Watford have lost a legend. What he did for them was remarkable. He is their Curbs and then some.
Indeed - there aren't too many these days who can do so much for one club (twice!)
A very sad day for us WFC fans.
Ok England wasn't great (mind you it hasn't been since!) but he must have had a sense of forgiveness as he was quite willing to work with the press later after retirement.
He came on the South Africa cricket tour I was on during 1995/6, when he was between jobs. He had VIP status and kept himself apart from most of the group, but there were a couple of occasions when I spoke with him. The second was after a one-dayer at Newlands, when he took a huge amount of abuse, and actually left the ground early to get away and was sat on the coach with his wife waiting for everyone else to come along after the game. We had been royally stuffed by Cronje's Bokkies so there were plenty of "Do I not like that's" as we walked past him. He didn't smile, but at that point I hadn't known the extent of his troubles that day with other fans (pouring beer over him; swearing at him in front of his wife, etc).
The first time I spoke and interacted with him was when we played a game against a local side; I umpired one end. Taylor batted about 6 and smote a massive six over cow corner. He looked like he might have been a decent player when younger. Sadly, he was called through for a suicidal second run by his batting partner and it was my (delightful) responsibility to give him out run out! (He didn't like that either, and whinged all the way back to the pavilion, though he was out by a yard!).
My God the press were vicious bastards to him.....just watch them back track over the next week or two. As has already been said, you were one of the good guys. RIP Graham....RIP.
As others have already said he was a victim of the worst from the gutter press. A decent bloke who was outstanding as a manager for Watford with a team that tried to play football with proper out and out wingers.
R I P .. met him on a train about 20 years ago, he'd'a been about 50 then ? .. a bit of a Ron Manager but a nice man .. shame about all the abuse he got as old 'turnip head' .. recently missing from the BBC where he had been a regular expert/pundit for a long time .. quite 'young' to go nowadays at 72
Was working in Watford today and someone told us this afternoon what had happened. As others have commented already, he did wonders at Watford. Always thought he was a good pundit or co-commentator as well.
Absolutely lovely man, met him a couple of times and was totally engaging company, so knowledgeable, close relative of mine often worked with him at the BBC and they all loved covering games with him, friendly with no ego about him at all. RIP.
Just hope The Sun can avoid any reference to turnips in their headlines tomorrow as he deserves better
Different era I guess but then they pretty much ignored Hillsborough didn't they last year..
I bet they wish managers were like GT now in that he was always willing to give his view to the press even if they disagreed as was often the case in the 80s due to our style of football...
Now days the press would be banned if they dared to criticised a club like that..
I can't believe this. He was shown on SKY taken his seat in the Graham Taylor Stand for the Boxing Day game against the Nigel's. He looked well. I suppose it was easy to forget his age.
He is a proper legend for Watford FC. The Jimmy Seed of that club. A football man.
Like many, I probably found some of what was said about him as England manager amusing at the time (partly, in my defence, due to national rivalries). Though, even then, it was only the sort of job I'd wish on my worst enemy (just imagine how the red tops would savage Pardew).
A thoroughly decent man and an excellent (club) football manager and, dare I say it, a knowledgeable and engaging pundit, with a refreshing sense of perspective.
As so often, you don't realise what you have till it's gone.
Someone on Radio 5 said when he was in a hotel with a group he spotted turnip soup on the menu and ordered it with a great laugh. I hope that's how he really felt about Turnipgate. He didn't deserve the abuse he got as England manager, although I suppose few do and you know what you are taking on when you accept the job. RIP Graham.
Very sad news. Seemed like a very decent man. Led England at a time when some senior players were coming to an end of their international career, it wasn't easy for him. Very good club manager though. RIP Graham, You were disgracefully treated by some of the press.
Comments
A very sad day for us WFC fans.
Ok England wasn't great (mind you it hasn't been since!) but he must have had a sense of forgiveness as he was quite willing to work with the press later after retirement.
The first time I spoke and interacted with him was when we played a game against a local side; I umpired one end. Taylor batted about 6 and smote a massive six over cow corner. He looked like he might have been a decent player when younger. Sadly, he was called through for a suicidal second run by his batting partner and it was my (delightful) responsibility to give him out run out! (He didn't like that either, and whinged all the way back to the pavilion, though he was out by a yard!).
RIP GT!
As has already been said, you were one of the good guys.
RIP Graham....RIP.
Comes across as a very decent and honest man. Had a great gift of communicating with the average footie fan, especially on tv.
RIP
RIP
RIP Graham Taylor
Just hope The Sun can avoid any reference to turnips in their headlines tomorrow as he deserves better
I bet they wish managers were like GT now in that he was always willing to give his view to the press even if they disagreed as was often the case in the 80s due to our style of football...
Now days the press would be banned if they dared to criticised a club like that..
He is a proper legend for Watford FC. The Jimmy Seed of that club. A football man.
Like many, I probably found some of what was said about him as England manager amusing at the time (partly, in my defence, due to national rivalries). Though, even then, it was only the sort of job I'd wish on my worst enemy (just imagine how the red tops would savage Pardew).
A thoroughly decent man and an excellent (club) football manager and, dare I say it, a knowledgeable and engaging pundit, with a refreshing sense of perspective.
As so often, you don't realise what you have till it's gone.