By Chris Wright
Graham Taylor has denied speaking to anybody about being put under pressure by the FA to limit the amount of black players he called-up during his stint as England manager in the early 1990s.
The denial is in response to extracts in a new book – Pitch Black, written by Emy Onuora (brother of ex-Huddersfield and Gillingham striker Iffy) – in which former Birmingham City striker and Kick It Out campaigner Richie Moran claims Taylor once admitted he was pressured into observing an unofficial FA quota on black players during his time in charge of the national side between 1990 and 1993.
Moran (who eventually quit football due to the “institutionalised racism” he suffered during his career) is claiming to have had the conversation with Taylor at a function at Watford’s ground during the 1999/00 season at which the former was the guest speaker.
Recalling the conversation in Onuora’s book, Moran said:
“Graham Taylor came up to me and said: ‘Look, I’m going to tell you something … I’m never going to admit it, I will be sued for libel.’”
“He said: ‘When I was manager of England I was called in by two members of the FA, who I won’t name …’ I volunteered two names.
“He said: ‘I’m not prepared to say, but I was told in no uncertain terms not to pick too many black players for the national side.’”
However, Taylor has since told BBC Radio 5 Live that he has no memory of such an exchange taking place.
“I have no memory of that conversation. I never had any problem in regards to team selection concerning black players from the FA.”
“Certainly never during my time at the Football Association I had no FA people coming up to me and telling me which team to pick and to pick less black players. I would have remembered that.
“My record as regards the selection of black players at international and at club level is there for people to see. To have my name linked with that kind of thing is completely wrong.”
Taylor also told the Guardian: “That is not me trying to evade it – and it also doesn’t mean I didn’t say it.”
Moran then spoke to the Guardian on Wednesday night to refute Taylor’s denial, saying he has a “vivid memory” of the conversation taking place.
“I’ve mentioned it on numerous occasions,” he said.
“I’ve even had a cease and desist letter, I think seven years ago, from the FA. But I’m happy for them to sue me for two reasons. One: I don’t have any personal assets for them to take. And two: I’m telling the truth.
“I’m not saying for one moment that Graham Taylor had any intentions … all I’m saying is that that is a conversation I had with him. I have no reason to make it up.”
We imagine the legal fall-out of this may well get fairly ugly in the not-so-distant future, but if true – if members of the FA colluded to limit the number of black players in the England side, for whatever reason – then how truly, truly dismal.
Do we not like that.