Taylor made

Former England coach takes charge at Aston Villa

BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) -- Graham Taylor returned to Aston Villa Tuesday, signing a two-and-a-half year contract to manage the club he left 12 years ago to become England boss.

Taylor, 57, returns to coaching after retiring as Watford manager last year -- the same year he was made a member of Aston Villa's board of directors. He replaces John Gregory, who quit 12 days ago and took over at relegation-threatened Derby.

"I would have regretted later in life turning down an opportunity I did not think would come, managing a leading Premiership club," Taylor said.

Taylor said he was offered the job Friday and accepted it Sunday evening. His first match in charge is the home game against Chelsea on Saturday.

"I decided to retire from football after Watford because I thought I had taken them as far as I could," he said. "The relationship I have with that club meant it was unlikely I was going to be dismissed. I never anticipated I was going to have the chance to manage a leading club."

Villa chairman Doug Ellis said Taylor had "come home".

"I know Graham as well as anyone in the hierarchy of football. I know that since he was nine he wanted to be manager of England so reluctantly we allowed him to go to the Football Association to be manager of England.

"We know each other inside out and will continue to work well.

"Knowledge of the club gives us all a head start. As a non-executive director, Graham knows the current workings of the club and his return to management allows us to create a platform for the future based on sound knowledge of the club."

Taylor is best known for guiding Watford from the fourth division to the first division, an FA Cup final and European competition in five years from 1978.

After success with the Hornets, Taylor took over second division Aston Villa, helping them to promotion to the top flight. Villa finished second in division one in 1990 and Taylor left to manage England as the successor to Bobby Robson.

His three-year stint as England manager was not highly successful. England qualified for he 1992 European championship, but was eliminated in first stage.

After England failed to qualify for the 1994 World Cup, Taylor was ridiculed in the tabloids as a "turnip." He ended his stint as England coach with 18 wins, seven defeats and 13 draws from his 38 internationals.

 

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