RIP Graham Taylor, former England manager, dies aged 72

[Smokeandsteam]

Been listening to the BBC Radio WM football phone in tonight. Every caller - bar none and regardless of club - spoke well about him and there were some lovely anecdotes about his time at the Villa and the Wolves (plus one from a random Watford fan who lives in Brum).

What really struck me was the warmth he clearly had for anyone who fancied a natter. Loads of people has stories about him making time for them/their family when he should/could have been doing other stuff

A top man definitely. RIP.

 

[William of Walworth]

A mate's a massive Watford fan who managed to persuade me to come to Vicarage Road to see Watford v Luton ... in one of the legs of an FA Youth Cup semi final??

This was many many years ago, and would have been at the time GT was manager of the senior team. The home crowd was in number moderate (ie hardcore, but it was a Tuesday night! )

I think? I remember Watford winning

I was struck though, by the number of pro-Taylor chants (as well as even bigger number of anti-Luton ones )

Wish I'd listened to Radio 5 when he was on there much more often, now ...

Anyway, this thread has told me so much about what a good man he was, and I'm impressed. Big respect and RIP

 

[Dr. Furface]

Before the England job he had - has - one of the greatest records of any manager you care to mention. What he did at Watford was amazing, and at Villa, getting us promoted at first time of asking and then finishing League runners-up just 2 seasons later was almost Clough-like. In that time we played some great stuff and he signed - for peanuts - 3 of the best players in the clubs' modern history: Paul McGrath, David Platt and Dwight Yorke. I was gutted when he took the England job - but after what he'd done for us, I couldn't begrudge him that - and I still believe he'd have led Villa to the League title if he'd stayed on.

When he returned in 2002 we weren't in great shape and it was a tough season, but we still managed to finish on 45 points - which compares very favourably to what we've managed to get in our last 4 seasons. For his own legacy at the club I didn't think he was wise to return, but I think it's a measure of the man that he wanted to help the club out once again at a difficult time - and it's quite possible that if he hadn't we might have been relegated that season under someone else.

And aside from the football, he was a real gent too. So RIP Graham, and thanks.

 

[Sprocket.]

I remember when he was in charge at Lincoln City, as Rotherham fans we saw plenty of good matches against his teams. It was obvious then he would join the ranks of the highest achieving managers.
And a nice bloke.

 

[agricola]

Sad news, and a decent man.

 

[JTG]

When he was Watford manager, the dug out benches were uncovered and he insisted they remain that way until there was a roof built over the home terracing. If Watford's fans were getting wet then he didn't see why he and his staff should be sat in the dry.

A good man

 

[billy_bob]

Bit unfair that he was ever a by-word for 'shit England manager' (even if only among people who don't really know anything about football). You'd be hard pressed to find one from the last half-century who represented 'not-shit England manager' for more than a week or two.

 

[A380]

He's why I don't follow football now ( which I think is a good thing!) as a teenager in Watford I saw him take us from the old fourth to the old first division and get to an FA cup final. I knew that I would never see something that good again.

 

[A380]

http://goalden.watfordmuseum.org.uk/images/poster.jpg

Half of the people at school had this on their bedroom wall.

( More accurately, as far as I know, the boys. Sadly, at 14 I didn't get into many girls' bedrooms to look.)

 

[Wilf]

Bit unfair that he was ever a by-word for 'shit England manager' (even if only among people who don't really know anything about football). You'd be hard pressed to find one from the last half-century who represented 'not-shit England manager' for more than a week or two.

Yeah, his win ratio wasn't that great, but no worse than a few others. Stats wise, he was on a par with Venables and Bobby Robson, though they were a bit more successful at tournaments. Great club manager though and a decent bloke. In an era when commentators and pundits started to be a bit knowing and ironic, he always stood out as someone who was just straightforward and loved the game.

 

[Ted Striker]

Bit unfair that he was ever a by-word for 'shit England manager' (even if only among people who don't really know anything about football). You'd be hard pressed to find one from the last half-century who represented 'not-shit England manager' for more than a week or two.

Tbf, it was a perfect storm of shit players, following a legend, and probably most importantly was in the eye of the storm when the Premier League came to fruition, and started the death knell of football being anything remotely interesting or respectful.

The documentary (and the Sun) was pretty good fuel for morons, though as I said, anyone I knew found it (the documentary) incredibly endearing. I never hear the word 'Carlton' in no voice other than GT's

Working from home today with this on in the background

 

[likesfish]

England manager must be the perfect description of a posioned chalice the players on paper at least should do at least a respectable job.
They either don't give a damm or something beyond one blokes ability to fix is at play.

 

[Nigel]

Comes across as a good and decent bloke !
R.I.P.

 

[William of Walworth]

The Guardian obituary by Richard Williams is good -- check this out