Watford legend Gibbs recalls life playing for Graham Taylor
An early summer afternoon in the mid 70s at a small football stadium that had spent the vast majority of its life hosting matches in the bottom rungs of the Football League – and looked every bit a low-grade sporting venue.
Picture that image in your mind.
It was 46 years ago today, June 27, 1977, that Graham Taylor and Elton John shook hands on a deal that brought the former Lincoln manager to Vicarage Road.
They sat chatting in front of the old ‘main stand’ that day, and photographers captured the pair looking relaxed and at ease.
Surely even the pair of them didn’t know what the following decades would bring?
Three promotions, an FA Cup Final, European football – one of football’s backwaters was catapulted into the limelight by an ambitious and passionate chairman working alongside an innovative and precocious manager.
Everyone has their own memories of GT, be it player, coach, staff member or supporter.
Someone with more stories than many – plus particular reason to be grateful to Taylor – is club legend Nigel Gibbs, who made nearly 500 appearances for Watford after being given his debut as a teenager by him in 1983.
Gibbs playing in 1999 (Image: Action Images)
In an article for The Coaches’ Voice website, Gibbs tells his story and shares his memories of playing for and working with GT.
“His thing was being professional. Whether it was a warm-up, a gym session, a running session or a football session, you had to do it to your maximum. That was how he described being a professional – attention to detail,” said Gibbs.
“He took an interest in every department. His knowledge of how the club was running was second to none – he knew everything, and that was the club’s strength. We were one club.”
Gibbs’ debut came in a UEFA Cup tie, and he was only told he was playing on the morning of the game.
“We lost, but he said I did well, and that was good enough for me. Then I was back in the youth team on the Saturday – there was no getting above my station,” Gibbs reflected.
Gibbs managed Watford Reserves to a league title (Image: Action Images)
Taylor was the pioneer of making Watford a true community and family club, and Gibbs recalls that every player knew how important that was.
“He wanted you to be part of the community. To do your shopping locally, and have humility,” he said.
“We used to play cricket, pre-season, against local teams. Every year we’d play three local teams, building up the fanbase and the community spirit. The lads walked down to the local shop to buy a roll at lunchtime. All of that was a massive part of our success.”
Gibbs revealed he had the chance to join Taylor at Aston Villa when he went to manage the Midlands club in 1987, but he remained a one-club man and stayed at Vicarage Road after his playing days were over.
He has since had coaching roles at clubs such as Reading, Swansea and Tottenham, where he is now working in the Academy having had a stint supporting caretaker first-team manager Ryan Mason.
In the dug-out at Tottenham (Image: Action Images)
The full-back says that Taylor was instrumental in his career, on and off the pitch.
“I owe him a lot,” he said.
“He signed me as an apprentice, as a pro, gave me my debut, and played me regularly. He gave me advice along the way, and was on the end of the phone if I wanted to call him – even when I wasn’t at the club and he was chairman. He would do that to any player to help in any way he could.”
To read the full Nigel Gibbs’ article about Graham Taylor on The Coaches’ Voice, click here[1].
References
- ^ click here (www.coachesvoice.com)