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FORMER Scottish football supremo David Taylor has died, it was announced tonight.

The 60-year-old, who had become chief executive of the UEFA Events with the European governing body, died back home in Scotland after becoming unwell while on holiday in Turkey earlier this month.

The father-of-two was treated in an Istanbul hospital before travelling home with his wife Cathy.

In 2011 Taylor suffered a near fatal heart attack as he left his office at UEFA HQ in Nyon, Switzerland for a football match against a FIFA team.

He stopped breathing before medics managed to revive him with a defibrillator machine.

Last night (TUE) SFA President, Campbell Ogilvie paid tribute to “astute, forward-thinking and passionate” former Chief Executive.

European football’s governing body UEFA confirmed the sad news after the 60-year-old had taken ill.

A Scotland supporter since childhood, David became the first Chief Executive of the Scottish FA in 1999, succeeding the long-serving secretary, Jim Farry.

Ogilvie said:”On behalf of his friends and former colleagues at the Scottish FA, and throughout Scottish football in general, I would to express our profound sadness at the tragic news of David’s death.

“I would also wish to send our deepest condolences to his wife Cathy, and their children James and Alan, at this dreadful time.

“David was a solicitor to trade 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.

“He was great company, had an astute business mind and a forward-thinking approach to the game that, allied to his patriotism as a member of the Scotland Supporters Club, helped take the Scottish FA forward administratively.

“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.”

He joined the Scottish Development Agency (now Scottish Enterprise) in 1985, and held a succession of senior positions before being appointed the first Director of Scottish Trade International - a body set up to promote Scottish business overseas - prior to his appointment to the Scottish FA.

Qualified lawyer Taylor was appointed UEFA general secretary in May 2007.

He became an executive director at the European football governing body, making him one of the most important administrators in the world game.

The Forfar-born executive was formerly Chief Executive of the Scottish Football Association, before moving to become Joint General Secretary of UEFA in 2007.

Taylor led Scotland and Ireland’s failed bid to win the right to host the European Championships in 2008.

He began the campaign in 2001, but the bid eventually lost out to one by Austria and Switzerland.

Born in 1954, Taylor was educated at the High School of Dundee before graduating from the University of Edinburgh with a degree in law.

He qualified as a solicitor and practised law until 1985, during which time he added to his legal qualifications with an MSc in Economics and an MBA.

Taylor was seen as a safe pair of hands in the administration of football and was widely respected for his honesty and integrity across Europe and beyond.

He successfully lobbied for more teams to qualify for the European Championships Finals - unashamedly to help Scotland and other smaller nations have a better chance of qualification.

In March Taylor came out in favour of independence, saying his experiences of travelling to other countries for football had made up his mind.