Graham Taylor (1990 - 1993)

Full Name:
Graham Taylor
Born:
15th September 1944, Worksop
Notes:
Graham Taylor began his football career as an apprentice with Scunthorpe United before making his senior debut as a full-back for Grimsby Town in 1962. In 1968, he transferred to Lincoln City for £4,000, but his playing career was cut short in 1972 due to a serious hip injury.
Taylor transitioned to management at the young age of 27, taking charge of Lincoln City later that same year. He led the team to promotion to the Football League in 1972 and won the Fourth Division title in 1976. In 1977, Elton John, the chairman of Watford, hired Taylor to manage the club. Under his leadership, Watford achieved an extraordinary rise, moving from the Fourth Division to the First Division in just five years. In their first season in the top flight, Watford finished as runners-up and reached the third round of the UEFA Cup the following year.
In 1987, Taylor moved to Aston Villa, who had just been relegated to the Second Division. He successfully guided them back to the First Division on his first attempt and secured a runner-up finish two years later. Following the 1990 World Cup, Taylor was appointed as the manager of the England national team.
Taylor's tenure with England was challenging. Although he managed to qualify for Euro '92, the team’s performance in the tournament was underwhelming, scoring only once in two draws and a defeat. During the final game, a 2-1 loss to Sweden, Taylor faced harsh criticism from the English press for substituting Gary Lineker, earning the derisive nickname "Turnip" from The Sun. The 1994 World Cup qualifying campaign was even more disappointing, with losses to Norway and the Netherlands and an embarrassing early goal conceded to San Marino. England failed to qualify for the World Cup, leading to Taylor's resignation under intense media pressure.
After his stint with England, Taylor managed Wolverhampton Wanderers and had second spells at both Watford and Aston Villa. He retired from management in 2003 but remained active in football, serving as chairman of Watford and engaging in various charitable activities. Graham Taylor passed away unexpectedly from a heart attack in January 2017 at the age of 72.

England Match Statistics

  • Match Type
  • Played
  • Won
  • Drawn
  • Lost
  • For
  • Against
  • FriendlyFR 14 9 3 2 21 10
  • World Cup QualifierWCQ 10 5 3 2 26 9
  • European Championship QualifierECQ 6 3 3 0 7 3
  • European Championship FinalsECF 3 0 2 1 1 2
  • United States CupUSC 3 0 1 2 2 5
  • England Challenge CupECC 2 1 1 0 5 3
  • Competitive 24 9 10 5 41 22
  • Home, Away or Neutral
  • Played
  • Won
  • Drawn
  • Lost
  • For
  • Against
  • Home 15 9 5 1 31 9
  • Away 19 9 5 5 29 20
  • Neutral 4 0 3 1 2 3
  • Totals
  • 38
  • 18
  • 13
  • 7
  • 62
  • 32

Sources

  • 169 sources from 38 matchesSelect from match list to see sources.

Match List