Graham Taylor dies: Former Wolves stars and Kenny Jackett pay tribute
A host of Wolves players who played under Graham Taylor have paid tribute to the 72-year-old - as his protege Kenny Jackett called him an 'outstanding man'.
Taylor managed Wolves from March 1994 to November 1995.
He almost led them to promotion in his one full season in charge, with Wolves losing in the play-offs to Bolton.
Taylor laid the foundations for Wolves' academy and later convinced Jackett to take the Wolves job in 2013.
The pair had worked together at Watford and Jackett today told the Express & Star that Taylor was a father figure.
He said: "It's really sad news. He was an outstanding man personally and professionally.
"He was a father figure to so many of us at Watford FC."
A number of Wolves men to have played under Taylor have also spoken warmly of their former boss. It's widely considered that Taylor was wrongly hounded out too soon at Molineux. He would guide Watford from what is now League One to the Premier League in 1999.
Below we carry tributes in full from Steve Bull, Don Goodman, John De Wolf, Geoff Thomas and Andy Thompson.
Steve Bull
"He was a lovely man and a gentleman.
"He was a good manager to play under and I always say if he'd have stayed another year he'd have got Wolves to the Premier League.
"It was big news when he took over the club as he'd left England not long before.
"Him and Steve Harrison blended realy well together - Steve was the comical one and once the gaffer came in it was really serious.
"Everything with Graham was done by the book. He was big on timekeeping and professionalism.
"He was a disciplinarian but not an abusive one - it was just about respect.
"He also kicked off the academy at Compton and look at that now. He got the whole thing together.
"Everybody thinks he tried to sell me to Coventry City but he told me it wasn't him - he said he wanted to keep me but those upstairs wanted a bit of money and he was nothing to do with it."
Don Goodman
"I was in the gym when I heard the news. There was no sound on the TV but a picture of Graham popped up and I just got that horrible sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.
"It's devastating news. I only knew him for a short time but he had such an impact on me
"All of my thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.
"He achieved fantastic and miraculous things in football, particularly with Watford.
"You look at John Barnes, David Platt, he transformed these players into world superstars.
"He was a lovely gentleman and one of those people who would walk into a room and have an aura about them.
"The first time I was met him was in a pub in Wolverhampton on the Birmingham New Road when he wanted to sign me from Sunderland.
"We sat in the back of the pub out of the way and had a good chat about football. He sold his vision of Wolves to me.
