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Jack Meets . . .
We are what we are as a result of genetics. But experience and in particular, early happenings, play an important part of what we become. How much influence our teachers have may often be under-estimated. As we spoke, I wondered about Graham Taylor's early teachers.
Mr. Harry Fell, for instance, who looked after the football team and whose call from the sideline, whatever the state of play, "Come on you boys!" still rings clearly in his ears. And Mrs. Holmes, whose occasional disciplinary slap on the thigh (short trousers were the rule of the day in the third year) was more than enough to maintain order. Graham met fellow pupil Rita at his Grammar school when he was 13. They married seven years later and have two daughters, Joanne and Karen.
In the Lower Sixth his leadership potential was recognised and as a Prefect he was in line to become Head Boy the following year. But he had the urge to become a professional footballer. Word about his ambition soon went the rounds and summoned to ‘Jock' McIver, the head master, he was to receive the ‘biggest rollicking of his life'. His schooling, he was told, would be wasted. Not to be side lined Graham's mind was made up and with parents somewhat wary but fully supportive, he made his debut in the first team of Grimsby Town (2nd. Division) in 1962 earning £10.00 a week in the summer and £12.00 weekly in winter. Compared to the £8.00 a week including extra shifts that his brother-in-law was earning at the steel works, that was very acceptable. We could not resist considering current pay of Professional footballers and to suggest that, even taking into consideration their relatively short playing life and the risk of injury making such even shorter, it is well beyond what is reasonable, even obscene, fairly summed up our thoughts. Graham reflected the contrasting moods in the dressing room "pure ecstasy" after a win (as was his first match when they beat Newcastle United 2 - 1) and the "gloom and despair" which pervaded the room after a defeat. Playing full-back it is hardly surprising that in three hundred and eighty nine League games he is only able to claim three goals, but he was forced to retire as a player due to a hip injury in 1972. He is now able to forgive the former International, aware that he was then in his last days as a Professional, for ‘losing it' and causing a disabling injury in anger.
After only ten years playing ‘for real' and just 28 years old, Graham was fully committed to staying with the game. So having acquired his coaching qualifications and then after having been one of 24 pros playing for Lincoln, he became Manager of the remaining 23. In his first 11 games they drew nine and lost just two. Managers today are accorded less patience by their directors, let alone the team supporters. Then came the ‘best ten years of his life - so far' with Watford and Elton John as owner. At the height of their success and only the second professional club chosen to go to China, following a pre-tour visit to the Chinese Ambassador's residence and maybe just a little inebriated, Elton and Graham found time for a little carol singing. I would love to have been a fly on the wall when the occupier answered the door and saw who was singing, or attempting to sing ‘Once in Royal David's City'! From the 70's through to the 90's he became a well-respected and successful Manager of Aston Villa, Wolves and Watford, taking the latter all the way from Fourth Division into the First Division and Europe. As to Aston Villa under his guidance they went from runners up to the top and he was an obvious choice to be the England Manager when Bobby Robson left the post to join PSV Eindhoven. With still a year left of his current contract the new job was possibly the worst kept secret in football, which he described as a "delicate situation". When he did finally become England Manager, overseeing their first 12 games undefeated, with the thirteenth when playing at home to Germany at Wembley, beaten 1 - 0 there was not exactly euphoria. There is a rule among journalists that ‘dog does not eat dog' so suffice to say at this point that my memory of how certain sections of the Press vilified, scorned and belittled this passionate man who put his full heart and soul into the job, was really unacceptable - and their influence on England supporters equally so. Graham, like us all when we look back, would doubtless have done some things differently, but isn't hindsight easy? He describes the aftermath as the time he "hit the brick wall".
Precision Training claims to be Britain's number one specialist sports training aids brand, and is wholly owned by Reydon Sports. It is a one-stop place for a wide variety of training aids and more, and its products are used by clubs and individuals. In addition to items that one might expect to be included in the range such as goalposts, water bottles, tactic boards, markers and cones, first aid kits, whistles and more, there are others which were either new to me or at least that are less obvious but can add not simply to a team's portfolio but also to the ever more important bottom line of those who supply the end users.
Graham, as its ‘Ambassador' is passionate in his support of the brand and makes visits to schools promoting the product. He will be busy at the NEC Birmingham four-day show in June fervently believing that ‘Precision Training' is the ‘bedrock' of football.
Despite, or possible even benefiting from, the economic problems facing us, and taking advantage of the government's current emphasis on healthier living through activity, prospects for Precision Training look good. Graham suggests that if our political leaders were really serious about increasing awareness and participation in sport the Minister for Sport should be a Cabinet post, so maybe a copy of this edition of SGB should be on its way to Number Ten with this sentence highlighted. Time and money spent on sport by government and local authorities could pay dividends in the Nation's health and sporting achievement. How many pitches, for example, are pitched to size, taking account of the early ages of players? Six- to ten-year-olds playing on adult pitches does not make sense, and that is one of many issues we discussed.
"Women's football," Graham told me "is the largest growing sport in the UK." It may not (yet) draw the crowds but retailers are neglecting that sector of the market at their peril. The women's game is indeed slower, but their skill in turning, passing and general play is more easily appreciated. I had the distinct feeling, as we came to the end of our conversation that entering into the Precision Training market, Graham was in the process of fulfilling a new ambition. To enable young players to play with more skill, to make full use of their abilities, to understand team work and discipline too, all the better to enjoy the beautiful game. Only a very tiny minority will become stars in the public eye. But stars they will be, all the same, like Graham himself, as he put it, "Never forget where you came from." And in years to come some may recall the names of those who helped them, names like Graham Taylor. Graham's services to football were recognized in 2002 by the award of an OBE. He regularly commentates on Radio 5 Live and is a newspaper columnist. He has very recently become a non-executive Director back with Watford FC where he will hopefully be able to watch many games and see the club once more on the up and up. As I write, surgeons are due to have one last go at an Achilles operation - we wish him well.
"And if you could wave a magic wand and make a wish", I asked, "What would that wish be?" There was no hesitation. "England to win the 2010 Cup." he replied, adding "It will probably be my last chance to see that happen." Cheers Graham. That's precisely our train of thought too.
