I HAVE Graham Taylor to thank for the most special moment in my football career — an England debut.
It came in February 1992 against France at Wembley.
I had been doing well for Southampton and also in the Under-21s side when I got a letter confirming I had been called up to the full squad.
Graham could tell I was a bit hyper with the whole situation, so he took me to one side to calm me down.
He told me to just do what I had been doing. It sounds obvious, I know.
But I did that with the opener against the French and Gary Lineker came on alongside me to score the second.
It was the start of something special for my country, although I was not convinced I was going to the Euros in Sweden that summer.
In fact, after our last warm-up match against Brazil at Wembley, I knocked on Graham’s door to ask him if I was on the list.
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He sat me down and talked to me for half an hour — but still would not tell me if I was in or out before I was announced in the squad.
Things did not go well in Sweden, or the 1994 World Cup qualifiers, which I was mostly injured for.
So was he a failed England manager? Well tell me who have been the real success stories?
What I do know is that he was a man who loved his football — and one I respected greatly.
Graham’s presence on the touchline, in the press box, or in quiet company will be sadly missed.