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.
Quote from: Jon Crofts on January 12, 2017, 02:43:55 PMMy 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.
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.
Graham Taylors Claret and Blue army for 90 minutes Saturday please.