Former England manager Graham Taylor dies from suspected heart attack aged 72

Sports reporter(wp/es):

Former England manager Graham Taylor has died aged 72.

Taylor, a legend at Watford who took the Hornets from the bottom tier to almost the summit of English football, died in the early hours of Thursday.

It is believed he had suffered a heart attack.

Taylor was a defender for Grimsby and Lincoln City in a playing career that was cut short by a serious hip injury. 

He began his managerial career at Lincoln and spent two stints at both Watford and Aston Villa. Taylor managed the Three Lions for three years from 1990.

A family statement said: "With the greatest sadness, we have to announce that Graham passed away at his home early this morning of a suspected heart attack.

"The family are devastated by this sudden and totally unexpected loss."

The FA tweeted: "We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former England manager Graham Taylor."

Taylor made his name at Vicarage Road, leading Watford from the old Fourth Division to runners-up in the First Division in five seasons.

He also took them to the 1984 FA Cup final, which they lost 2-0 to Everton.

Taylor then took the Villa job in 1997 and led them to second spot in the First Division, prompting a call from the FA after Bobby Robson left the job.

In charge of the national side, Taylor lost just once in his first 21 games, but defeat to Sweden at Euro '92 meant England failed to get out of the group.

That loss - in which he substituted Gary Lineker in what was the striker's final England game - saw the press turn against Taylor, with his face superimposed on a turnip under the headline Swedes 2 Turnips 1.

Subsequent failure to qualify for the 1994 World Cup ultimately cost him his job as England boss. 

After a brief period at Wolves, Taylor returned for a second spell at Watford, where he recovered his old touch with back-to-back promotions to the Premier League.

He left Watford following relegation a year later and announced his retirement, but was tempted back into the dugout by former club Villa.

It proved a short stint which Taylor later admitted he regretted. 

In retirement, Taylor spent his time working as a television and radio pundit for the BBC while also helping Watford through a period of financial difficulty.