Mcclelland Remembers Taylor

The former Watford defender, featured in this week's club programme, reflected: 'I was honest with players, keeping an ever open door.

'I remembered later that, when I was at Watford, Graham Taylor would say if you had a problem on Monday, I will see you on Friday.

'Looking back, it was a sensible way of going on. If it is serious, you don't mind waiting until Friday.

'And going to see the manager on Friday afternoon, with all the traffic problems when you left, well it had to be important or you would not bother.

'I had players coming in all the time over trial things. I thought you could tell them why they were dropped and all would be understood, but it was an emotinal thing.

'I could argue with them and be okay with them the next day, whereas a lot tended to carry grudges.

'It was a bit of a crash course. The first year was okay but the next year they didn't listen. It was hard to move them on.

'Three teams out of 12 got relegated and, as things were not going well, I said to the chairman I can do without this. I now realise how hard the job is.'

Macker went to Perth as player-coach but the manager soon left and the chairman told him he had planned McClelland's appointment 'from the start'.

McClelland said: 'The fans didn't like me from day one. I didn't know the Scottish scene that well, which was a bit of a headache. Graham would have a dossier.

'So I was up and down the motorways every night and then you get a supporter asking what are you doing all week?

'All that, and you are trying to play as well. Managers are a different breed.'

I understand that, in a recent Evening Standard Property Section of Diary of an Estate, it was revealed that he received an offer of just under £1m for a five-bedroom semi. Apparently it came from an ex-Israeli international, who has also played for Liverpool and Spurs.

Now, I would hate to jump to conclusions as to the identity of the man with the near £1m house about half a mile from Golders Green and bordering on the upcoming West Hampstead area.

Perhaps if it was confirmed it had a phone in each room, I might actually be 100 per cent certain of the identity.

Fans criticise the Vicarage Road end facilities, but it was a definite trip back in time to The Dell.

The facilities are definitely circa 1950's. To add to the discomfort of Watford fans, the gutter came apart, pouring rain on them during the game.

I don't know what would have happened in the Pressbox where there was no room for a cat, let alone to swing it.

'Hornet Hotline anchorman, Mike Vince, had to stand for the duration and, while interviewing Graham Taylor after the game, a bulb in the adjacent Sky TV equipment exploded like a pistol shot.

'First shot you have had this afternoon,' quipped the cameraman to a Watford official.

A Watford fan is irritated by Graham Taylor's assertion that this season proved he does not walk on water.

'He's not getting away with that,' fan Steve told me. 'He does walk on water, he just doesn't do it on choppy, Premiership water, yet.'

When the Watford boss was asked about how the players will cope back in the Premiership, he answered the national pressmen, who then asked how Steve Palmer would cope.

'People like Palmer will not let us down at all. I will be pretty confident of the ticks against certain players, the questions marks for others and the crosses that are already against the rest.'

Ironic that the town crier, who is on duty at Vicarage Road (see facing page) on Sunday, representing the oldest form of communication, should be contacted by Yorkie, on the newest - his website.

The latest editions of the fanzine Clap Your Hand Stamp Your Feet and The Yellow Experience will be on sale on Sunday.

Both of them publicise the general intention of 'partying' at Middlesbrough, the final Premiership away game.

A grand total of 175 We're out of your league! T-shirts have been sold to fans making the trip (no more orders being taken).

One thousand yellow, red and black balloons, courtesy of The Yellow Experience, are available, together with 300 plastic kazoos, courtesy of Blind, Stupid and Desperate and Clap Your Hands, Stamp Your Feet are re-instating their annual Wear Your Shorts day.

Face-painting has been organised, and will take place at a pre-match hostelry to be announced.

Never mind the football, watching the fans should have passing interest, as Watford lay their travelling Premiership burden down by the Riverside.

Watford have their first pre-season friendly on August 2, away to Northampton, whose manager impressed Taylor.