Sir Graham - yet more dignity

[Pete3206]

After he was roundly booed at VP when he made an on-pitch announcement at the end of the season, I was so incensed at the way he was disrespectfully treated that I wrote a letter to the Express and Star which got published. I sent him a copy. I got an appreciative reply (which I still have) in which he thanked me for the support. It was signed and dated on the day he handed in his resignation.

What a contrast to that great day at Goodison Park in 1990. I'll never forget that and I doubt Sir Graham will either.

[Villan For Life]

And from me. Had it not been for GT Villa would have done a Wolves between 1987-1990, IMO.

We all owe a huge debt of gratitude to Sir Graham for what he did during his first stint as manager.

Along with Saunders, Barton & Brian I can't think of a latter day Villa man who is held in such high esteem. Forget his second stint, the guy is a Villa legend.

[TopDeck113]

What a contrast to that great day at Goodison Park in 1990. I'll never forget that and I doubt Sir Graham will either.

21 years on and still one of by favourite ever Villa supporting experiences.

[Lee]

Sir Graham should have been on our board. Should be on our board. Forever.
If I was in Randy's shoes, knowing Villa needed football men in decision making and advisory positions, I'd have appointed both Taylor and Ron Atkinson to the board.

Totally agree and not as a nominal figurehead only. He knows the English game and it's pitfalls.

[Chris Jameson]

What a contrast to that great day at Goodison Park in 1990. I'll never forget that and I doubt Sir Graham will either.

21 years on and still one of by favourite ever Villa supporting experiences.

And mine.

[Risso]

The thing is, how would it have worked if he'd have been on the board in the last few years?  Our problems have stemmed from the fact that O'Neill was given too much control over transfers, and there's no way he'd have given up any power to either a full director of football or even a quasi one.  Even if Taylor had suggested to Lerner that Heskey shouldn't be given a three year contract at his age, do you think O'Neill would have stood for that?  Much as I love Taylor, it's also not like his record on transfers in his second stint was any good.  I know he didn't have a lot to spend, but the players he brought in were all atrocious.

[john e]

The thing is, how would it have worked if he'd have been on the board in the last few years?  Our problems have stemmed from the fact that O'Neill was given too much control over transfers, and there's no way he'd have given up any power to either a full director of football or even a quasi one.  Even if Taylor had suggested to Lerner that Heskey shouldn't be given a three year contract at his age, do you think O'Neill would have stood for that?  Much as I love Taylor, it's also not like his record on transfers in his second stint was any good.  I know he didn't have a lot to spend, but the players he brought in were all atrocious.

are you havin a laugh, McGrath, Platt, Yorke all atrocious ?

quick edit, just noticed the 'second stint' bit, apolagies

[PeterWithesShin]

Yep, fancy SGT buying a young Peter Crouch, what a dud of a career he ended up having.

[WarszaVillan]

The thing is, how would it have worked if he'd have been on the board in the last few years?  Our problems have stemmed from the fact that O'Neill was given too much control over transfers, and there's no way he'd have given up any power to either a full director of football or even a quasi one.  Even if Taylor had suggested to Lerner that Heskey shouldn't be given a three year contract at his age, do you think O'Neill would have stood for that?  Much as I love Taylor, it's also not like his record on transfers in his second stint was any good.  I know he didn't have a lot to spend, but the players he brought in were all atrocious.

are you havin a laugh, McGrath, Platt, Yorke all atrocious ?

quick edit, just noticed the 'second stint' bit, apolagies

Yes he did say second stint, but has there ever been a better lot of business done anywhere anytime than McGrath, Platt, Yorke and Sid - all Villa legends and bought for less than 1m quid combined.

[cheltenhamlion]

This would be the Graham Taylor in stint two that threw a fair chunk of his meagre transfer budget at sorting out our academy and youth development?

[Dante Lavelli]

This would be the Graham Taylor in stint two that threw a fair chunk of his meagre transfer budget at sorting out our academy and youth development?

Did he?  Can you expand on that please Cheltenhamlion, for example what did he do, what impact do you think these changes are having today?  I have always thought of GT as a football manager/coach but not the visionary type that could set up an entire club.

If he is, then I definitely think he would be good on the board, whereas previously I thought he would (only) be good as a form of ambassador and to advise Faulkner on football related issues.

[LeeB]

Yep, fancy SGT buying a young Peter Crouch, what a dud of a career he ended up having.

I know, what a clown eh? Still, at least his successor was clever enough to mug Southampton for a mind boggling £2m.

[Risso]

Yep, fancy SGT buying a young Peter Crouch, what a dud of a career he ended up having.

I know, what a clown eh? Still, at least his successor was clever enough to mug Southampton for a mind boggling £2m.

Crouch was poor for us.  Not as bad as the likes of UDLC, Allback, Postma, Leonhardsen and Kinsella, but pretty awful nonetheless.  I don't remember many dissenting voices when he was loaned out to Norwich then sold cheaply to Southampton.

[OzVilla]

What a contrast to that great day at Goodison Park in 1990. I'll never forget that and I doubt Sir Graham will either.

21 years on and still one of by favourite ever Villa supporting experiences.

And mine.

X 3.

[PeterWithesShin]

Yep, fancy SGT buying a young Peter Crouch, what a dud of a career he ended up having.

I know, what a clown eh? Still, at least his successor was clever enough to mug Southampton for a mind boggling £2m.

Crouch was poor for us.  Not as bad as the likes of UDLC, Allback, Postma, Leonhardsen and Kinsella, but pretty awful nonetheless.  I don't remember many dissenting voices when he was loaned out to Norwich then sold cheaply to Southampton.

Funny, I remember many people thinking both Crouch and Allback should have been given runs in the team. But given the career Crouch has had and the amount of money he later moved for, you have to except that your claim that "players he brought in were all atrocious" is incorrect.
 
UDLC (about £1m) was nowhere near as bad as the people who made him their scapegoat made out. Postma cost about £1m so was worth it as a backup keeper. Leonhardsen (free) and Kinsella (another one who was about £1m) were about all we could afford at the time.
He bought in cheap experience which we needed and was all we could afford. And tried cheap overseas players like Postma and Gudjonsson, the very thing we slated MON for not doing.