News: GT's Tracksuit Up For Museum Object Of The Year
01/30/2025 07:45 AM
Graham Taylor’s iconic black Umbro tracksuit has been nominated for the 2025 Hertfordshire Museum Object of the Year.
The object has been has been chosen as the entry for the Watford Museum, with 21 other museums from across the county also entering - you can vote HERE.
GT’s tracksuit serves a tangible reminder of a period of unprecedented success for the Golden Boys, spearheaded by his stewardship combined with the visionary influence of club chairman Elton John.
Taylor masterminded the club's remarkable rise from the Fourth to the First Division in just five years, from 1977 to 1982, before finishing as league runners-up in 1983 and reaching the FA Cup final in 1984.
This culminated in Watford’s European debut when they faced FC Kaiserslautern, from West Germany, in the UEFA Cup in September 1983.
The match, which was held at Vicarage Road, saw the Hornets win 3-0 thanks to goals from George Reilly, John Barnes and Wilf Rostron.
The tracksuit was a gift from Taylor himself, presented to a devoted supporter in 1983, to mark the club’s historic qualification for the UEFA Cup.
Attached to the tracksuit, with a Watford tricolour pin was a heartfelt handwritten note, reading: “For having complete faith in our ability to get into Europe, all my love, Graham.”
Throughout his managerial career, Graham Taylor was often seen sporting a tracksuit - a choice emblematic of his hands-on, down-to-earth approach to the game.
Taylor was not the type of manager to sit back and delegate; instead, he was actively present on the training ground, demonstrating drills and offering real-time feedback, a testament to his commitment to the sport and his players.
The tracksuit will be a centrepiece of the new Museum of Watford's "Legends of the Club" display, a timeless testament to a truly golden era in the club’s history.
Voting closes at midnight on Monday 17th February 2025 - you can cast a vote by clicking here, or by visiting the following link - https://hertfordshiremuseums.org.uk/object-of-the-year-2025.aspx.
The winner will be announced on Thursday February 27 at the annual Hertfordshire Museums Awards.
