The story I never wanted to write

[peter w]

Course he won't and to be fair - and it pains me to say this - that's the tabloid scramble for witty headlines and exposure for you. It was unfair and callous but the England manager was fair game. For every t****p phrase there was a 'Super Cally Go Ballistic...'. Move on and ignore just as I did then and correct every and any person who did and does refer to him as t****p. When he goes, MacKenzie's passing will be more akin to Thatcher's from her detractors than to a genuine and much missed Graham Taylor. Fuck MacKenzie - we'll have our memories and SGT will have his humility, dignity, and warmth of feeling from anyone he touched with his presence. Whether he knew it or not.

[fbriai]

Well done, Dave. As always.

[Fred]

Thanks Dave, you've hit the right note, perfectly.
I had always liked GT from long before he came to Villa, for his articulate and personable style.
From previous anecdotes from those who met the man in person he did sound like one of the world's good guys; the personal stories heard since his passing have only enhanced that.
As an aside, wasn't he a trained journalist himself?

No but his Dad was, that is why he had respect for Journalism. When asked if he would appear on Sports Report he said yes but can i phone my Dad as he will be so proud.

[cdbearsfan]

Course he won't and to be fair - and it pains me to say this - that's the tabloid scramble for witty headlines and exposure for you. It was unfair and callous but the England manager was fair game. For every t****p phrase there was a 'Super Cally Go Ballistic...'. Move on and ignore just as I did then and correct every and any person who did and does refer to him as t****p. When he goes, MacKenzie's passing will be more akin to Thatcher's from her detractors than to a genuine and much missed Graham Taylor. Fuck MacKenzie - we'll have our memories and SGT will have his humility, dignity, and warmth of feeling from anyone he touched with his presence. Whether he knew it or not.

I did glimpse at the Sun website... just to see if there was anything approaching am apology for the way they treated him. Of course there wasn't.

He was about third story down on the page. At the top of the page was an article about an assault on the Torino goalkeeper under the heading "HART ATTACK". Now, I'm not suggesting that was a deliberate dig, but you'd think some fucker might have cottoned on that the layout was in pretty poor taste.

[olaftab]

Despite the sad event that is a wonderful article Dave.

[Baldy]

Thanks Dave. An excellent tribute to a true gentleman.

[Clark W Griswold]

Platt, Yorke and McGrath all signed within a couple of years of each other and all for a combined fee of less than £750,000, a relative pittance even then. Two became footballers of the year (and McGrath probably the equal of any player in the world in his position for a few years) and one a mainstay in a treble winning team (unfortunately not us) which included the European Cup. Few managers in history can surely boast picking up and nurturing that level of quality for such little money.

[mal]

A lovely tribute Dave, thank you for that. As eloquent as we have come to expect and spot on as usual.
RIP Graham Taylor.

[OzVilla]

Well said. I'm really surprised by how upset i am by this news.

I met him a couple of times briefly 28 years ago but I feel like ive just lost a friend.

[castlefields_villan]

Superbly worded piece of work Dave - he was a wonderful man, the football world is worse off for us losing him.

Not sure if others have mentioned it, but one thing I always think of is how he was (nearly) always smiling, even in adversity.  I still say he got a rough deal as England manager ( I've already mentioned the appalling decision that cost England a place in USA 1994) and wonder if he regretted giving up a team that probably would've challenged for the league tittle again in 1990-91, when all he got was hassle when managing England, despite as I remember it - only having one really bad result - the loss to Norway - and the way he got slated in press the next day was nothing short of disgraceful.

Also, I loved his humorous side - again not sure if it's been mentioned - anyone remember him singing Jerusalem - think it was George Gavin playing it as a way to encourage all things Villa.

RIP Sir Graham

[oldtimernow]

Like us, Villa till we Die now a Holte-ender in the Sky

[OzVilla]

Goodison away in May 1990.

I'll never forget that, probably the best away day ive ever been on (and I've been on alot) and that was all because of SGT.

[flybo]

Fantastic and thank you

[Brend'Watkins]

 I still say he got a rough deal as England manager ( I've already mentioned the appalling decision that cost England a place in USA 1994) and wonder if he regretted giving up a team that probably would've challenged for the league tittle again in 1990-91, when all he got was hassle when managing England, despite as I remember it - only having one really bad result - the loss to Norway - and the way he got slated in press the next day was nothing short of disgraceful.

I doubt he regretted taking the England job.  He would have seen it as a privilege even though he may have thought he could have gone on to win something with us.  The England opportunity may not have come round again.

[PeterWithe]

I'm not a big fan of a lot of the national press but I'm not sure that they are air-brishing over his time at Villa as such, on a national level it probably just didn't register as such a big achievement compared with his taking Watford to D1, I guess its really only us locals who really understood what a mess we were in when he arrived and the difference he made. To those outside the area it was probably just seen as him halting the slide of a big club and putting it back on a more secure footing.

I've been thinking about any other managers who were revered by fans of different clubs and came up short.