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Author Topic: Sir Graham Taylor  (Read 101871 times)

Offline Dave Wall

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Re: Sir Graham Taylor has died
« Reply #420 on: January 16, 2017, 09:54:23 PM »
His achievements in 2 spells at Watford were extraordinary, impossible even.

1st spell - Fourth division to First Division runners up in 5 seasons
2nd spell - Third division to Premier League in 2 seasons

He was great for Villa, but that's Roy Of The Rovers stuff.

That's crazy when you see it like that in black and white truly amazing 😯😮 what a pity bobby robson stepped down when he did.

Offline cdbearsfan

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Re: Sir Graham Taylor has died
« Reply #421 on: January 16, 2017, 10:13:01 PM »
What I think was especially impressive above Watford, is that not only had they never been in the top flight before, they'd only spent three years in their entire history in the Second Division before his arrival.

I think we tend to think of Watford as a club that belongs in the top two leagues, but they were nowhere near that before he arrived. Just a Southern Rochdale or Hartlepool.

Obviously Mr Dwight deserves a bit of credit too, but what Taylor achieved was phenomenal.

Offline Havencheese

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Re: Sir Graham Taylor has died
« Reply #422 on: January 16, 2017, 11:05:31 PM »
I've become intrigued by what he did at Watford almost as much by what I know about what he did at the Villa. Watching some of his old interviews alongside Elton John.

I think it was said that Watford have spent only three seasons outside the top two divisions in the past 40 years when SGT became involved with the club. Previous to that I don't think they'd ever been above that level. He made players live within 30 miles of the ground and got them involved in local charity work, wanting the club to build fortress out of Vicarage Rd.

This sort of thing parallels nicely with what Garry Thompson said SGT told him directly about dressing professionally around the club and that when he arrived at Villa Park "something smelt 'wrong' about the place". A change swept through (sound familiar?) players weren't to be lazy, not just on the field but off it. The discovery of John Barnes is quite similar to that of Dwight Yorke and how he liked players of that ilk to express themselves.

In a footballing sense, so much more than the kick and rush tactician he was sometimes labelled as. He puts a lot of managers to shame (especially today) in terms of having the attitude that management and players will win for themselves but also for those who are paying to watch week in, week out.
« Last Edit: January 16, 2017, 11:08:11 PM by Havencheese »

Online dave.woodhall

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Re: Sir Graham Taylor has died
« Reply #423 on: January 16, 2017, 11:29:19 PM »
What I think was especially impressive above Watford, is that not only had they never been in the top flight before, they'd only spent three years in their entire history in the Second Division before his arrival.

I think we tend to think of Watford as a club that belongs in the top two leagues, but they were nowhere near that before he arrived. Just a Southern Rochdale or Hartlepool.

Obviously Mr Dwight deserves a bit of credit too, but what Taylor achieved was phenomenal.

They didn't have a roof on the dugout for years because he said if the fans had to get wet so could he.

Offline PeterWithesShin

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Re: Sir Graham Taylor has died
« Reply #424 on: January 16, 2017, 11:38:07 PM »
I do think people forget how small a club Watford really are because of what Sir Graham turned them into. Last season was the first time in their history they averaged 20,000.

Online Sexual Ealing

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Offline cdbearsfan

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Re: Sir Graham Taylor has died
« Reply #426 on: January 17, 2017, 01:14:35 AM »
There hasn't been a lot to be proud of in the last few years, but everything that I read about SGT just makes me even more proud that he was our manager. A great manager of a great club, and a great human being.

Offline oldhill_avfc

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Re: Sir Graham Taylor has died
« Reply #427 on: January 17, 2017, 07:25:14 AM »
It's a well known story, but the bit in bold intrigued me.  Does anyone know who he was referring to?



But Villa's form tapered towards the end of the season, winning just four of their last ten games, a period that coincided with Tony Cascarino's arrival from Millwall. "I tried to sign Teddy Sheringham," reflected Taylor. "No chance. So Doug tells me I've £1.4m to spend and I have to spend it.

"Cascarino? I reckon £750,000. Doug buys him for £1.4m. And the supporters... Now it's not Cascarino's fault, it's not my fault and I can understand why Doug has done it... But Cascarino is saddled with this fee and, eventually, the supporters saying he's cost us the title.

"But he didn't. I know the people who've let me down and it's not Tony Cascarino. Perhaps I was even partly responsible myself because it was all over the papers that I was getting the England job."


« Last Edit: January 17, 2017, 09:21:38 AM by oldhill_avfc »

Offline cdbearsfan

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Re: Sir Graham Taylor has died
« Reply #428 on: January 17, 2017, 09:13:30 AM »
I don't really remember anyone letting us down, that season. Even Cascarino always gave his all. We were unlucky with Mountfield getting injured and ran out of steam, while Liverpool just kept winning. I don't really think of anyone in particular being to blame for us not winning the title.

Online LeeB

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Re: Sir Graham Taylor has died
« Reply #429 on: January 17, 2017, 09:56:05 AM »
I don't really remember anyone letting us down, that season. Even Cascarino always gave his all. We were unlucky with Mountfield getting injured and ran out of steam, while Liverpool just kept winning. I don't really think of anyone in particular being to blame for us not winning the title.

Them signing Ronnie bastard Rosenthal out of fucking nowhere did for us more than anything.

Same a few years later. Man Utd only buying Cantona because Dion Dublin bost his leg.

Online dave.woodhall

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Re: Sir Graham Taylor has died
« Reply #430 on: January 17, 2017, 10:51:02 AM »
I don't really remember anyone letting us down, that season. Even Cascarino always gave his all. We were unlucky with Mountfield getting injured and ran out of steam, while Liverpool just kept winning. I don't really think of anyone in particular being to blame for us not winning the title.

Them signing Ronnie bastard Rosenthal out of fucking nowhere did for us more than anything.

Same a few years later. Man Utd only buying Cantona because Dion Dublin bost his leg.

Liverpool had a mad run where they lost once after November then got 23 points from their last nine games. No club on earth could have matched that.

Offline castlefields_villan

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Re: Sir Graham Taylor has died
« Reply #431 on: January 17, 2017, 11:25:53 AM »
This is all bringing back David Platt's missed penalty against Wimbledon.

Offline Tokyo Sexwhale

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Re: Sir Graham Taylor has died
« Reply #432 on: January 17, 2017, 12:37:24 PM »
David Squires cartoon from The Grauniad:


Offline cdbearsfan

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Re: Sir Graham Taylor has died
« Reply #433 on: January 17, 2017, 12:40:10 PM »
I don't really remember anyone letting us down, that season. Even Cascarino always gave his all. We were unlucky with Mountfield getting injured and ran out of steam, while Liverpool just kept winning. I don't really think of anyone in particular being to blame for us not winning the title.

Them signing Ronnie bastard Rosenthal out of fucking nowhere did for us more than anything.

Same a few years later. Man Utd only buying Cantona because Dion Dublin bost his leg.

A combination of Dublin getting injured, number one target Hurst getting injured, and Howard Wilkinson being an absolute fucking imbecile of the highest order.

Online dave.woodhall

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Re: Sir Graham Taylor has died
« Reply #434 on: January 17, 2017, 12:42:01 PM »
David Squires cartoon from The Grauniad:



That last sentence sums up everything that's been said.

 


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