Football supporters have walked through the gates of Molineux as part of a 270-mile challenge honouring the memory of Graham Taylor OBE, the former Wolverhampton Wanderers and England manager who died in January 2017 at the age of 72.

The route and the reason

The Taylor Trek Extreme set off on 23 September, connecting the grounds of the five clubs Taylor managed during his career. The walkers began at Lincoln City and, having arrived at Molineux on Monday, will continue to Aston Villa and Wembley before completing the challenge at Watford on 4 October.

The trek was organised by Watford FC's Community Sports and Education Trust, which has marked the anniversary of Taylor's death each year since 2017. This fifth edition was scaled up deliberately: five clubs to reflect five managerial posts, including the England job. Kristian Hitchins, the trust's head of business services and one of the walkers, said the ambition was to "do something a bit special" for the milestone year.

"That community ethos of getting players out into the community, of Graham himself getting out into the community and living those values, is something that we really hold dear at Watford," Hitchins told the BBC. He added that Wolves had given the group "a big welcome" on arrival in Wolverhampton.

Taylor's time at Wolves

Taylor was in charge at Molineux from March 1994 until November 1995, one chapter in a managerial career that also saw him take Watford from the Fourth Division to runners-up in the old First Division within five years, lead them to the 1984 FA Cup final, and guide Aston Villa to second in the First Division. He became England manager in 1990 and resigned in 1993 after the national side failed to qualify for the 1994 World Cup.

John Richards, a former player and now vice-president of Wolverhampton Wanderers, was on hand to greet the walkers at Molineux. "It's lovely to see people honouring his memory and his legacy like they are today," Richards said. "He was an honest, genuine person, gave his all and I think that's why he's so highly respected."

Wolves Foundation's welcome

Paul Berry of the Wolves Foundation, which helped receive the group at Molineux, drew a direct line between Taylor's approach and what the club continues to pursue in the wider community. "Graham Taylor was a manager who embraced clubs being such an important part of the community," Berry said. "He knew that results were what fans really wanted most of all, but also he felt it was really important that players, managers, coaches, staff got themselves out and about in the community and I think that's something he did throughout his career including here at Wolves."

That kind of language can sometimes serve as organisational window dressing, but the Taylor Trek carries a straightforward authenticity: it is a group of people walking a very long way to remember a man who, by most accounts, tried to do the job with some decency. The walkers still have the legs to Aston Villa and Wembley ahead of them before the finish line at Vicarage Road.

For Wolves supporters, it is a reminder of a managerial stint that pre-dates the club's more recent history but sits within the same communal ownership of the ground and the name. Taylor managed in difficult circumstances at Molineux; the respect the trek is drawing suggests that matters less than how he went about it.

Frequently asked

When was Graham Taylor manager of Wolverhampton Wanderers?
Graham Taylor managed Wolverhampton Wanderers from March 1994 until November 1995.
What is the Taylor Trek Extreme?
The Taylor Trek Extreme is a 270-mile charity walk organised by Watford FC's Community Sports and Education Trust in memory of former manager Graham Taylor OBE. The 2026 edition connects the grounds of all five clubs Taylor managed, including Wolves and England, over 12 days.
When did Graham Taylor die?
Graham Taylor died in January 2017 at the age of 72.