GLASGOW (AFP) ― Former UEFA secretary-general David Taylor has died aged 60, the Scottish Football Association confirmed on Tuesday. In a statement, the Scottish body said that their former chief executive had fallen ill, but no details were given.
Taylor became chief executive of the SFA in 1999, and was appointed secretary-general of European football’s governing body UEFA from 2007.
SFA president Campbell Ogilvie paid tribute to Taylor as “astute, forward-thinking and passionate.”
“David was a solicitor but it was his love of Scottish football and, in particular, the Scotland national team that stirred his passion during his tenure as chief executive,” said Ogilvie.
“It was no surprise to any of us who witnessed his work at close hand when UEFA came calling for his services as General Secretary in 2007.
“He has remained a friend and supporter of the Scottish FA and the game in general in this country and he will be dearly missed by all of us.”
In 2011 Taylor suffered a near fatal heart attack and stopped breathing before medics managed to revive him with a defibrillator machine.
Taylor joined UEFA after eight years as Scottish football’s chief and was the architect of the move to expand the European Championship from 16 to 24 teams.
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