Sir Graham Taylor

[TonyD]

That's quite a shock.   Top bloke.   

[BC Villain]

Not ashamed to admit that I shed tears when I saw this awful news.  We owe so much to this brilliant and yet modest man for the root and branch surgery he did at Villa in the 80s. Graham Taylor may have been cruelly taken from us, be he will never be forgotten at Villa Park.  RIP Sir Graham.  Holte Enders In The Sky.

[garyshawsknee]

Just listened to Dion Dublin clip on 5live, brought tears to my eyes. R.I.P SGT.

[exiled on the wirral!]

Reading all these fantastic tributes to Graham there is one word that encapsulates this man and that is class. Just a fantastic person whose values in life we should all adhere too. On a footballing note he was in charge when I first started going regularly, and for me the 89/90 was my favourite season.

RIP Sir Graham.

[peter w]

How many people can say they are truly revered by two different clubs? That they are mourned by two clubs and that both clubs see a photo of a man and just see him as being theirs? he has a stand already named after him at Watford and unlikely to have something similar at Villa, but why not a name a block or something after him? I don't know. Such a huge part of us has gone.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Looking around the internet and social media, I'm sure Sir Graham would be shocked and humbled by the love and respect being shown for him from fans of all clubs. So many pointing out how unfairly he was treated by the press as England manager, almost all mentioning what a great bloke he was, not to mention what he achieved as a club manager. I'm struggling to think of any other manager now or retired that would have such wonderful tributes.

I really hope it brings some comfort to his family.

[aj2k77]

I'm not eloquent enough to do Sir Graham justice. Thoughts go out to all his loved ones, a great man who left a great mark on our club. Top Class.

[enigma]

Was really shocked to see this. Don't really know what to say. Revered by fans of three clubs (people forget that he got Lincoln promoted with a record points haul).

Never lost his dignity even when the gutter press were going out of their way to humiliate him. The world is a little worse off without him.

[john2710]

Such very sad news, when he should be spending his remaining years enjoying his retirement & watching football matches.

He dragged the club, single-handily back from the brink & almost achieved a miracle. His final game at Everton was an incredible and fitting send off. I hope we give him a rousing rendition at the next home game.

[Hopadop]

The world is a little worse off without him.

It really is, though I bet he'd laugh at the idea.

Farewell Sir Graham.

[The Man With A Stick]

Only just seen the news, absolutely gutted.

RIP Sir Graham and thank you for everything.

[Nev]

Sometimes you think it's just you. Then you read Woodhall of course, Chico and Damo, Chris Jameson and many others on this site, and Villa fans beyond.
Not forgetting Watford and Elton, respect from Wolves fans, then those England fans who recognised his effort and dignity in the face of terrible personal abuse from some of the media. Then there's the media, at pains to express their sadness at the passing of a respected colleague. The footballers who had a brief association with or who owe their career and almost their life to one man.
Then you realise it's not just you. You are just someone who had the honour and priviledge to have been touched by a man who will be deeply mourned.
And you appreciate how lucky you were.

[cheltenhamlion]

I can't be arsed to learn how to do links but have popped something up on the AVST website.

[littleoldme]

R.I.P A thoroughly decent and honest man,seems to be a rarity these days,God bless sir.

[Chris Harte]

Stunned by this news earlier today.

My favourite memory of him was at Everton in May 1990, what turned out to be the last game of his first stint in charge. I was on the thin away terrace and there must've been 8,000 - 10,000 Villa fans dotted around Goodison, all chanting "we want Taylor" over half an hour after the final whistle.

The fact we weren't celebrating winning the league didn't really matter. He'd taken the club on and turned it around in under three calendar years.

It really felt like we were back.

RIP Sir Graham.