there's only one graham taylor

It seems that in the complicated world of professional football two things are exceptionally simple. The first is to score against the Blues. The second is to attack Graham Taylor. The media told us he was a turnip, all English football's ills are down to him and Wolves would be in the top flight if Taylor hadn't tripped them up at the final hurdle. It pisses me off, so God knows what it's like for him and his family.

The latest in a long line of snipers - people who share two things, a desire to abuse Grahain and a failure to attain anything like the heights he has is Mark 'Loyalty' MeGhee. He wrote that the squad he inherited was "short on both physical and mental strength and were under-coached". He talked about ten years of failure at Molineux, although why he stopped at ten is beyond me. He then backtracked and claimed it wasn't an attack on anyone, though. That's alright, then.

Taylor, as usual, brushed aside these insults with dignity. Wolves fans, for their part, saw McGhee's statement as an attack on Graham Turner and jumped to his defence. Well, having had the benefit of both Grahams at Villa Park, I can tell the Old Golden Boys that they were spot on to ditch Turner when they got out of the lower reaches but screwed up big time when hounding Taylor out of Wolverhampton. As for McGhee, I've seen a few Wolves matches and to say the jury is still out is an understatement.

But enough about another club who call themselves a sleeping giant. It is their erstwhile manager I want to talk about. I'm sure that a number of Villa fans like to join in the jibes directed at Graham Taylor. Fortunately, I have never heard them. Whenever I think of the man, I remember a genius who took over an out of control, unmanageable club and guided them to their highest position since 1982 and who wouldn't stand for any interference from the boardroom. Whatever he has done elsewhere, he wiII always have my undying gratitude for that.

The saddest fact about Taylor's reign is that when he was nabbed by the FA, Ellis let all the good work slip. If anyone thinks it unfair to lay the blame at the feet of the chairman, take a good look at the 1990-91 season and then tell me it was all the fault of Doctor Jo. That said, at least in 1987 Ellis made the right appointment and then let him manage. But Taylor never had the cash which Atkinson and Little have had, Instead he built up a team which competed with the very best. Without any disrespect, there were some very ordinary players in our runners-up squad. Price, Gage, Birch, Ormondroyd. Hardly world class, but they gave their all for Taylor and the Villa. Indeed, if you could have taken the skill of Atkinson's squad and mated it with the commitment to the cause of Taylor's we would have been unstoppable and now saving up for a fourth successive European Cup Final trip.

He also unearthed the odd gem. Take Tony Daley. Graham Turner, hero of the Wolves fans, took him out of the youth team far too early. That not only stunted Arfa's progress, but also lost us Brian's services as youth coach. It wasn't until Taylor got hold of Daley that he produced his best. Taylor was the only man who would take the risk with Paul McGrath. That move is still paying the most massive of dividends for us. At exactly the same time, he bought Kent Nielsen. "Who he?" when he came. "Why sell?" when he left. A brilliant stopper, a thunderous shot and a spit that was truly awesome.

Who can ever forget the 1990 midfield? Sid was still doing it - and remember, Taylor brought him back to Villa Park. Then there was Platt, arguably the best and most productive midfieider in the world when at Villa Park. Remind me, all you Tayor-bashers, who it was who discovered Dario Gradi's gem. And wasn't it Ron Atkinson who outed him at Old Trafford and Villa Park?

On top of all that it was Taylor who introduced the three centre-back system to the Villa. He did the same for England, but his wing-back system was the butt of many media jokes. Nowadays I am sure he had a wry smile when those same scribes inform their readers that the wing-back way is the only answer at the highest level.

For those who remain unconvinced about Tayloi's pedigree, can there really be much wrong with a man who Paul McGrath credits with saving his career? Is Taylor really the ogre he is portrayed when one considers the youth system he introduced to Villa Park is still reaping such rich rewards today? And that's without mentioning Taylor's greatest gift to us; the purchase of one Dwight Yorke.

As the great man returned to Watford, he left behind a message to the Midlands which brings a lump to the throat. In it he says "Thanks to all the Villa fans. Nothing pleases me more than to see how well the club is doing To think we were second.from bottom of what is now the first division in 1987. What a smashing three years it turned out to be. "

You're not joking, Graham. You lifted the club out of an abyss. You turned round three years of hopeless mismanagement and managed the unmanageable. You gave the lion back its pride. You put in place so much which is still of great benefit to the club. And you thank us. I think it should be the other way round. Cheers Graham and good luck at Watford. You'll always be welcome in B6.

Simon Page