A reminder of Graham Taylor's community legacy at Watford FC

Along with the impressive noteworthy mural of Graham Taylor there are beautifully written words so eloquently spoken by Graham himself. It was fitting and appropriate that the overseeing of the unveiling of the mural was carried out by his widow, Rita Taylor.

The mural reminds us once again of Graham’s ideas that football is a game for the people and the role it plays in our society. He would never lose sight of the fact that he, the players and the club always made that great effort to be successful but, most importantly, bring success for the supporters themselves.

In a chapter from Graham Taylor’s book In His Own Words he asks himself a question regarding the merits of his chosen career: “What is the point of professional football?” Football, he said, should be a form of entertainment, something that brings the community together and gives the whole town and surrounding areas a sense of pride in their local team. The great man added: “Yes, we could all carry on playing the game without the supporters, but there wouldn’t be anything like the sense of enjoyment and satisfaction when things go well”.

Over the last 15 months the sense of enjoyment and satisfaction of the Hornets promotion back to the Premier League was taken away from supporters by the virus. Graham Taylor was spot on when he spoke about the game without the supporters. The great man spoke numerous words of wisdom during his life time regarding leaving your mark in life. Those wise words of wisdom came from a thoroughly decent man of the highest integrity.

My sincere thanks go to Mrs Rita Taylor and her family for giving permission for the mural to be commissioned to always remind the supporters once again that Watford FC was the first football club to be known as a community club and that Graham Taylor gave the first lead to Watford FC becoming known as a community club.

Ernie MacKenzie,

Gammons Lane, Watford