Watford (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Watford fans paid a heartfelt tribute to their former manager Graham Taylor prior to Saturday’s Premier League home game with Middlesbrough.

Taylor, who also managed England from 1990 to 1993, died aged 72 on Thursday following a heart attack.

He led Watford from the fourth tier to the top division during the first of his two spells as manager and there were emotional scenes at Vicarage Road as fans remembered him.

Chants of “There’s only one Graham Taylor!” rang out during a minute’s applause in his memory, as images of him were displayed on the big screen, and fans could be seen wiping away tears.

Supporters in the ground’s Rookery End formed a mosaic in yellow, black and red — the club’s colours — that formed Taylor’s initials and a heart symbol.

Fans laid flowers, scarves and club shirts outside the ground and a black-and-white photograph of Taylor adorned the front of the match-day programme.

Writing in the programme, Watford’s chairman and chief executive Scott Duxbury said: “As one, together as a club, we were all utterly devastated to learn of Graham’s passing on Thursday.

“Together with (former chairman) Sir Elton John, Graham built Watford FC. We will treasure the legacy he created and honour him by continuing to develop this wonderful football club.”

Taylor also managed Lincoln City, Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers and had been working as a radio and television pundit in recent years.