Sir Graham Taylor

[shaef]

A wonderful human being, innovator and hero to so many of us.  My small anecdote is from the time my best man at my wedding read a letter from Sir Graham enclosing best wishes from all the first team and gently berating me for getting my priorites wrong by getting married on the same day we were playing the second leg of the youth cup final.   

RIP Sir Graham.

[Walmley_Villa]

Keep the stories coming guys....I'm filling up but he was a special man.

[Pete]

My Dad just rang me to see if I'd heard the news and he reminded me of this story of great kindness and humility from SGT.

Ian, a friend had cystic fibrosis which meant although he was an avid Villa fan his condition wouldn't allow him to get to a game.  My Dad wrote to Villa, Steve Stride if he remembers rightly, to see if Ian could get along to Bodymoor Heath one day for a bit of a behind the scenes visit. Ian had several complications with his CF and wasn't expected to live into his 30s.

Graham Taylor replied personally to my old man (I'm now hoping somewhere at their home he's kept that letter, I did ask him!) promising to fulfil Ian's dream of meeting some players and watching them play & train.  Well, I can't even begin to describe what SGT ended up doing with Ian.  I know he spent the day at BH and was put up at The Belfry by Villa for a couple of nights with his family.  They were picked up on the Saturday and travelled with the team on a Flights coach to an away game, memory is failing, can't remember which one but we think it was Middlesborough.  Ian sat next to SGT all the way there and back, I've seen some old Polaroids of him playing cards with some of the players.  This meant Ian was away from his family for about 24 hours, CF sufferers need to be massaged and helped with dealing with the mucus build up in the respiratory tract & lungs.  Ian's Mum usually helped with this but SGT said if she showed him how to do it he'd make sure him and the physios dealt with it, she can have the day off.

Ian died about 6 months after that amazing experience.

SGT came to Ian's funeral, no mean feat considering it was in Surrey.  On Ian's coffin was a picture of him laughing and smiling with SGT.

I'd managed to keep the tears in until I read that. Such a touching story.

[JJ-AV]

Really sad. His first spell was a bit before my time, but I'm well aware of he did for the Club. Rest In Peace.

[fbriai]

My Dad just rang me to see if I'd heard the news and he reminded me of this story of great kindness and humility from SGT.

Ian, a friend had cystic fibrosis which meant although he was an avid Villa fan his condition wouldn't allow him to get to a game.  My Dad wrote to Villa, Steve Stride if he remembers rightly, to see if Ian could get along to Bodymoor Heath one day for a bit of a behind the scenes visit. Ian had several complications with his CF and wasn't expected to live into his 30s.

Graham Taylor replied personally to my old man (I'm now hoping somewhere at their home he's kept that letter, I did ask him!) promising to fulfil Ian's dream of meeting some players and watching them play & train.  Well, I can't even begin to describe what SGT ended up doing with Ian.  I know he spent the day at BH and was put up at The Belfry by Villa for a couple of nights with his family.  They were picked up on the Saturday and travelled with the team on a Flights coach to an away game, memory is failing, can't remember which one but we think it was Middlesborough.  Ian sat next to SGT all the way there and back, I've seen some old Polaroids of him playing cards with some of the players.  This meant Ian was away from his family for about 24 hours, CF sufferers need to be massaged and helped with dealing with the mucus build up in the respiratory tract & lungs.  Ian's Mum usually helped with this but SGT said if she showed him how to do it he'd make sure him and the physios dealt with it, she can have the day off.

Ian died about 6 months after that amazing experience.

SGT came to Ian's funeral, no mean feat considering it was in Surrey.  On Ian's coffin was a picture of him laughing and smiling with SGT.

There are some wonderful posts on here, but, Jon, this is just beautiful.

[Woofles The Wonder Dog]

Snuffle

[Zouch Villa]

I don't think I can add anything that hasn't already been said, but he meant so much to me for what he did for the club it just doesnt feel right not to express my feelings.

God bless you Sir Graham, for restoring belief and pride in the club. You were always an absolute gentleman, and will remain a hero to many of us. Not just a Villa man, but a football man through and through.

RIP

[Pete]

My Dad just rang me to see if I'd heard the news and he reminded me of this story of great kindness and humility from SGT.

Ian, a friend had cystic fibrosis which meant although he was an avid Villa fan his condition wouldn't allow him to get to a game.  My Dad wrote to Villa, Steve Stride if he remembers rightly, to see if Ian could get along to Bodymoor Heath one day for a bit of a behind the scenes visit. Ian had several complications with his CF and wasn't expected to live into his 30s.

Graham Taylor replied personally to my old man (I'm now hoping somewhere at their home he's kept that letter, I did ask him!) promising to fulfil Ian's dream of meeting some players and watching them play & train.  Well, I can't even begin to describe what SGT ended up doing with Ian.  I know he spent the day at BH and was put up at The Belfry by Villa for a couple of nights with his family.  They were picked up on the Saturday and travelled with the team on a Flights coach to an away game, memory is failing, can't remember which one but we think it was Middlesborough.  Ian sat next to SGT all the way there and back, I've seen some old Polaroids of him playing cards with some of the players.  This meant Ian was away from his family for about 24 hours, CF sufferers need to be massaged and helped with dealing with the mucus build up in the respiratory tract & lungs.  Ian's Mum usually helped with this but SGT said if she showed him how to do it he'd make sure him and the physios dealt with it, she can have the day off.

Ian died about 6 months after that amazing experience.

SGT came to Ian's funeral, no mean feat considering it was in Surrey.  On Ian's coffin was a picture of him laughing and smiling with SGT.

There are some wonderful posts on here, but, Jon, this is just beautiful.

In fact, it deserves to be read by a wider audience. Are you posting it anywhere else?

Here's one from the Guardian that illustrates what a decent and generous man he was:

He would take Lincoln's players around the city, to the factories, to the shops, the stores, the offices to meet the supporters. His point was 'they pay to watch you at work, and now they're letting you watch them work for free. Never lose sight that supporters are the lifeblood of football.'

In 1976, Graham Taylor was also asked to give some help the Lykewake Walk - a charity 15 mile trek across the Viking Way on the Lincolnshire Wolds. All the dignitaries, councillors, etc turned up for the start at the village of Bigby, at 9am on a Sunday morning and stood around waiting for Graham to turn up and cut the ribbon to start it. At around 9.30, along he comes, with his usual customary smile and a word for everyone. 'Sorry I'm a bit late'. Turned out that rather than just turn up and start the walk, he'd driven to the finish at Tealby, then jogged the whole distance to be at the start. He then walked it again along with all those who had turned out to join him.
A really, really decent man.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

There's dust in the eyes after reading that, Jon.

[He wears a magic hat]

Graham Taylors Claret and Blue army for 90 minutes Saturday please.

I'm expecting this. The bloke deserves it. LEGEND

[QuintonVilla]

My Dad just rang me to see if I'd heard the news and he reminded me of this story of great kindness and humility from SGT.

Ian, a friend had cystic fibrosis which meant although he was an avid Villa fan his condition wouldn't allow him to get to a game.  My Dad wrote to Villa, Steve Stride if he remembers rightly, to see if Ian could get along to Bodymoor Heath one day for a bit of a behind the scenes visit. Ian had several complications with his CF and wasn't expected to live into his 30s.

Graham Taylor replied personally to my old man (I'm now hoping somewhere at their home he's kept that letter, I did ask him!) promising to fulfil Ian's dream of meeting some players and watching them play & train.  Well, I can't even begin to describe what SGT ended up doing with Ian.  I know he spent the day at BH and was put up at The Belfry by Villa for a couple of nights with his family.  They were picked up on the Saturday and travelled with the team on a Flights coach to an away game, memory is failing, can't remember which one but we think it was Middlesborough.  Ian sat next to SGT all the way there and back, I've seen some old Polaroids of him playing cards with some of the players.  This meant Ian was away from his family for about 24 hours, CF sufferers need to be massaged and helped with dealing with the mucus build up in the respiratory tract & lungs.  Ian's Mum usually helped with this but SGT said if she showed him how to do it he'd make sure him and the physios dealt with it, she can have the day off.

Ian died about 6 months after that amazing experience.

SGT came to Ian's funeral, no mean feat considering it was in Surrey.  On Ian's coffin was a picture of him laughing and smiling with SGT.

There are some wonderful posts on here, but, Jon, this is just beautiful.

I've got something in my eye.

[PeterWithe]

Just reading Facebook and someone mentioned that at the end of the Everton away game SGT had to be dragged out of the bath by the Police who told him he had to go out and acknowledge us or they feared we might never go home.

[dave shelley]

A nice statement from the club has been released.  Sorry no link, just heard it read out on SSN.

[Jane]

RIP Sir Graham, can't quite believe it. Will definitely be some grit in the eye for the tribute that will surely happen on Saturday. A bloody Villa legend.

[Confusious says]

What a great man, always had time for everyone.  One main memory of him was when my son & I
Was at the Milan airport on the shuttle to the plane home and there to our surprise was Sir Graham standing in there and he spoke with my son then aged 12 & had kind words with him he was England manager then. When on the plane once we took off Graham got up to go to the loo at the rear of plane, he was chatting to all supporters on his way and by the time of decent he had to run back to his seat to land back in Brum. Will never forget the Inter Milan game for Graham Taylor