Graham Taylor

[VillaJ100]

I just hope he knew just how much he was appreciated by everyone in footy not just us and Watford. 

[Guest av1]

I've just realised that this is the first time in my life that I've been genuinely upset by the death of a person that i don't know personally.

I'm not to sure if that says more about me or Sir Graham? 

[Heretic]

1 hour ago, Xela said:

Good memories

 

 

 

 

 

Even Steve Bull wanted the great man's autograph!

 

 

 

(Back, to the right).

 

[TheAuthority]

47 minutes ago, Xela said:

it may be rose tinted spectacles, but football today doesn't mean half as much to me as it did back then. Too much money has ruined it. 

I agree completely. I felt such a connection to the club back then even though there was a lot less press (no internet.)

I would wait every night by the letterbox for the Express & Star to see what Sir Graham had to say or maybe he'd pop up in a little clip on Central News a few nights a week. Finally a sneaky phone call to Villa Club Call now and again hoping I didn't get a bollocking off my parents when they got the phone bill. 

Good times.

[knoppy1987]

1 hour ago, markavfc40 said:

This is the first time I have seen this today. When you think of how the press treated him during his time with England then this is really sad. He was someone who always gave his best and genuinely cared. Such a decent man.

 

This is sad Mark - good people always shine through though and I do not think anybody could rob Graham Taylor of that. More people today could do with those qualities exhibited in that video and throughout his career. Thanks for sharing.

[NurembergVillan]

26 minutes ago, av1 said:

Love that. Do you mind if i use that on my FB?

No, of course not.  It's there for everyone!

If anyone wants a HQ version, here's a download link for the 20mb version - https://we.tl/NE3dzesVg3

[a m ole]

Hero.

[Heretic]

I hope that today shines a light on how good he was as a manager. For too long he's been defined by the England job.

He took Watford from the 4th to the 1st division in five seasons. They played in the UEFA Cup.

He left Watford in 9th position in D1 to come to a relegated Villa. That's how much he wanted to come here.

He can tell you what he found in his own words:

 

To put things in perspective for younger Villans:

Sir Alex took over at Man Utd on 6 November 1986 when they were second from bottom in D1. Sir Graham took us over in May 1987 having just been booted out of D1 (finishing bottom) and starting life the coming season in D2.

Sir Alex had just over 6 months head start on Sir Graham PLUS he had a full season of D1 football over Sir Graham in which to attract better players.

Here's their standings at season's end 1990 in D1:

2nd, Aston Villa. P38, W21, F57, A38. P = 70.

13th Man Utd P38 W13, F46, A47, P = 48.

 

I hope this gives you some measure of his achievements. In 60 months we had built on the foundation of being kings of all we surveyed to being the bottom club in D1.

There is always pride in Aston Villa. It's an English football institution. What we lost was dignity. It was humiliating to watch the decay end in being dumped out of a division we ruled not so long ago.

In his first season with us in D2 we finished runners-up to Millwall and went back up to D1. In his second and our first season back, we scraped survival. In his third season, he took us to second in D1.

I am sorry for those who didn't see the 89/90 season. It was a hell of a time to be a Villa fan. He brought us Yorke, Platt, McGrath, Nielsen. He brought a grateful Sid back from Italy.

He built a side that feared nobody. The football was often far better than he was ever given credit for. It's true that Watford was often route one. But what could he do?

He showed at Villa why he came to Villa - we had the clout to extend his horizons, and how well he used this new canvas.

 

When he left, I was heartbroken. But when you look at what he built, younger Villans, you owe him gratitude. The shade you and we enjoyed under Big Ron was because Sir Graham planted the acorn those years ago. He found a foundation of clay and built a foundation of rock.

I've wondered, what would he have done if he stayed? Under HDE, I'm not sure he would have done much more. His standing would have grown, IMO. But eventually HDE would have penny-pinched him on a top player and Sir Graham would have walked.

He once said - 'HDE and I have a love-hate relationship. He loves me.'

The tantalising prospect is this - what if Sir Graham had a manager equally as ambitious and without ego? I think he would have strengthened us even further. I think we would have had more success. He probably would have stayed too long and we probably would have drifted, but who knows who we would have brought in at that time.

Ifs, buts, maybes, couldas, wouldas, shouldas.

What I know for sure is that Sir Graham was an old-school gentleman from the time when being a footballer was a profession and not a status. He treated players as adults and fans as friends.

Today is not just the loss of Sir Graham but of a treasure from a great age of football that I, through rose-tinted spectacles and as I write this, a tear in my eye, miss.

Younger fans don't know that time. You can never recapture what you never had.

As time marches on, we lose these wonderful characters - outspoken, unspun, usually the highest paid person at the club.

You may not have seen much of him, but due to what he built you will surely have felt his legacy. I feel privileged to have witnessed him and his work first-hand and I am very proud that this institution called Aston Villa is so closely entwined with the gracious, humble, fun, kind, and wonderful football man that was Graham Taylor.

 

Graham, thank you for giving us back not just our status but our dignity and making it thrilling to be a Villan once more. Give me best to Dalian when you see him.

[Dodgyknees]

3 minutes ago, Heretic said:

I hope that today shines a light on how good he was as a manager. For too long he's been defined by the England job.

He took Watford from the 4th to the 1st division in five seasons. They played in the UEFA Cup.

He left Watford in 9th position in D1 to come to a relegated Villa. That's how much he wanted to come here.

He can tell you what he found in his own words:

 

To put things in perspective for younger Villans:

Sir Alex took over at Man Utd on 6 November 1986 when they were second from bottom in D1. Sir Graham took us over in May 1987 having just been booted out of D1 (finishing bottom) and starting life the coming season in D2.

Sir Alex had just over 6 months head start on Sir Graham PLUS he had a full season of D1 football over Sir Graham in which to attract better players.

Here's their standings at season's end 1990 in D1:

2nd, Aston Villa. P38, W21, F57, A38. P = 70.

13th Man Utd P38 W13, F46, A47, P = 48.

 

I hope this gives you some measure of his achievements. In 60 months we had built on the foundation of being kings of all we surveyed to being the bottom club in D1.

There is always pride in Aston Villa. It's an English football institution. What we lost was dignity. It was humiliating to watch the decay end in being dumped out of a division we ruled not so long ago.

In his first season with us in D2 we finished runners-up to Millwall and went back up to D1. In his second and our first season back, we scraped survival. In his third season, he took us to second in D1.

I am sorry for those who didn't see the 89/90 season. It was a hell of a time to be a Villa fan. He brought us Yorke, Platt, McGrath, Nielsen. He brought a grateful Sid back from Italy.

He built a side that feared nobody. The football was often far better than he was ever given credit for. It's true that Watford was often route one. But what could he do?

He showed at Villa why he came to Villa - we had the clout to extend his horizons, and how well he used this new canvas.

 

When he left, I was heartbroken. But when you look at what he built, younger Villans, you owe him gratitude. The shade you and we enjoyed under Big Ron was because Sir Graham planted the acorn those years ago. He found a foundation of clay and built a foundation of rock.

I've wondered, what would he have done if he stayed? Under HDE, I'm not sure he would have done much more. His standing would have grown, IMO. But eventually HDE would have penny-pinched him on a top player and Sir Graham would have walked.

He once said - 'HDE and I have a love-hate relationship. He loves me.'

The tantalising prospect is this - what if Sir Graham had a manager equally as ambitious and without ego? I think he would have strengthened us even further. I think we would have had more success. He probably would have stayed too long and we probably would have drifted, but who knows who we would have brought in at that time.

Ifs, buts, maybes, couldas, wouldas, shouldas.

What I know for sure is that Sir Graham was an old-school gentleman from the time when being a footballer was a profession and not a status. He treated players as adults and fans as friends.

Today is not just the loss of Sir Graham but of a treasure from a great age of football that I, through rose-tinted spectacles and as I write this, a tear in my eye, miss.

Younger fans don't know that time. You can never recapture what you never had.

As time marches on, we lose these wonderful characters - outspoken, unspun, usually the highest paid person at the club.

You may not have seen much of him, but due to what he built you will surely have felt his legacy. I feel privileged to have witnessed him and his work first-hand and I am very proud that this institution called Aston Villa is so closely entwined with the gracious, humble, fun, kind, and wonderful football man that was Graham Taylor.

 

Graham, thank you for giving us back not just our status but our dignity and making it thrilling to be a Villan once more. Give me best to Dalian when you see him.

Mate this is a terrific post. Great effort to sum things up.

[Sgl]

2 minutes ago, Heretic said:

I hope that today shines a light on how good he was as a manager. For too long he's been defined by the England job.

He took Watford from the 4th to the 1st division in five seasons. They played in the UEFA Cup.

He left Watford in 9th position in D1 to come to a relegated Villa. That's how much he wanted to come here.

He can tell you what he found in his own words:

 

To put things in perspective for younger Villans:

Sir Alex took over at Man Utd on 6 November 1986 when they were second from bottom in D1. Sir Graham took us over in May 1987 having just been booted out of D1 (finishing bottom) and starting life the coming season in D2.

Sir Alex had just over 6 months head start on Sir Graham PLUS he had a full season of D1 football over Sir Graham in which to attract better players.

Here's their standings at season's end 1990 in D1:

2nd, Aston Villa. P38, W21, F57, A38. P = 70.

13th Man Utd P38 W13, F46, A47, P = 48.

 

I hope this gives you some measure of his achievements. In 60 months we had built on the foundation of being kings of all we surveyed to being the bottom club in D1.

There is always pride in Aston Villa. It's an English football institution. What we lost was dignity. It was humiliating to watch the decay end in being dumped out of a division we ruled not so long ago.

In his first season with us in D2 we finished runners-up to Millwall and went back up to D1. In his second and our first season back, we scraped survival. In his third season, he took us to second in D1.

I am sorry for those who didn't see the 89/90 season. It was a hell of a time to be a Villa fan. He brought us Yorke, Platt, McGrath, Nielsen. He brought a grateful Sid back from Italy.

He built a side that feared nobody. The football was often far better than he was ever given credit for. It's true that Watford was often route one. But what could he do?

He showed at Villa why he came to Villa - we had the clout to extend his horizons, and how well he used this new canvas.

 

When he left, I was heartbroken. But when you look at what he built, younger Villans, you owe him gratitude. The shade you and we enjoyed under Big Ron was because Sir Graham planted the acorn those years ago. He found a foundation of clay and built a foundation of rock.

I've wondered, what would he have done if he stayed? Under HDE, I'm not sure he would have done much more. His standing would have grown, IMO. But eventually HDE would have penny-pinched him on a top player and Sir Graham would have walked.

He once said - 'HDE and I have a love-hate relationship. He loves me.'

The tantalising prospect is this - what if Sir Graham had a manager equally as ambitious and without ego? I think he would have strengthened us even further. I think we would have had more success. He probably would have stayed too long and we probably would have drifted, but who knows who we would have brought in at that time.

Ifs, buts, maybes, couldas, wouldas, shouldas.

What I know for sure is that Sir Graham was an old-school gentleman from the time when being a footballer was a profession and not a status. He treated players as adults and fans as friends.

Today is not just the loss of Sir Graham but of a treasure from a great age of football that I, through rose-tinted spectacles and as I write this, a tear in my eye, miss.

Younger fans don't know that time. You can never recapture what you never had.

As time marches on, we lose these wonderful characters - outspoken, unspun, usually the highest paid person at the club.

You may not have seen much of him, but due to what he built you will surely have felt his legacy. I feel privileged to have witnessed him and his work first-hand and I am very proud that this institution called Aston Villa is so closely entwined with the gracious, humble, fun, kind, and wonderful football man that was Graham Taylor.

 

Graham, thank you for giving us back not just our status but our dignity and making it thrilling to be a Villan once more. Give me best to Dalian when you see him.

Absolutely superb post - Sir Graham was the man in charge as I grew up. every ounce of frustration I feel when we lose and every jolt of joy I get from a win or a goal is because of the fanaticism his villa sides installed in me as I grew up. He was a giant for us in a time when we needed it most. 

[Dave J]

What more can we say other than thank you Graham for everything you gave us- not least the legend that is Paul McGrath- it's thanks to you that I watched one of the worlds greatest ever footballers play in claret and blue each week.

RIP 

[romavillan]

What shit news, won't be bumping into him in Dillons in Mere Green anymore then. Especially seeing as they **** pulled it down and I haven't lived there for 20 years or so...

GT Mk1 was something special, the likes of which we really, really need to see again now. Football inevitably moved on, but for 80s football in the UK there wasn't many who were better. Anyone who did what he did at Watford has to be seen as special, the fact he then came to us in D2 and quickly got us runners up in the top league immediately afterwards proves that he was special. That was the top of his game and what he should be remembered for.

Edited January 12, 2017 by romavillan

[VILLAMARV]

58 minutes ago, TheAuthority said:

Love Tony Daley's chip in there!

Love Tony Daley. My hero.

GT was so instrumental in his career in particular. Some of his best years here were under GT. I think I'm right in saying he handed him his England debut too. Took him to Wolves despite the injuries when he was there and then again to Watford on his return to Vicarage Road.

Is he still coaching at the Wolves? (Why have we never brought him home?) If so or either way it seems fitting our next game is against them. Even more so if he'll be on the bench.

[markavfc40]

This is a lovely tribute from Mark Pougatch who commentated alongside him for 5 live. Last 30 seconds says it all about the man.

 

 

[adam67]

Heretic, your post sums up us how Villians of a certain age felt about Sir Graham. Football has lost a true gent. I never met GT, but If I had, I would of shook his hand and thanked him for putting Aston Villa back where it belonged.

RIP

[tismyk]

3 hours ago, Rugeley Villa said:

Expect 90 minutes of graham Taylor's claret and blue army on Saturday. 

Was anyone at that legendary away day at Goodison when the thousands of villa fans sang it none stop.

 

Posted 8 hours ago · Report post

8 hours ago, markavfc40 said:

This has knocked the stuffing out of me.

I was only 8 when Ron Saunders left the club so during my time of really properly supporting us then Graham Taylor is the greatest manager during that time by a long way.

I was lucky enough to be at Goodison Park with about five thousand plus other Aston Villa fans for his last game as manager with us. Not one of us left that ground and all chanted Graham Taylors claret and blue army until he came back out onto the pitch 20 minutes after the game had finished. We knew he was off to manage England but we wanted to salute the man who had given us our pride back and some.

I want to salute him again. So thanks for the memories Graham. I will cherish them. RIP

I was there as well and remember that, also we were singing Graham Taylors claret and blue army before half time, never stopped singing it all through half time and carried on for a number of mins into the second half, the longest chant I have ever witnessed from us or anyone else, indeed at the end of the match the Everton fans to a man leaving on the left hand side applauded us Villa fans, after the match said they had never witnessed fans like us before. Back to the topic, RIP GT. another HITS.

 

 

The Dougal Mob, singing in the rain.

Edited January 12, 2017 by tismyk

[HanoiVillan]

A true gentleman of the game. Very very sad news. 

I loved listening to him summarising on Five Live. He had a passion for the game, and a decency you could hear in his voice. I wish I had experienced his first spell at the club, but sadly it's just a couple of years before my time. But the compliments and tributes on this thread say it all really. 

[perchman]

I was 5/6  when dumped on my relatives who lived in Witton, born in a leafy southern county, it was a frightening time, what got me through it was the vibe of the Villa and its presence on local life and the genuine positive air around the place after winning THAT cup, it was all of that and the great nature of the people of Birmingham that made that time easier for me.

When I came back home, everyone around me was either Spurs, Luton, Liverpool, wimbledon etc.....no one Villa, I'll admit, I wished I could talk with my 10/11yr old school mates about a team we all connected on......just in time, GT came along and worked his magic, we had players that everyone envied, I didn't have to keep explaining why I supported Villa. It was a brilliant time and I love GT so much for that, he nailed my love for the villa hard and true.

Now i'm 40, and I reflect, I'm sad, sad that time does indeed move on....and that's what it is with the death of a celebrity you are particularly fond of.....it's not always utter heartbreak at their loss, it's the realisation that the reference points are further behind and you're nearer the end of the conveyor belt than you thought.

 

It's a shame GTs second stint at the park wasn't so good but many players from that time are paying some lovely respects, Hitz is trully gutted.

I hope there will be a permanent tribute at VP, without him bringing us up in 88/89, I don't think we'd have been the club we have been, are and will be.

[TrentVilla]

 

Well, that piece from the excellent Mark Pougatch has finally done it and I've just shed a tear for Sir Graham. 

In truth its been coming since the news broke and I left my office and headed for Villa Park, I'm not really sure why but it seemed like the thing to do.

I'm not really one for getting upset at the passing of people in the public eye, in truth I've never really understood it. Sure its sad, but upset? 

For some reason its different with Graham Taylor, perhaps that is because he was my first hero. Despite England, despite the ill advised second spell at the club he never really stopped being a hero.

Perhaps its because, for a number of years now football in general hasn't meant what it used to mean, hasn't had the same all conquering draw. The game quite simply isn't what it was and never will be.

Taylor, perhaps more than anyone else for those of a certain age represents another time. A time when the game was more simple, more imperfect but all the more beautiful for it. A time when players drove club branded Rovers and lived like you and I.

His passing, feels almost like the closing on a chapter before the glitz, glamour and utter stupidity of the PL era.  

Heretic does a quite wonderful job of summing up what Taylor did for the club in his post above, I hope that gives those not fortunate enough to be old enough to have lived that time an appreciation. Because anyone who loves this old club owes the man a debt of gratitude, those who were there and who are at Wolves at the weekend I know will sing his name with pride and passion.

I was fortunate enough to meet the man on many occasions, both growing up during his management and in later years and always found him to simply be the most lovely guy you could meet. 

The first time though, that was the one. I was a kid, wide eyed and enthralled in the passion of the game, hanging around BMH in the holidays and trying to get a glimpse of my favourite players (all of whom he had signed). In those days you could walk into BMH, right up to the changing rooms. No security, no autographs through car windows, Taylor would have hated that side of the game today.

So I'm hanging around outside and out comes Graham Taylor "So you're my new number 9 then?" he says with a big grin, getting down to speak to me on my level. Something Taylor was a master at in more ways than one.

Before I know it he has summoned out Spinksy, Birch, McGrath and Platt. He then proceeds to get me in a penalty comp against Platt and Birch with Spink's in net, telling me McGrath's knee's will fall apart if he takes one.

That was Graham Taylor. No ego, no self importance just a really decent bloke who loved what he did, took no nonsense from anyone and just happened to be bloody good at the job. But above all that he was the sort of guy who would do that sort of thing for a young and impressionable fan.

Taylor was my first hero, the man more than anyone who cemented my love for the club and the game and who signed the very best players I've seen in our colours in 30 odd years.

He'll be missed.

 

[John]

I think this would be a good time for the club to think seriously about recognising what Villa Managers have done for the club over the years. I think Graham Taylor is worth something like a statue as is Ron Saunders (who I would like to think could have one that he is still able to unveil himself) given a former chairman already has a stand named after him.