1987 - Graham Taylor arrives

[Julian Broddle]

My best times watching Villa were the Graham Taylor years. I was 16 when he was appointed, spent the 2nd division season travelling the country on the special trains before my mate and I got our driving licences and could make our own way to away games in his clapped-out mini.

Never forget his final game at Everton, the look on the faces of the Evertonians in the adjacent stand as "Graham Taylor's Claret & Blue Army" was sung at full voice throught halftime.

I disagree with many that his second stint was a disaster. The 02/03 season wasn't the best but I thought he put a lot of things in place that O'Leary benefitted from the following season.

Thanks Sir Graham, you'll always be the greatest in my book.

[Damo70]

If I remember right all the talk was about BFR, who was out of work at the time or possibly Dave Bassett taking over. I don't recall any talk of SGT before his appointment. It was quite surreal for me as he was appointed on the day I left school. I ducked into a newsagents to avoid a schools out forever eggs and flour rampage and saw the front page of the Evening Mail announcing his appointment.  I was there for his first game at Ipswich, where we got to have a quick chat and autograph after the game (the joy and freedom that £28.50 a week YTS money brought) and his last game at Everton three years later and about 95% of the games in between, the vast majority of them with Nev. We also got to meet him and have a chat and a picture after the Nigel Spink testimonial forum, which was in Sutton Coldfield if I remember right.

BFR was never in the frame, which was strange as he was out of work at the time. The odds-on favourite was Bassett, who ended up replacing Sir Graham at Watford.

I'm sure I read somewhere that SGT was quite put out when the two big jobs on his doorstep went to George Graham and David Pleat in 1986. He then decided he might have to take a different route if he wanted to manage a big club. Am I right in saying he contacted Doug rather than it being the other way round?

[dave.woodhall]

I'm sure I read somewhere that SGT was quite put out when the two big jobs on his doorstep went to George Graham and David Pleat in 1986. He then decided he might have to take a different route if he wanted to manage a big club. Am I right in saying he contacted Doug rather than it being the other way round?

It was nothing to do with earlier jobs going elsewhere. "I felt that things had gone as far as they could...I couldn't see Watford ever winning the championship, they would either stay where they were or go back down, and some of my enthusiasm was going."

Plus the England job would be coming up in 1990 and he needed a big club on his CV. "I could have anything I wanted at Watford, yet they were never going to be able to achieve anything like Villa could."

[TopDeck113]

I've said this before, but relegation, the general state of football in the mid-eighties and my personal circumstances meant that I could have quite easily walked away from being an active Villa fan. Graham Taylor walking in through the door was the catalyst for reigniting my passion and, in many ways, the first and final seasons of his first spell were the most enjoyable supporting days I've ever had. 

The view has been expressed here previously that had he not landed the England job then he would have won us a Championship in the early nineties.  I tend to agree.

[Rudy65]

If I remember right all the talk was about BFR, who was out of work at the time or possibly Dave Bassett taking over. I don't recall any talk of SGT before his appointment. It was quite surreal for me as he was appointed on the day I left school. I ducked into a newsagents to avoid a schools out forever eggs and flour rampage and saw the front page of the Evening Mail announcing his appointment.  I was there for his first game at Ipswich, where we got to have a quick chat and autograph after the game (the joy and freedom that £28.50 a week YTS money brought) and his last game at Everton three years later and about 95% of the games in between, the vast majority of them with Nev. We also got to meet him and have a chat and a picture after the Nigel Spink testimonial forum, which was in Sutton Coldfield if I remember right.

£28.50? I was only getting £23.50 5 years before!

[oldhill_avfc]

My best times watching Villa were the Graham Taylor years. I was 16 when he was appointed, spent the 2nd division season travelling the country on the special trains before my mate and I got our driving licences and could make our own way to away games in his clapped-out mini.

Never forget his final game at Everton, the look on the faces of the Evertonians in the adjacent stand as "Graham Taylor's Claret & Blue Army" was sung at full voice throught halftime.

I disagree with many that his second stint was a disaster. The 02/03 season wasn't the best but I thought he put a lot of things in place that O'Leary benefitted from the following season.

Thanks Sir Graham, you'll always be the greatest in my book.

Absolutely agree.

It's so easy to underestimate what he did.   Again he took over with things in a mess and brought about all important stability.

The best Villa manager for me in terms of results achieved with the resources available.

[LTA]

My best times watching Villa were the Graham Taylor years. I was 16 when he was appointed, spent the 2nd division season travelling the country on the special trains before my mate and I got our driving licences and could make our own way to away games in his clapped-out mini.

Never forget his final game at Everton, the look on the faces of the Evertonians in the adjacent stand as "Graham Taylor's Claret & Blue Army" was sung at full voice throught halftime.

I disagree with many that his second stint was a disaster. The 02/03 season wasn't the best but I thought he put a lot of things in place that O'Leary benefitted from the following season.

Thanks Sir Graham, you'll always be the greatest in my book.

In fairness our away form made the season look worse.  We only won one away match that season I think.

He certainly never deserved the abuse he got from some fans at the end of his second spell.

[oldham_villa]

During our stint in the second division, our away form actually got us promoted. We were terrific on the road.

memorable trips (for me) to Sheff United (tho we drew there), Man City and Barnsley

[Pete3206]

Villa would have tumbled into the lower divisions if Graham Taylor hadn't pulled the club back from the brink.

Who remembers the mail headline after we'd knocked Spurs out of the league cup

VILLA! THE GIANT AWAKES!

[peter w]

If I remember right all the talk was about BFR, who was out of work at the time or possibly Dave Bassett taking over. I don't recall any talk of SGT before his appointment. It was quite surreal for me as he was appointed on the day I left school. I ducked into a newsagents to avoid a schools out forever eggs and flour rampage and saw the front page of the Evening Mail announcing his appointment.  I was there for his first game at Ipswich, where we got to have a quick chat and autograph after the game (the joy and freedom that £28.50 a week YTS money brought) and his last game at Everton three years later and about 95% of the games in between, the vast majority of them with Nev. We also got to meet him and have a chat and a picture after the Nigel Spink testimonial forum, which was in Sutton Coldfield if I remember right.

BFR was never in the frame, which was strange as he was out of work at the time. The odds-on favourite was Bassett, who ended up replacing Sir Graham at Watford.

Wasn't Rioch also in the frame? maybe not realistically as I think he had been at Boro for only a short while? Maybe that was after SGT left.

[TopDeck113]

During our stint in the second division, our away form actually got us promoted. We were terrific on the road.

memorable trips (for me) to Sheff United (tho we drew there), Man City and Barnsley

One of my all-time memorable away days: much of the league programme was postponed because of snow (Manchester itself was just slushy and wet) - we were supported that day by a minibus load of Wimbledon fans were en route to Everton when they heard that their match was called off.  A few good lunchtime beers with my mate who was at Salford University and then a couple of hours keeping warm by dancing on the benches in the Platt Lane Stand.  And to round off a great day, Villa won 2-0 and the goal scorers in the Manchester evening sports paper read: Daley Thompson.

[IAmTheOneIanOlney]

So much to be thankful for from Graham Taylor, not least him taking up the option to bring back Sid from Bari. For those of us who were too young to see/properly appreciate him the first time around, it was a real gift. Watching him completely changed my view of how the game could be played.

[Godfrey Brian]

The way he just got on and transformed the club and team was inspiring. It felt like there was a credible bigger plan for the first time since Saunders/Barton.I think that he also connected because of his honesty and the way he explained   what he was aiming at.

Still one of the bravest acts by a manager I've seen was at the end of his second stint with us when he came on the pitch after the last game of a bad season to address the crowd.The crowd we're a lot less reasonable then he deserved.

[Damo70]

During our stint in the second division, our away form actually got us promoted. We were terrific on the road.

memorable trips (for me) to Sheff United (tho we drew there), Man City and Barnsley

So many memorable away games, more so as I had just left school so it was my first season travelling away regularly. The atmosphere at Ipswich on the first day, a trip to Skegness after the defeat at Hull, a friend of a friend going straight to Leicester still pissed after getting off a plane and being sick into his sombrero (SGT also came over to the fans before the game), George Reilly's hilarious attempt at being a centre half at The Hawthorns, getting soaked at Huddersfield, two wins at Elland Road, breaking down on the way back from Shrewsbury, beating Bradford (to go top if I remember right) and the last day at Swindon. Unfortunately I missed the small Heath away game and others around Christmas but remember ringing home from Australia to find out the result from the sty.

[Damo70]

If I remember right all the talk was about BFR, who was out of work at the time or possibly Dave Bassett taking over. I don't recall any talk of SGT before his appointment. It was quite surreal for me as he was appointed on the day I left school. I ducked into a newsagents to avoid a schools out forever eggs and flour rampage and saw the front page of the Evening Mail announcing his appointment.  I was there for his first game at Ipswich, where we got to have a quick chat and autograph after the game (the joy and freedom that £28.50 a week YTS money brought) and his last game at Everton three years later and about 95% of the games in between, the vast majority of them with Nev. We also got to meet him and have a chat and a picture after the Nigel Spink testimonial forum, which was in Sutton Coldfield if I remember right.

BFR was never in the frame, which was strange as he was out of work at the time. The odds-on favourite was Bassett, who ended up replacing Sir Graham at Watford.

Wasn't Rioch also in the frame? maybe not realistically as I think he had been at Boro for only a short while? Maybe that was after SGT left.

I think there was a lot of talk about Rioch when SGT left in 1990. Along with Joe Jordan and Gerry Francis if I remember right.