Graham Taylor says Watford’s decision to name their new stand after Sir Elton John is only right following the Hornets honouring their former manager on Saturday.

Sir Elton, as chairman, and manager Taylor guided Watford from the old Fourth Division to second place in English football’s top flight, and into Europe, in the space of six seasons between 1977 and 1983.

The following year they also reached the final of the FA Cup, arguably the club’s greatest achievement.

On Saturday the Hornets officially renamed the Rous Stand after their greatest manager, with it becoming The Graham Taylor Stand, and the new East Stand, which is close to completion, will be named after Sir Elton.

Taylor said: “Nothing could please me more. It would be wrong in my view to only have a stand named after me and for me to be the only one recognised for that successful period.

“For the two stands to be looking across at each other is fantastic.

“I am as pleased about the club naming the stand after Elton as I am about them naming one after me.”

The club approached Sir Elton about opening the new stand when it was fully complete on Boxing Day and expressed a desire to rename the structure after the 67 year old.

He welcomed the decision but was unable to attend the Wolverhampton Wanderers match so the club are now officially opening The Sir Elton John Stand on Saturday, December 13 when the Golden Boys face Wigan Athletic, the club managed by former Hornets boss Malky Mackay, who spoke regularly with the singer and is still in touch.

The 3,000-seater stand has cost the club around £4.4m and increases the attendance of the stadium to more than 20,000.

A section of the one-tiered structure is already in use by supporters.

December 13 will be the first time Sir Elton has returned to Vicarage Road since the concert he held to raise money for the club in 2010, which added £600,000 to their transfer kitty and was partly used to sign Troy Deeney, who is now valued at more than £10 million by the club.

Sir Elton was brought up in Pinner and is a life-long Watford fan. He was elected as vice president in 1973, before joining the board a year later, when he also hosted a fund-raising concert.

He became the majority shareholder in 1976 and was made chairman the following year, when he hired Taylor.

Sir Elton’s official involvement with the Hornets ended in 1990 when he sold his majority shareholding, keeping the figurehead role of honorary life-president, a position he still holds today along with Taylor.

He returned as chairman in 1997, with his arrival announced by Taylor in front of the Vicarage Road faithful, and the pair guided the club to consecutive promotions, back into the top flight.

The Golden Boys were ultimately relegated though, and in 2002 Sir Elton stood down due to his touring commitments.

The young boy who used to stand on the terraces watching Cliff Holton, went on to become the third most successful musical artist in American history, with only Elvis Presley and The Beatles selling more.