Fans walk to remember ex-Wolves boss Graham Taylor

Football fans have embarked on a 270-mile challenge in honour of former club and England manager Graham Taylor OBE.

The Taylor Trek Extreme saw the group set off on 23 September, to collectively walk for 12 days along a route that connects four clubs he managed during his career.

On Monday, they arrived at Molineux Stadium, the home of Wolverhampton Wanderers, where Taylor was at the helm from March 1994 until November 1995.

The challenge started at Lincoln City. After leaving Wolverhampton the walkers will make their way to the grounds of Aston Villa and Wembley, before arriving at Watford on 4 October.

"It's lovely to see people honouring his memory and his legacy like they are today," John Richards, former player and vice-president of Wolverhampton Wanderers, told the BBC.

"He was an honest, genuine person, gave his all and I think that's why he's so highly respected."

The challenge was set up by Watford FC's Community Sports & Education Trust.

"That community ethos of getting players out into the community, of Graham himself getting out into the community and living those values, is something that we really hold dear at Watford," said Kristian Hitchins, the charity's head of business services who is taking part in the trek.

He added: "This year being the fifth year, we wanted to do something a bit special and as there were five clubs that Graham managed, including England, we thought we could walk that.

"Wolves have been absolutely amazing, they've given us a big welcome."

Paul Berry, of the Wolves Foundation said: "Graham Taylor was a manager who embraced clubs being such an important part of the community.

"He knew that results were what fans really wanted most of all, but also he felt it was really important that players, managers, coaches, staff got themselves out and about in the community and I think that's something he did throughout his career including here at Wolves."

Taylor died in 2017 at the age of 72. As a club manager, he led Watford from the Fourth Division to runners-up in the old First Division in five years, and to the 1984 FA Cup final.

He took Aston Villa to second in the First Division, returning to Watford and Villa after his spell in charge of the national side, and managing Wolves.

He became England boss in 1990 but resigned in 1993 after the team failed to qualify for the 1994 World Cup.

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