've only spent 2 years out of it, he transformed the club.

Did a top job at Villa too, but for a couple of different results he'd have won the title with them.

England tenure was, well, shit, but he always seemed like a decent bloke.

RIP.

 

[souljacker]

If you had to do a top 10 of memorable Sun headlines, the Turnip Taylor one would be right up there with Kinnock, Gotcha, and Freddie Starr Ate My Hamster

Maybe even 'The Truth'. I.e. fuck the Sun.

 

[passenger]

Sad loss to the game, got so much stick in his day the poor man slaughtered by the press
RIP mate you will be missed

 

[TheHoodedClaw]

I really rated his commentary on 5 Live, and he was clearly a genuinely nice man. Here's an article about the time he was best man at a stranger's wedding:

Graham Taylor: best man for job

Nigel, a life-long Watford fan, passed the football pundit a hand-written note inviting him to be best man at the ceremony, and was amazed three months later to get a positive response.

 

[editor]

He always struck me as a decent, pleasant and dignified man. I hope some of the people who really laid into him at the time (press/fans) take time to think about their behaviour.

 

[steeplejack]

I always liked Taylor, he was a decent radio pundit latterly after he'd retired from front line coaching.

Clearly he wasn't a success as England manager but he did important work at Lincoln City, Watford and Villa from the 70s through to 1990 and at club level he'll be remembered as a passionate and (for his time) ground breaking coach.

RIP.

 

[Geri]

Me & my ex used to run the South West Hornets, a supporter's group for Watford fans in the south-west (as the name suggests) and Graham Taylor took a close interest, writing to us, sending Christmas cards etc. and I met him a couple of times at supporter's evenings. He was a person who took the wishes of the fans into consideration, and was keen for the players to do things in the wider community, visiting hospitals etc.

A friend and fellow Watford fan died of cancer a few years ago and he attended his funeral in Norfolk.

 

[Mr Moose]

 

[Stanley Edwards]

There hasn't been a better Villa manager since.

R.I.P.

 

[Mr Moose]

Took us to runners up in the league in 82. Only the mighty Liverpool were better. Regular victories over all the big clubs. 5-1 winners at the lane one time. Built Watford as a club and built us up again after we had fallen.

Thank you for everything Graham.

 

[Stanley Edwards]

He must have hated how this stuck:

...

I doubt he was bothered at all. Why the fuck you saw fit to bring it up here is beyond me. He spoke very openly and publicly about racism and homophobia in football without a care what the fuck-off tabloids were going to say in response. The man was beyond image, so I doubt he gave a shit about The Sun, or your short-sighted memories. He put his own reputation on the line to try and move the image of football as a whole beyond the bigoted days it seemed to be stuck in.

 

[editor]

I doubt he was bothered at all. Why the fuck you saw fit to bring it up here is beyond me. He spoke very openly and publicly about racism and homophobia in football without a care what the fuck-off tabloids were going to say in response. The man was beyond image, so I doubt he gave a shit about The Sun, or your short-sighted memories. He put his own reputation on the line to try and move the image of football as a whole beyond the bigoted days it seemed to be stuck in.

I've already added what I thought of him in post #22 so STFU.

 

[Cosmic]

As a Radio 5 listener, I've heard his punditry many times over the years along with his contemporary David Pleat and he always came across well and a thoroughly decent chap imo. It'll be interesting to see what the Sun back page headline will be tomorrow.