Taylor's brush with death

GRAHAM TAYLOR revealed yesterday that he had come within a couple of hours of dying due to the throat abscess which required an emergency operation last month, writes Glenn Moore.

The Watford manager said he had been suffering from a sore throat for some time prior to his health suddenly worsening to the extent that, on Tuesday 10 November, he was coughing blood. His wife, Rita, rang his doctor who, fearing a heart attack, immediately summoned an ambulance.

It soon became apparent that the problem was an abscess in his throat which, combined with the effects of a chest infection, had swollen to the extent that it was blocking his windpipe. "It was a bit scary," Taylor said yesterday. "The doctor said I had two hours left and if my wife hadn't called they would not have got to me in time."

Nor did it end there. A week after being released the 53-year-old former England manager picked up a sinus infection, necessitating another 36 hours in hospital.

Having delegated management duties to Kenny Jackett and Luther Blissett, Taylor is slowly returning to work at the First Division club. He is also having speech therapy to correct a breathing problem which led to the development of the abscess. "It does put things in perspective," Taylor said. "None of us are indestructible."