Saracens returned to the top of the Premiership table after securing a late bonus point in their win at Newcastle.

Charlie Hodgson converted Samuela Vunisa's try and added two penalties to give Sarries a 13-3 lead at half-time, with Tom Catterick replying.
Hodgson then kicked two penalties after the break either side of Nick Tompkins' score from close range.
Fly-half Hodgson added a breakaway try late on before Billy Vunipola's score in added time sealed a bonus point.
Saracens remained the only unbeaten team in Europe this season and recorded their 13th consecutive victory over Newcastle Falcons in all competitions.
With new England head coach Eddie Jones in the crowd at Kingston Park, the north London side had to wait to be sure of victory as a kicking battle in the first half made for a scrappy game.
Newcastle, still without a league win this season, put pressure on Saracens' defence in the second half, but despite going through the phases they could not trouble the visitors' line.
It was from a Falcons attack that former England international Hodgson, who will retire at the end of this season, got the third try of the afternoon on 78 minutes after intercepting a loose pass and racing clear.
With the home side attempting to get on the scoreboard themselves in added time, a turnover and breakaway from Ben Ransom eventually allowed Vunipola to add Saracens' fourth score of the afternoon in the fourth minute of added time.
Newcastle director or rugby Dean Richards:
"I've not spoken to Eddie Jones, but I would have thought a lot of our guys should be in with a shout for England in the future, especially our hooker George McGuigan.
"It was 13-3 at half-time after we gifted them a try and, when it was 23-3, we started to push, made mistakes and conceded those two late tries.
"We started to chase the game and that fell right into their hands.
"They have a huge kicking game and they are very accurate in what they do. It enables them to sit back and wait and in the end their accuracy was far greater than ours."
Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall:
"It wasn't the most attractive of games.
"Newcastle came with a kicking plan and I was pleased with the patience and energy we showed.
"We stayed with it until the end and proved it's very important to be able to bring impact players like Billy [Vunipola] off the bench."
Newcastle: Tait; Agulla, Powell, Socino, Watson; Catterick, Young; Vickers, McGuigan, Welsh, Robinson, Green, Wilson, Welch (capt), Latu.
Replacements: Lawson, Rogers, Vea, Botha, Hogg, Takulua, Willis, Harris.
Saracens: Goode; Ellery, Tompkins, Taylor, Wyles; Hodgson, Spencer; Barrington, George (capt), Figallo, Itoje, Kruis, Wray, Fraser, Vunisa.
Replacements: Saunders, Vunipola, Du Plessis, Rhodes, Vunipola, De Kock, Streather, Ransom.
Referee: Andrew Small.
Attendance: 5,200.
For the latest rugby union news follow @bbcrugbyunion on Twitter.


Stormont ministers are often accused of waffling.

Today one admitted it.
Environment Minister Mark H Durkan fell victim to an open microphone after giving an assembly answer on the built heritage.
After sitting down he was overheard remarking to a colleague "that was pure waffle".
Shortly afterwards on Twitter, he held his hands up, tweeting: "Frustrated that I had been unable to give a better, more concise answer to an important supplementary question. I felt I waffled."
Later on, a veteran Alliance assembly member accused yet another minister of waffling saying he had taken too long to answer questions.
Kieran McCarthy called the performance by Health Minister Simon Hamilton "a disgrace".
He called on ministers to "give less waffle and more answers to get through the business".


Scott Hogan's double earned Brentford their first away win of the season and consigned Brighton to their first home defeat since New Year's Day.

Hogan raced on to Lewis Macleod's pass to fire home on the break - the first goal Albion had conceded at the Amex this season.
Tomer Hemed's close-range effort was hooked off the line by John Egan as Brighton threatened an equaliser.
But Hogan sealed the win in the second half with a left-foot finish.
The Seagulls had scored 10 goals without reply from three league and cup home games this term and carved out several chances, with Anthony Knockaert forcing Bentley into a low save and then heading straight at the keeper.
Brentford had won just once in their past six league trips to Brighton, but Hogan was a regular threat on the break, and was denied one-on-one by home keeper David Stockdale.
The defeat ended Brighton's 12-match unbeaten run at home, the longest in the Championship, and saw them drop to 13th, while the Bees have jumped to seventh.
Brighton manager Chris Hughton:
"We were beaten by the better side. Brentford kept the ball better and we didn`t impose ourselves on the game.
"There is no doubt that goals change games and it`s how you react afterwards. In this game it was important for the team who got the first goal and it made us a bit desperate in our game.
"Brentford were better on the ball but, from a defensive point of view, the first goal was very disappointing. The second goal was about individual quality from the lad Hogan."
Brentford manager Dean Smith:
"I am pleased with the result and the performance and Hogan will be disappointed not to have got a hat-trick.
"The better team won. We restricted a good team to a few chances and didn`t give them much time on the ball.
"Having seen Brighton in their previous two home games, I changed our system to 4-1-4-1 and it is very pleasing to be the first side to score at the Amex this season and first to win."
Match ends, Brighton and Hove Albion 0, Brentford 2.
Second Half ends, Brighton and Hove Albion 0, Brentford 2.
Attempt missed. Beram Kayal (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Lewis Dunk.
Beram Kayal (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Sam Saunders (Brentford).
Offside, Brighton and Hove Albion. Dale Stephens tries a through ball, but Jiri Skalak is caught offside.
Attempt missed. Shane Duffy (Brighton and Hove Albion) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Beram Kayal following a set piece situation.
Elvis Manu (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by John Egan (Brentford).
Substitution, Brentford. Sam Saunders replaces Josh Clarke.
Offside, Brighton and Hove Albion. Shane Duffy tries a through ball, but Anthony Knockaert is caught offside.
Attempt missed. Bruno (Brighton and Hove Albion) left footed shot from the right side of the box is high and wide to the left.
Attempt blocked. Glenn Murray (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Offside, Brentford. Nico Yennaris tries a through ball, but Josh Clarke is caught offside.
Jiri Skalak (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Sullay Kaikai (Brentford).
Foul by Glenn Murray (Brighton and Hove Albion).
Daniel Bentley (Brentford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Brentford. Sullay Kaikai replaces Lewis MacLeod.
Substitution, Brighton and Hove Albion. Jiri Skalak replaces Jamie Murphy.
Attempt missed. Jamie Murphy (Brighton and Hove Albion) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Bruno with a cross.
Attempt saved. Elvis Manu (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Bruno.
Attempt blocked. Josh Clarke (Brentford) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Scott Hogan.
Dale Stephens (Brighton and Hove Albion) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Dale Stephens (Brighton and Hove Albion).
Lewis MacLeod (Brentford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Elvis Manu (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Ryan Woods (Brentford).
Foul by Beram Kayal (Brighton and Hove Albion).
Lewis MacLeod (Brentford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Goal!  Brighton and Hove Albion 0, Brentford 2. Scott Hogan (Brentford) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Harlee Dean.
Attempt blocked. Andreas Bjelland (Brentford) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Lewis MacLeod with a cross.
Corner,  Brentford. Conceded by Gaëtan Bong.
Substitution, Brighton and Hove Albion. Dale Stephens replaces Oliver Norwood.
Foul by Elvis Manu (Brighton and Hove Albion).
Maxime Colin (Brentford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Romaine Sawyers (Brentford) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Nico Yennaris with a headed pass.
Attempt saved. Scott Hogan (Brentford) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Harlee Dean.
Foul by Glenn Murray (Brighton and Hove Albion).
Harlee Dean (Brentford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.


Aberdeen winger Jonny Hayes is facing up to a month on the sidelines after sustaining a hamstring injury.

The 28-year-old Irishman was withdrawn during the first half of Monday's 3-1 defeat at his former club Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
An influential player for the Dons, Hayes has scored five goals in 32 appearances this season.
Monday's loss in the Highlands leaves Aberdeen three points behind Premiership leaders Celtic.
"As anticipated, Jonny has a tear on his hamstring and the scan shows that he will he out for be for three weeks," said manager Derek McInnes.
"I don't think we'll get him back before then.
"We've lost important players at different stages of the season and it represents an opportunity for someone else.
"We know the importance of Jonny but we can't get too down about it."


Two men have been taken to hospital after a head-on collision on the on the A539 in Denbighshire.

The accident happened just after 17:30 GMT at Trevor, near Llangollen.
The men were taken to Ysbyty Glan Clwyd.
Their injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.


England's 2014 Rugby World Cup victory has helped participation in the women's game in the country increase by more than 70%.

In 2014, there were 15,000 registered participants playing every week - a figure that has risen by 11,000 two years later.
The figures formed part of the Rugby Football Union's announcement of a four-year plan for women's rugby.
This includes the England Women's team adopting the nickname the 'Red Roses'.
With 26,000 women and girls playing contact rugby, the RFU has surpassed its target of 25,000 one year ahead of schedule.
"We set ourselves an ambitious target when launching our strategy in 2014," RFU director of rugby development Steve Grainger said.
"We have created more playing opportunities in schools, clubs and universities, increased investment in facilities and strengthened our coaching base.
"We are also grateful to Sport England, whose financial support has contributed significantly to this growth."
He added there were more than 300 rugby clubs across the country with women's and girls teams, with opportunities to participate in sevens, the 15-player game and touch rugby.
"The England Women have also played a big role, driving interest in the game following their Rugby World Cup win in 2014 and exposing the sport to a wide audience through the sevens teams' participation in [the 2016 Olympics in] Rio and the strong performance of the 15s last season."
The national women's team will be adopting the 'Red Roses' nickname, although they will continue to be officially named and play as 'England Women'.
"The red rose encapsulates much of what it means to be an England player," RFU chief executive Ian Ritchie said.
"We wanted to create an identity for England Women that would inspire more people to get involved, whether playing or supporting the women's game.
"With more professional contracts, and ever-increasing investment in the women's game from grassroots to elite level, we feel this is a pivotal moment to shine a spotlight on the game in this country."
In a statement, the RFU said: "The rose, as the emblem of England Rugby, epitomises the unique qualities of England Women as strong, relentless and glorious."
Since England women lifted the Rugby World Cup in 2014, 20 professional full-time sevens contracts were introduced before the Rio Olympics. This year, England Rugby announced 48 professional contracts for 15-a-side and sevens players.
BBC Sport reporter Sara Orchard: "The New Zealand women have long been established as the Black Ferns and England's re-brand as the Red Roses will be part of establishing a more-dominant identity on the world stage.
"The RFU's commitment to women's rugby is streets ahead of the rest of the world when they became the first governing body to offer professional women's contracts in both XVs and sevens earlier this year.
"The only bone of contention will be that the England netball team is already known as the Roses, although it is likely both sports will be happy to bloom alongside one another."
England Women's upcoming fixtures:
9 November: England v France, Twickenham Stoop
13 November: Ireland v England, University College Dublin
19 November: England v New Zealand, Twickenham Stoop
26 November: England v Canada, Twickenham


More than 25 skeletons have been unearthed by archaeologists investigating the site of a medieval friary in the centre of Cambridge.

Archaeologists say the skeletons are in good condition and they expect to find as many as 40 in the coming weeks.
The land was home to a friary between 1290 and 1538, making many of the remains 450 years old.
The discovery was made in the university's New Museums site, which is about to undergo a major redevelopment.
It is currently home to the many of the university's science departments and examination halls as well as the David Attenborough building and the Museum of Zoology.
The team from the Cambridge Archaeological Unit (CAU) will spend the next four weeks on the site before renovations get underway.
Site director Craig Cessford said building work through the centuries has left a number of skeletons "chopped through".
He said: "The bones are really perfectly preserved apart from where early 20th Century foundations have chopped through them so in places you'll only get half a body.
"Even when the friary was in use they sometimes chopped through the burials - so it's not just in the modern period that the skeletons have been disturbed."
The Augustinian friary was founded in 1290 but fell victim to the dissolution of the monasteries in 1538 under Henry VIII.
"They come in, they set up their friary and mark off an area as a cemetery and they start burying people in nice neat rows," Mr Cessford said.
"Eventually, after 100 or 150 years they fill up their area and they just start back at the beginning again and we know they did that at least three times.
"It still has the potential for surprises."
The skeletons will now be processed, washed and studied by specialist osteo-archaeologists.
The CAU is working closely with the university's Department of Archaeology on a project called After the Plague, based around the discovery of around 400 skeletons in a burial site at Cambridge's Hospital of St John in 2010.
It's hoped the friary remains will become a "comparative collection", Mr Cessford added.


Peter McDonnell was a bricklayer from Liverpool, who travelled to Sheffield by car with a group of friends who all survived.

This is the full statement to the inquests from his sister, Evelyn Mills:
Peter McDonnell was born on 9 February, 1968. He was the oldest of four children, namely, Patricia, Evelyn and Gerard, born to Gerard and Lillian McDonnell.
He was cherished and, even at the age of 21, when he died, Peter was still fondly known as 'our baby'.
He was always an inquisitive child, who loved to learn. He never played with toys; just tools. He spent many weekends and summer holidays at the Liverpool Museum, learning about dinosaurs and fossils, to the amusement of siblings, as he felt it necessary to share all the facts that he had learned.
As the baby of the family, he was spoiled by our parents and our siblings. He would fall asleep on the couch and get carried to bed because he didn't like to be on his own.
Profiles of all those who died
He would often find his way into the end of somebody else's bed in the middle of the night, even up to the age of 14.
The house was always well stocked with his favourite things - cornflakes, Kit Kats, bacon, mushrooms - a habit that proved hard for our mother to break, even after his death.
As a child, Peter went to St Finbar's Nursery School and on to St Francis of Assisi Primary School and then on to St John Almond Secondary School. It was at school that he became interested in sports, swimming and playing football.
He used to play with his brother Gerard for the Vale FC, a local team. Before joining Vale FC, he played for a team in Garston. He also played for his school team.
Peter went to his first football game with his cousin, John Cooper, who was a steward at Liverpool. As we could not afford to pay for tickets, he went to quite a few games with John.
He even went to Wembley with him one year. When he was 19, John told him he could be his second in command on the coach.
Peter played football with our brother, Gerard, for the local team, which still holds an annual cup game in his memory and awards the Peter McDonnell cup at their presentation evenings.
Peter supported Everton until the age of 11, when he changed teams to Liverpool Football Club because of Gerry.
When he started going to watch football matches by himself, he used to go with one of his best friends, Paul, who was also an Everton supporter. This meant that they went both to Everton and Liverpool games together, supporting each other.
His teachers commented that he was always a pleasant and willing student who was good with his hands. This was evident at home as he regularly took things to bits and put them back together.
Gerard saved up for a watch once and, after he bought it, one day he came home from work to find that Peter had taken it apart. He told him he just wanted to see what it was like inside and he would put it back together.
Even until the day he died, he was still taking things apart. There is still a Walkman that remains in pieces at our home.
His passion was making things and building. He went to Old Swan Technical College and left with a City and Guilds Foundation in construction, studying industrial, social and environmental studies, industrial skills and practices, technology and science and communication studies.
He also completed a youth training scheme in Riversdale College, learning bricklaying, tiling, plastering and joinery.
After qualifying, Peter worked for several local builders and also travelled to South Wales to gain some building experience with his uncle. He aspired to have his own business and was eager to learn to drive so that he could get a van.
I gave him an IOU for driving lessons towards his 21st birthday present. He never got to use it.
As work dried up during the recession, he made his way to London to try and find employment. He got very homesick and would return home to visit, with regaling stories of what London was like and how there were homeless people living in Euston Station.
On one such visit he returned to London with several old coats to give to the homeless as he was passing through the station. He was away from home for around six months and, whilst working in Southend-on-Sea, his friend was injured and they both returned home.
At the time of his death, he had just secured a contract with Cruden Building & Construction, where Peter was employed at the time of his death.
Peter was an outgoing, fun-loving person who always had lots of friends. He enjoyed socialising, going to the cinema, fishing, playing basketball and he loved music and was always going to see live bands.
One of his favourite artists of the time was Peter Gabriel and he saved up to go and see him in concert.
You knew when Peter was in the house. He was always lively and full of fun. He did impressions and joked about everything. He made everyone laugh.
He was very close to his nieces. My daughter, Gemma, and I remained at the family home until Gemma was four years old before moving across the road, and Peter would take her to nursery and look after her for me whilst I was at work.
He was really protective of her and she took his death very badly.
He was also godfather to Patricia's daughter, Rachel. I remember Rachel was terrified of bare feet and every weekend at our house Peter would come down the stairs with no shoes on and she would scream.
He used to tease her, but she was scared stiff. She still says that she can hear his feet coming down the stairs to this day.
Every Saturday, Patricia would bring her three daughters to visit and Peter would play games with his nieces, having tea parties and giving piggyback rides.
After his death, Peter has gone on to have nephews and great-nephews.
Peter made a mark on people wherever he went. After he died, the house was never empty. Friends and neighbours came to pay their respects and stayed even after we had retired for the night. He was loved and he is severely missed.


Udemy, a platform for experts to sell educational courses, has been accused of not doing enough to remove stolen content from its service.

The site allows people to upload training materials and then charge Udemy users, of which there are more than seven million, for access.
But several experts and academics have expressed anger at finding their courses uploaded to the site and offered up for sale, without their permission.
Udemy, which raised $65m (£43.3m) in investment in June this year, responded by saying it relies on users flagging copyright infringing content and would review its procedures for doing so.
Rob Conery discovered that his programming courses had been reposted - but sometimes with identifying information intentionally removed.
"Piracy happens," Mr Conery said.
"But I've never seen it rewarded so openly… so brazenly.
"I work really hard on these videos and someone just stole it and is selling it on Udemy."
Udemy had been selling one of Mr Conery's courses for $15 (£10) - discounted from the usual $24 (£16). The deal was also being promoted in a Facebook advertisement.
The course had a five-star rating, and has had 923 enrolments, worth almost $14,000 (£9,300) at the discounted price.
In response to the complaints, Udemy said it takes copyright claims seriously and removes courses that are flagged up by the community.
However, to report instances of copyright infringement, users must first join Udemy - an obstacle described as "sleazy" by Mr Conery. A separate support email can be used by non-members, but this method of reporting content is not publicised clearly on the site.
Computer security expert Troy Hunt also found his material posted on Udemy. A course about ethical hacking - also now removed - was being sold for $47 (£31).
The Udemy version was identical to a course Mr Hunt had posted on an alternative site - although the Udemy version had the words "Hi, I'm Troy Hunt" removed from the beginning of the course.
Also, he had found that watermarks on the slides had been blurred out.
After being contacted by the BBC, Udemy responded to complaints in a blogpost.
It said no money had changed hands from the sale of Mr Hunt's course "as the fraudulent instructor had created coupon codes to allow students free access to the course".
The company added: "As an open marketplace of online content, we, like other platforms, face bad actors that seek to profit by stealing intellectual property and reposting it as their own.
"This is in clear violation of our terms of use and against every principle we hold as supporting open marketplaces.
"Our escalation team will be meeting after the holiday to review all of our copyright processes, including allowing people who do not have a Udemy account to use our flagging notification system."
Follow Dave Lee on Twitter @DaveLeeBBC


The BBC News website looks at key questions about the publication of school performance data in England.

What is school performance data?
School performance data is statistical information showing how well pupils in England have done in public examinations taken at key points in their educational journey.
Data is published for children's attainment in national curriculum tests, often known as Sats, which are sat at the end of primary school at age 10 or 11.
At secondary school level, data is published detailing pupils' performance in GCSEs (and equivalent exams) at age 16 and A-levels (and equivalents) at age 18.
Secondary schools are considered to be "underperforming" if fewer than 40% of their pupils get five GCSEs at grade A*-C, including English and maths, and if the school has a below average score for pupils making the expected progress between Key Stage 2 (end of Year 6) and Key Stage 4 (end of Year 11) in English and maths.
Only a pupil's first attempt at a qualification is included for league tables - this aims to stop schools repeatedly entering pupils for exams in order to boost their ranking.
The list of qualifications included for league tables includes only those the government says are of the highest, academic quality, and the number of non-GCSE qualifications that count is capped at two.
Yes. From next year, schools in England will be measured on what is known as Progress 8. Progress 8 will replace the five or more good GCSEs, including maths and English, benchmark as the key measure for all secondary schools.
Progress 8 assesses the progress pupils make between Key Stage 2 tests taken at the end of primary school and their performance in a specified mixture of eight subjects at the end of secondary school. Schools will be given a score based on how their pupils have progressed compared to the national average.
This year, schools were given the option to "opt in" for Progress 8 and 327 schools (around 10%) took this up.
Primary schools are considered to be "underperforming" if fewer than 65% of pupils get a Level 4 in maths, reading and writing, and pupils are not making the expected progress in these three subjects between the end of infants (age six or seven) and age 10 or 11, when they prepare to leave primary school.
In the past, only media organisations used the data to produce rankings in the form of school league tables.
But now the Department for Education effectively publishes tables, with a facility on its website that allows users to rank schools by different measures.
Wales and Northern Ireland abolished league tables in 2001, followed by Scotland in 2003.
Scottish exam data is still published online, but it is not in a format where schools can be easily compared.
Wales now publishes tables that place schools in one of five performance bands.
The performance data in league tables is used widely by parents to judge how well schools in their area perform.
Supporters argue the tables help drive up standards by increasing the accountability of schools and providing valuable information for parents.
Research carried out by Bristol University suggested the abolition of league tables in Wales had led to a drop in standards in the lowest 75% of schools.
Opponents say comparing schools in this way is too crude a measure of a school's quality, achievements and character.
They argue the tables often say more about the intake of a school than the teaching and learning that goes on there.
Increasingly, head teachers say the constant state of flux in the exams system makes comparisons between previous years less meaningful.
League tables are also thought to encourage competition rather than collaboration between schools in local areas and to lead to middle-class parents pushing to get their children into top schools, further driving down standards at less popular schools.
There are also suggestions children are pushed into subjects and choices that make the school look good, rather than broadening their education.
The tables show how well a particular year group of pupils at a given school has performed in tests or exams.
Most of the pupils will have started school a few years before taking the tests or exams, and there may have been changes of staff or policy at the school in the interim.
The tables do not include information about the more holistic elements of a school such as extra-curricular activities on offer - for example, sport and drama - or details about a school's pastoral care system.
Some of these details may feature in the school's Ofsted report.
It is always advisable to visit a school - most schools run open days or evenings for prospective pupils and parents.


Graham Taylor scaled the heights of the football world as England manager, but it was at Watford where he will be best remembered.

The mourners heading into church wore black.
But it was yellow and red that caught the eye in the crowds lining the streets outside.
The colours of Watford, the club where Graham Taylor had such a huge impact.
People gathered hours ahead of the service near St Mary's Church to pay their respects to the club's greatest ever manager.
Watford, where Graham Taylor's name is engraved on the Town Hall's wall and written large above a stand at the nearby Vicarage Road stadium.
"He's an absolute legend for the club, for the town, for Watford. I just can't say no more," said Watford fan Gary Armstrong, who had arrived early outside the church.
Famous faces from the football world arrived at St Mary's, which is just a few minutes walk from Vicarage Road.
They were joined by former players and officials from Watford and other clubs Taylor managed.
Aston Villa, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Lincoln City are all places where his passing has been strongly felt.
About 400 mourners were inside St Mary's while up to 1,000 more listened outside as the service was played out.
They heard from his daughters Karen and Joanne, as well as his three grandchildren. The crowd sang along outside to football's hymn Abide With Me.
It was almost 40 years ago that Taylor first arrived in this town on the edge of London.
He steered the club from the old Fourth Division to runners-up in the top league and into Europe.
And then a day out the FA Cup Final in 1984, remembered for the tears shed by his chairman Elton John after a 2-0 defeat.
The music legend could not be at the funeral in person but commentator John Motson read a statement on his behalf.
He described him as "like a brother". Elton John said the pair were an unlikely twosome, Batman and Robin, an unstoppable force of nature who would go to the stars and back with Watford.
Their terrace song "Elton John's Taylor-made army" can be heard in the stands again, along with chants of "There's only one Graham Taylor".
The same words are written on the recently closed One Bell pub next to St Mary's Church, along with a number of famous quotes by Taylor.
None sum the man up quite so well as when he replied to a question about the subs bench at Watford being open to the elements.
"When the supporters are shielded from the rain, we shall be too," he said.
They say in football you should never go back. But Taylor returned to the club in the late 1990s, again taking them to the top division. And he later joined the boardroom. A steady influence during tougher times for the club.
His impact didn't just stay within the limits of Vicarage Road, Taylor was passionate about the community and made his players volunteer in the town.
And Taylor's great legacy at Watford was making the club more accessible to families and children.
He was a true local hero which was recognised in 2001 when he was given the Freedom of the Borough.
"He put Watford on the map and the town became a nicer, safer, friendlier sort of place. It seemed to rub off," said Jenny Scott, who has lived in Watford all her life.
"He was known as Mr Watford. Yes he moved away. But he's come back to be laid to rest and I think the town appreciates that."
It was a homecoming that began last year when Taylor and wife Rita moved back to Hertfordshire.
And just a few weeks before his death he wrote in his Christmas card: "We feel as if we've come home."
And now the town has welcomed home its favourite son one final time.


A beautiful snowy owl stunned transport officials in Canada when it flew right in front of a traffic camera.

8 January 2016 Last updated at 11:41 GMT
The owl was flying above a motorway in Montreal when it swooped in front of the camera, posing perfectly.
Barbara Frei, the director of the McGill Bird Observatory in Montreal, told Canadian local news that the owl was probably looking for a place to perch.
She said that owls sometimes fly along motorways because they are a good place to find small prey, like rodents, which they hunt.


Six-time champion jockey Kieren Fallon has retired from racing at the age of 51 because of "profound depression".

The Irish Turf Club's chief medical officer Dr Adrian McGoldrick, speaking on Fallon's behalf, said the jockey had "lost the motivation" to keep riding.
"Hopefully we can get him managed and get him ready for the next stage of his life," he added.
Irishman Fallon rode 16 British Classic winners and also won the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe twice.
McGoldrick said the jockey's depression had gone undiagnosed in both England and America.
He added: "I first became aware of it when he came to see me for his licence earlier this year and he was obviously very significantly depressed.
"It got worse and I met with him on Sunday and have arranged to have it managed.
"It's quite profound depression. As soon as I can get a bed organised for him, he'll be going to hospital here in Ireland."
Trainer Michael O'Callaghan, for whom Fallon had been riding this season, said the jockey had fallen from a horse last week.
"He had a fall on the gallops and he said he's 51 and doesn't bounce like he used to," said O'Callaghan.
"It's been great to have him here and he is going to remain here as a work rider and adviser, hopefully for a while to come - he's just giving up the race riding.
"He's had an amazing career on the track - he must be one of the best jockeys of all time."
Retired 20-time champion jump jockey AP McCoy tweeted: "Best wishes to Kieren Fallon in his retirement, one of the most naturally talented/gifted jockeys I've ever seen."
Having begun his apprenticeship in 1982, Fallon claimed his first winner at Navan two years later.
His first British winner came aboard Evichstar at Thirsk in 1988, but it was another nine years before he became champion jockey for the first time.
He went on to win that title a further five times over the next six years.
Fallon's racing career was not without controversy.
In 2004 he was the subject of a News of the World investigation into race-fixing and later faced trial for conspiracy to defraud. He was banned from racing in Britain for 18 months - before a trial at the Old Bailey cleared him and five others of any wrongdoing.
He also served two drugs bans, and was given a six-month suspension for pulling jockey Stuart Webster off his horse.
BBC Sport's Frank Keogh
"Kieren Fallon brought new meaning to the words 'rollercoaster career'.
"He got knocked down, and he came back again, and again.
"A supremely gifted jockey, he was a big-race master and for many years the go-to rider for top trainers.
"But he was often in the headlines off the track, serving two drugs bans and being dramatically cleared at the Old Bailey of race-fixing allegations.
"Fallon mastered the tricky contours of Epsom to win the Derby three times, and earned the nickname 'King Kieren' among punters."


The man found guilty of abducting and murdering five-year-old April Jones in a sexually motivated attack must spend the rest of his life behind bars.

Mark Bridger, 47, of Ceinws, Powys, said he had accidentally run April over near her Machynlleth home and could not recall where he had put her body.
But the Mold Crown Court jury unanimously convicted him in a case lasting four-and-a-half weeks.
The judge branded him a "pathological liar" and "a paedophile".
April went missing on 1 October 2012 near her Machynlleth home sparking the biggest search in UK police history.
Her remains have never been found.
Having deliberated for just over four hours, the jury returned three guilty verdicts - abduction, murder and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Ever since his arrest, Bridger - only the 37th person to be given a whole-life tariff - stuck steadfastly to his story about not remembering where he put April's remains.
Never before have I witnessed such a powerful silence when a jury delivers its verdict at the end of a highly emotionally-charged case.
The packed public gallery remained quiet as the jury of nine women and three men returned after four hours and six minutes of deliberations.
Bridger, dressed in a long-sleeved blue shirt and a tie, closed his eyes and put his head back as the forewoman prepared to read out the verdict.
His eyes remained closed as each of the three guilty verdicts were delivered.
The forewoman looked directly at him as she announced he was guilty first of abduction, then murder and finally intending to pervert the course of justice.
April's mother, Coral, looked tearful but both she and her husband Paul maintained a dignified silence, as they have done throughout every day of this four-and-half-week trial.
Before the verdict, the judge had warned the court that "absolute silence" was necessary.
He warned members of the public gallery that this was a "stressful" part of the trial, "particularly for April's parents".
After the jury delivered their unanimous verdict, April's parents, supported by close family members retired to a family waiting room.
April's father shook hands with some supporters as he left the public gallery.
After the court had been mostly cleared, prosecutors, investigating police officers and even court staff were visibly emotional.
But shortly after he was convicted it emerged that while on remand at HMP Manchester, he told a prison priest he disposed of April's body in a river - thought to be the Dyfi close to where Bridger was arrested.
This conversation was the subject of legal arguments during the trial.
The jury was absent during the discussion and the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to submit the evidence.
What was revealed during the trial was fragments of bone consistent with a juvenile human skull were found among ashes in the woodburner, along with April's blood near to a number of knives, including one which was badly burned.
Bridger's cottage had also been extensively cleaned.
A library of child sex abuse images were found on his computer, and evidence of search terms including "naked young five-year-old girls" as well as pictures of murder victims including the Soham victims Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman.
He also had Facebook pictures of local young girls including April and her sisters.
Sentencing Bridger, Mr Justice John Griffith Williams said: "For the last four weeks, the court has listened to compelling evidence of your guilt, evidence which has also demonstrated that you are a pathological and glib liar.
"There is no doubt in my mind that you are a paedophile who has for some time harboured sexual and morbid fantasies about young girls, storing on your laptop not only images of pre-pubescent and pubescent girls but foul pornography of the gross sexual abuse of young children.
"What prompted you on Monday, 1 October to live out one of those fantasies is a matter for speculation but it may have been the combination of the ending of one sexual relationship and your drinking.
"Whatever, you set out to find a little girl to abuse. I am not sure you targeted April specifically... but you were on the prowl for a young girl."
Referring to the grief of April's parents, he added: "Without the knowledge of what happened to April, her parents will probably never come to terms with their grievous loss, described so eloquently in the impact statement.
"It is to be hoped, for their sake and for the sakes of all those who mourn April, that the verdicts will bring some measure of closure."
A statement read earlier in court on behalf of April's mother said she would never forget that night they allowed their daughter out to play with her friend, something they had done hundreds of times before.
"Words alone cannot describe how we are feeling or how we manage to function on a daily basis and I would never want any other family to go through what we are and will go through for the rest of our lives," it read.
"April was born prematurely weighing only 4lbs 2oz and was in intensive care for two weeks. She has always been a little fighter and we later found out that she had a hole in her heart and a heart murmur."
It went on: "As April's mother I will live with the guilt of letting her go out to play on the estate that night for the rest of my life.
"She fought to come into the world, she fought to stay in this world and he has taken her not only from us but from everyone who loved her.
"I will never see her smile again or hear her stomping around upstairs and on to the landing.
"We will never see her bring home her first boyfriend and Paul will never walk her down the aisle. How will we ever get over it?"
Outside the court, senior investigating officer Det Supt Andrew John said the strength of evidence against Bridger was overwhelming and he was responsible for the most horrific of crimes.
"Justice has been done and Mark Bridger, an evil and manipulative individual, will have his liberty taken off him," he said.
"He abducted and murdered April and has then gone to enormous lengths to destroy the evidence, conceal his involvement and avoid detection."
April's disappearance sparked the biggest missing person search in UK police history, focusing on around 650 areas near her home town and involving hundreds of experts as well as thousands of members of the public.
Dyfed-Powys Police received help from 45 other UK forces.
Insp Gareth Thomas who led the search told the jury he was "extremely confident" that if April's body was anywhere in the vicinity, it would have been found.
The seven-month search for her remains was finally called off last month.


The penalties for drug misuse should be relaxed so that possession of small amounts would no longer be a criminal offence, the government has been urged.

The recommendation comes in a report from the UK Drug Policy Commission, which undertook six years of research.
Its detailed report concludes the UK is wasting much of the Â£3bn it spends each year on tackling illicit drugs.
The Home Office says drug use is falling and it does not plan to alter its approach.
The report, called A Fresh Approach to Drugs, says the annual estimated cost to England and Wales of class A drug use is Â£15bn.
It says that while drug use and drug problems have declined in the UK in recent years, there are still about 2,000 drug-related deaths each year and 380,000 problem drug users.
Some 42,000 people in England and Wales are sentenced annually for drug possession offences and about 160,000 given cannabis warnings, it says, which "amounts to a lot of time and money for police, prosecution and courts".
The commission says giving people cautions and criminal records for having small quantities is not "proportionate" and suggests imposing civil penalties, such as fines, or drug treatment orders instead.
It also recommends individuals who grow a small number of cannabis plants should be treated leniently, to undermine organised crime networks that produce stronger types of cannabis.
However, it does not call for the decriminalisation or legalisation of most drugs.
"We do not believe that there is sufficient evidence at the moment to support the case for removing criminal penalties for the major production or supply offences of most drugs," it said.
It calls for a review of the Misuse of Drugs Act and drugs classification, which it says has "lost credibility" for many people.
It suggests technical decisions about the classification of individual drugs should be taken by an independent body, with parliamentary oversight.
The report says some key planks of government policy - including major drug seizures - have little or no impact, and some programmes in schools could even have increased the use of drugs.
It says there is "little evidence" that a recent increase in prison sentence lengths for drug production and supply has deterred dealers or affected availability.
It recommends that the main political parties should establish a cross-party forum to agree on how drug problems can be addressed "in a cost-effective and evidence-based way".
Dame Ruth Runciman, the charity's chairman, said: "Over the last three decades, UK governments have done much to reduce the damage caused by drug problems.
"Needle exchanges have reduced HIV among injecting drug users to one of the lowest rates in the world. The investment in treatment for people addicted to drugs has also helped many to rebuild their lives.
"Those programmes are supported by evidence, but much of the rest of drug policy does not have an adequate evidence base.
"We spend billions of pounds every year without being sure of what difference much of it makes."
The commission also said a new approach was needed because the rapid creation of new drugs was changing the market too quickly for the traditional methods used to control it.
It says that, between 2009 and 2011, 114 new psychoactive drugs were identified in the European Union.
A Home Office spokeswoman said: "While the government welcomes the UKDPC's contribution to the drugs debate, we remain confident that our ambitious approach to tackling drugs - outlined in our drugs strategy - is the right one.
"Drug usage is at it lowest level since records began. Drug treatment completions are increasing and individuals are now significantly better placed to achieve recovery and live their lives free from drugs.
"I want to take this opportunity to thank the UKDPC for its work in this area over the past six years."


Netflix shares fell sharply after the video streaming firm added fewer subscribers than expected ahead of US prices rises.

The company added 1.68 million users in the three months to June - well below its forecasts of 2.5 million.
Subscriber cancellations rose "slightly and unexpectedly" ahead of higher charges for existing users.
The numbers sent Netflix shares down 13% to $85.90 in after-hours trading in New York.
If that loss extends when Wall Street opens on Tuesday, the stock will have lost about a quarter of its value this year.
Netflix shares are often subject to big swings as investors bet on its drive to redefine global television viewing habits.
Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter said: "The shares are down because their domestic subscriber growth slowed to a crawl ... and domestic profits fuel their international losses."
Netflix admitted that growth had slowed both in the US and international markets: "We are growing, but not as fast as we would like or have been."
Analysts estimate that about 20 million subscribers may be forced to pay between $1 and $2 more a month by the end of this year.
Netflix said the increases were one reason why the company will add just 300,000 US subscribers in the three months to September - far fewer than the 880,000 added in the same period last year.
Revenue for the quarter rose 28% to $2.1bn, driven partly by Netflix's higher prices.
The streaming service, best known for shows such as Orange is the New Black, House of Cards and the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, is now available in almost every country. However, it is facing competition from rival services such as Amazon Prime and Hulu.
Netflix also faces the challenge of localising or adapting its offerings to different countries and cultures.
It remains shut out of China due to what it called a "more challenging" regulatory environment.
The mainland does not yet permit streaming services from Disney or Apple either.


Six-time champion Steve Davis, Jimmy White and China's Ding Junhui will all start their bids to qualify for the World Snooker Championship this week.

Qualifiers run from Wednesday at Ponds Forge in Sheffield with three wins securing one of 16 places available at the Crucible.
Ding will meet Greg Casey with Davis up against Fergal O'Brien and White taking on Gerard Greene.
Women's world champion Ng On Yee from Hong Kong will face Peter Lines.


Sri Lanka's batsmen struggled to 181-7 as South Africa's pace bowlers took charge of the second day of the first Test in Port Elizabeth.

The home side were bowled out for 286 as seamer Suranga Lakmal took his first five-wicket haul in Test cricket.
Vernon Philander and Kyle Abbott struck early to leave Sri Lanka on 22-3 after eight overs.
However Dhananjaya de Silva's unbeaten 43 steadied the innings before bad light ended play.
Philander and Abbott bowled accurately in helpful conditions to dismiss Sri Lanka's top order, before captain Angelo Mathews made a patient 39.
De Silva, batting at seven, was dropped on 27 and went on to hit five boundaries from 69 balls to halt a collapse.
Sri Lanka have won just one of their last seven Test matches in South Africa.


Lewis Hamilton says there is "still a long way to go" in the Formula 1 title race despite moving to the brink of triumph with victory in Russia.

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He needs to beat Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel by nine points and his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg by two in the US on 25 October to seal a third title.
The Briton said: "I've never felt it's ever been done and dusted. There are still a lot of points available.
"I'm going to take my time and, at the next race, work as hard as ever."
Hamilton dominated in Russia following Rosberg's retirement early on with a throttle problem, the German having converted pole position into a lead on the first lap.
"The goal is to win a third title," Hamilton added. "Until I achieve that there is no other goal. I feel incredibly fortunate to have this car.
"I love going to Austin and the track has been amazing for me since the first race. I am looking forward to it, it is a track you can race on and get close to people."
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Rosberg's retirement meant he slipped back to third place in the championship, seven points behind Vettel. But he refused to concede his chances were over.
"I don't know," Rosberg said. "It has made it more difficult, of course. But I am never going to win it anyway with such normal things like that [the throttle] breaking.
"But of course I will keep pushing and keep attacking."
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Mercedes non-executive chairman Niki Lauda said: "He is very disappointed but he is a racing driver and he knows these things can happen.
"He led the race and could have won but these things happen. A racing driver never gives up, and especially Nico."
Full race results
Russian Grand Prix coverage details


A patient was found dead 24 hours after being inappropriately discharged from hospital, an investigation has found.

The woman, 43, who had a history of alcohol misuse and self-harm, had taken a methadone overdose and was found outdoors suffering from hypothermia.
She was treated at Royal Glamorgan Hospital in Rhondda Cynon Taff but died at home after developing pneumonia, the Public Services Ombudsman said.
Cwm Taf University Health Board said it would address report recommendations.
The report described how the woman, known only as Ms B, was found unconscious after being reported missing.
After being taken to the hospital near Llantrisant, she was given oxygen to help her breathe and had a chest X-ray.
The X-ray was reported as clear, despite a consultant chest physician later confirming the results were not normal, the report said.
She was discharged the next day, despite still needing oxygen, after a mental health review recorded her self-harm risk as low.
But less than 24 hours later, she was found dead at home.
Her mother complained she was discharged too quickly and did not receive appropriate care.
The ombudsman said her discharge was "troubling" for several reasons - citing a lack of clinical observations, failure to repeat tests or ensure the woman could breathe unassisted - all of which may have indicated she was developing an infection.
He said the health board's clinical director recognised several of the failings identified by the investigation but the chief executive did not acknowledge or address the clinical significance of these in correspondence with the woman's mother.
The ombudsman's director of investigations Chris Vinestock said: "It is alarming that as a result of poor discharge management, opportunities to identify Ms B's developing pneumonia were missed.
"The implications of this for her family are immeasurable."
He also said the health board's answers to her mother about the care were "inaccurate and misleading, claiming there was no evidence of any infection despite blood tests clearly indicating this was a possibility".
Mr Vinestock added he hoped the health board would address the failings identified in the report and ensure patients were no longer discharged until "all reasonable steps have been taken to ensure they are fit to do so".
Cwm Taf University Health Board's chief executive Allison Williams said: "We accept the public services ombudsman's findings in respect of this case and work is ongoing within the health board to address the report's recommendations."


With the Games now over, we look back at the amazing feats of human achievement and the surprising things the two-week celebration of sporting ability has taught us.

Note: Medals per capita have been calculated using country populations from the UN Population Division, 2010 revision. Olympic Park visitor numbers are up to 9 August. Source: Locog, Guinness World Records, Dangerous Decibels Project, Action on Hearing Loss, UK Health and Safety Executive, UN Population Division, news agencies, BBC correspondents. Pictures: Getty, Reuters, AP, AFP.
Produced by Lucy Rodgers, Claire Shannon, Nour Saab, Luke Ward and Marina Shchukina


A public meeting has been held in Dunmurry to discuss the rise in the number of drug-related deaths across Belfast.

The meeting was organised by a number of families whose children have died from taking prescription drugs in the last few months.
The misuse of prescription drugs is a concern for the authorities.
In the last few months the PSNI has investigated the deaths of five people, all thought to be drug-related.
One of those was a 16-year-old girl.
Gerry McConville from the Falls Community Council said something needs to be done urgently to tackle the issue.
"In the past we've had legal highs, illegal drugs and at the moment the emphasis is on prescription drugs," he said.
"We need to get the message out to young people that they don't need to take these drugs and that there is help available."
Figures from the Public Health Agency show that prescription drug deaths in Northern Ireland are, on average, 10 times more prevalent than cocaine deaths.
Deirdre Lennon's son, Caomhan, died two years ago on Mother's day after taking three Tramadol - he was just 19.
"Caomhan's last words to me were 'mummy I love you'.  It took him five to eight hours to die," she said.
"He took a massive heart attack and his organs failed."


(Close): London's leading share index extended earlier gains to stand higher at the close of the market, boosted by miners.

The FTSE 100 was 2.87% higher - a gain of 168.15 points - at 6,030.32.
There was official news of another fall of 60,000 in UK unemployment to 1.69 million.
Anglo American was the best gainer, rising 17.6% after Deutsche Bank raised its target price on the stock.
The bank said Anglo American's plan to sell certain assets would help take its debts to a more manageable level.
Glencore was boosted 14.8% by news of early debt refinancing. Antofagasta shares also rose 8.6%.
Brent crude jumped 7.7% after earlier falls to $34.66 a barrrel after moves by top oil producing countries to come to an agreement to curb production. US light crude was also up by 6.6%.
On the currency markets, the pound was up 0.26% against the euro at â‚¬1.2864 and was up 0.17% against the dollar at $1.433.


Terry Waite has opened a hospital's new care centre almost 30 years after plans for him to open a unit were disrupted when he was taken hostage in Lebanon.

The former envoy of the Archbishop of Canterbury was due to open the Ravensbourne block at the University Hospital Lewisham in January 1987.
But he was taken hostage in Beirut while trying to negotiate the release of British journalist John McCarthy and other western hostages.
He spent five years in captivity.
Mr Waite, who is president of homeless charity Emmaus UK and lives in nearby Blackheath, opened the new Â£1.2m care centre at University Hospital Lewisham.
The original plaque that Mr Waite was due to unveil in 1987 will also be handed back to the hospital after it was discovered in a village pub near Colchester.
The plaque was kept safe by hospital caretaker Alan Harrison who worked at Lewisham hospital for 30 years.
Mr Harrison's granddaughter Francesca Harrison told BBC London the hospital "were simply going to throw the plaque away".
He gave the plaque to his daughter Beverley Wright, who went on to become the landlady at The Anchor pub in the village of Rowhedge.
Eckhard Prolingheuer, a community manager for at the Colchester centre of Mr Waite's charity Emmaus, discovered the plaque had been saved during a chance conversation at the pub.
Mr Waite said: "It was such a lovely surprise to be invited to open the new Lewisham Ambulatory Care Centre.
"I was due to open the Ravensbourne Block in 1987; however, my capture meant that I didn't ever make it to the event.
"It's a real honour to be invited to open this excellent facility."
The new centre has been developed as part of a major emergency care improvement programme by Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust.
It will provide early testing such as X-Ray and ultrasound for local people in an outpatient setting, with results reviewed by specialist consultants.
Elizabeth Butler, chair of Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust, said: "We were delighted to welcome Terry Waite to open this important new facility and it was wonderful for all the staff to meet him."


Tim Peake successfully completed his first spacewalk on Friday.

16 January 2016 Last updated at 07:57 GMT
Working with his colleague Tim Kopra, the astronauts managed to finish all their repairs ahead of schedule.
However, they were forced to end the walk early because Tim Kopra found a small amount of water in his helmet.
Check out the video to see some of the highlights of the spacewalk.


Britain's Jamie Murray and Brazilian partner Bruno Soares have been knocked out in the men's doubles first round by Sam Querrey and Donald Young.

The defending champions and second seeds lost 6-3 7-6 (7-5) in one hour and 12 minutes on Thursday.
American pair Querrey and Young will face Russians Karen Khachanov and Andrey Kuznetsov in the second round.
Querrey also plays world number one Andy Murray in the men's singles third round on Friday.
Britain's Dan Evans was due to play in the doubles alongside Nick Kyrgios against Dusan Lajovic and Viktor Troicki on Thursday, but the Australian has withdrawn because of injury concerns.
Kyrgios said he sustained a knee injury playing basketball several weeks ago.
The 21-year-old lost to Andreas Seppi in the men' singles on Wednesday, while Evans progressed to the third round after beating world number seven Marin Cilic.
They have been replaced in the draw by Argentines Renzo Olivo and Guido Pella.


A man who spent a year and a half running 16,000 miles around the world has been talking to Newsround about his record breaking trek.

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14 April 2015 Last updated at 16:11 BST
Kevin Carr ran the equivalent of a marathon a day as he jogged his way through 26 different countries over 621 days.
The challenge saw him run across Europe, India, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, America, South America and Ireland.
Along the way he came face to face with snakes, scorpions, wild dogs, wolves, bears and mountain lions.
He covered the distance with just a trailer of supplies to help him on his way.
Kevin set a new world record for the fastest time taken to run around the world and has been telling Ayshah about his journey.


Britain's four-time world super-middleweight champion Carl Froch has retired from boxing.

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The 38-year-old won 33 of his 35 fights, with 24 victories by knockout.
Froch has not fought since he knocked out George Groves to retain the WBA and IBF titles in May 2014.
"I have nothing left to prove and my legacy speaks for itself. I'm incredibly proud of what I have achieved in boxing but now is the right moment to hang up my gloves," he said.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 live, Froch added: "It wasn't an easy decision but it wasn't as difficult as people might think.
"I turned 38 last week. My joints and bones are aching. If the desire was there, I could fight again but there's nothing motivating me.
"I've got nothing left to prove and I'm bowing out at the top."
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Froch first revealed he was thinking about quitting last June, after his rematch with Groves in front of 80,000 people at Wembley.
They had originally fought in November 2013 when Froch won via a controversial ninth-round stoppage.
The former English, British and Commonwealth champion wanted to secure bouts in Las Vegas and his hometown of Nottingham before stopping.
But a clash with Mexican Julio Cesar Chavez Jr in Vegas in March fell through after Froch suffered an elbow injury, and talks over potential bouts against 50-year-old Bernard Hopkins and Kazakhstan's Gennady Golovkin did not lead to fights.
"There's only one man he'd come out of retirement for and that's Golovkin who is the 'beast of boxing' right now," said promoter Eddie Hearn.
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"He's a knockout artist and Carl is potentially one of the few, sick in the head, elite level fighters that wants to get in the ring with him.
"However, I think he's done. At 38 it's not like he can have another year out and come back at 39. It's very hard walking away from top level sport but now he can sit on his sofa and enjoy retirement."
Froch's only defeats in his 13-year professional career came against Mikkel Kessler in 2010 and American Andre Ward in 2011, although he beat the Dane in a 2013 rematch.
He first won a world title in December 2008 by claiming the WBC belt in a points win over Canada's Jean Pascal in Nottingham.
In his first defence he stopped Jermain Taylor with seconds remaining in the final round when he was well behind on two scorecards.
After losing to Kessler, he regained the WBC belt with a points win over Arthur Abraham in 2010, before adding the IBF and WBA titles later in his career.
Froch vacated his IBF belt in February, saying that a bout against mandatory challenger James DeGale did not make "financial or business sense" and "would not get me out of bed".
Londoner DeGale, 29, called Froch a "coward" before going on to beat American Andre Dirrell to claim the title in Boston in May.
Froch has confirmed he will now work as a boxing pundit for Sky Sports.
George Groves - who was knocked out by Froch in 2014 - paid tribute to the fighter but doubted whether he would have beaten some of the other greats in British boxing.
Groves told Sky Sports News: "Carl Froch was a tough, strong man, very tough, but I don't know how he would have got on with those guys.
"I don't think he'd have beaten Joe Calzaghe, Calzaghe would have been too quick for him. Him and Nigel Benn would have been an out-and-out war.
"Benn has a bit more skill and class about him but that would have been a great fight to watch."
Andre Ward - one of only two men to beat Froch in his career - backed his decision to retire now.
Ward told Sky Sports: "You have to respect the way he went about it, and the fact he not only stepped up but beat just about all the guys he fought at the top level.
"He was competitive in every fight and brought his best every time out, so I have nothing personal against Froch. I actually like him a lot because he reminds me a lot of myself with his competitiveness.
"He did it the right way - it's a victory to go out on your own terms with money and faculties intact. At the end of the day that's what it's all about."


Adding silver to antibiotics makes them 10 to 1,000 times more effective at fighting infections, research suggests.

Silver has been used as an antimicrobial for centuries, but little has been known about how it works.
The new research suggests adding it to existing antibiotics could counteract the rise of drug-resistant microbes.
Experiments in mice showed the metal disrupts the biological processes of bacteria, making them more permeable to antibiotics, a US team reports.
Bacteria are adapting and finding ways to survive the effects of antibiotics.
According to England's chief medical officer, Prof Dame Sally Davies, antibiotics are losing their effectiveness at a rate that is both alarming and irreversible.
Silver acts against Gram-negative bacteria - one of the two main types of bacteria - which are particularly difficult pathogens to treat.
The research was led by Jose Ruben Morones-Ramirez of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at Boston University.
He told the journal Science Translational Medicine: "This work shows that silver can be used to enhance the action of existing antibiotics against Gram-negative bacteria, thus strengthening the antibiotic arsenal for fighting bacterial infections."
Future studies will focus on testing how silver can be added to antibiotic injections or tablets for use in patients.


California has stepped up its attempts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by setting tough new targets for 2030.

Governor Jerry Brown issued an executive order to bring down emissions to 40% below 1990 levels, in the next 15 years.
The US state was already one of the most ambitious in its previous targets and has forced companies to pay for their carbon pollution.
Mr Brown said the new target must be met for the sake of future generations.
He called the plan "the most aggressive benchmark enacted by any government in North America to reduce dangerous carbon emissions".
There were few details about how he intends to meet this target, but the governor has previously talked about increasing renewable electricity sources, reducing petrol use in vehicles and improving the energy efficiency of existing buildings.
Mr Brown mentioned by name some sectors that will have to reduce emissions - industry, agriculture and energy, plus state and local governments.
"With this order, California sets a very high bar for itself and other states and nations, but it's one that must be reached - for this generation and generations to come,'' he said in a statement.
California is the second-biggest producer of carbon dioxide through fossil fuels among US states.
The new target brings California in line with a similar commitment made by the 28 countries of the European Union, but beyond what the US federal government has set.
The state is already well on its way to meeting the 2020 goal set by Mr Brown's predecessor, Arnold Schwarzenegger.
California has been enduring one of the worst droughts in its history, and the governor made clear as he issued the new order that he  links this problem to greenhouse gas emissions and the warming of the Earth.
Climate change, he said, "poses an ever-growing threat to the well-being, public health, natural resources, economy, and the environment of California".
The loss of snowpack, drought, rising sea levels, wildfires, heat waves and smog were examples of how the state was feeling its effects, he added.
Three years ago, California launched one of the largest "cap-and-trade" programmes in the US, which sets a limit on carbon emissions and penalises businesses that exceed their emission allowance.
Mr Brown's announcement was praised by organisers of the UN conference on climate change to be held in Paris later this year.
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, the state - which has 12% of the US population - produces 6.9% of the country's total emissions.
However, Texas - which has only 8.5% of the US population - produces 12.8% of the country's emissions.


The European Commission has called on the UK to raise taxes on higher value properties, build more houses and adjust the Help to Buy scheme.

In a review of UK economic policies, it said council tax bands should be revalued and action taken to address "rapid" house price rises in London.
The intervention has angered Tory MPs.
Lib Dem Business Secretary Vince Cable said the UK had a "problem" with house price inflation but "we don't need the EU to tell us what's going on here".
Each year the commission, the EU's executive body, offers member states advice intended to help ensure the continent's long-term growth.
In a statement, the commission said its recommendations were "not a diktat" but there was a "limit to how much... can be achieved through spending cuts alone".
It said it was suggesting how the UK could raise new revenue "in a fair and efficient way, which does not hamper competitiveness or increase poverty".
The commission added: "We are suggesting adjustments that would make the council tax system fairer for homeowners and more efficient in terms of government revenues."
The intervention came as there were continued signs of UK house price growth - in its latest update, the Nationwide said house prices rose at their fastest rate in seven years last month but there were signs that the market may be "starting to moderate".
On housing, the commission urged ministers to "deploy appropriate measures to respond to the rapid increases in property prices in areas that account for a substantial share of economic growth in the United Kingdom, particularly London".
Some housing experts have expressed concerns that Help to Buy, which was announced in the 2013 Budget, has contributed to double-digit price rises seen in London and other property hotspots over the past year.
The three-year scheme is designed to help people who can afford to meet monthly mortgage repayments but cannot raise a large enough deposit to get on the housing ladder.
Figures released last week showed that 94% of the 7,313 home purchases funded through Help To Buy so far were outside London, while more than 80% of those assisted were first-time buyers.
But in its review, the commission said the Bank of England should "continue to monitor house prices and mortgage indebtedness and stand ready to deploy appropriate measures, including adjusting the Help to Buy 2 (loan guarantee) scheme, if deemed necessary".
As well as increasing the supply of new homes, the commission said reforms to the taxation of land and property should be considered "to alleviate distortions in the housing market".
"At the moment, increasing property values are not translated into higher property taxes as the property value roll has not been updated since 1991," it said.
"Taxes on higher value property are lower than on lower value property in relative terms due to the regressivity of the current rates and bands within the council tax system."
The commission praised the UK for extending childcare provision, changing benefit rules and providing more incentives to work but said more should be done on apprenticeships and skills.
"With these recommendations, the commission is pointing the way forward," commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said.
"We believe that member states must now play their part in seeing these reforms through, even if we know that sometimes they are politically unpopular," he said.
The BBC News Channel's chief political correspondent Norman Smith said David Cameron and George Osborne were likely to be "quietly fuming" at the wide-ranging critique of government policies at a time ministers were presenting the economic recovery as a success story.
Aside from the idea that the UK must build more houses, which the government accepts, the rest of the advice was likely "to end up in the bin", he added.
Norman Smith said many Tory backbenchers were already "spoiling for a fight" over Europe and this was likely to make matters worse at a time when the UK was involved in a stand-off over who should lead the commission.
Douglas Carswell, the MP for Clacton, told The Times that an unelected group of officials could not tell the UK how to spend its money while colleague Dominic Raab said the chancellor should treat the Commission's advice as "spam when it arrives in his inbox".
By Kevin PeacheyPersonal finance reporter, BBC News
Same street, different market
Asked for his reaction, Mr Cable said annual house price rises of more than 10% were an obstacle for many young people's hopes of owning their own home.
"We can see the evidence in front of us, we don't need the European Union to tell us what's going on here," he said.
"We clearly do have a problem, we are not building enough houses and this is reflected in housing inflation and there are lots of things we've got to do to solve that problem."
Lord Turner, former head of the Financial Services Authority, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that some "legitimate issues" had been raised about tax on housing.
"I'm amazed how little I pay on my house in Kensington compared with what somebody pays with a house worth a very small fraction of that in the north of England," he said. "I'm not sure that is a fair system."
A Treasury spokesman defended Help to Buy as an "aspirational" policy which was helping thousands of people to finally realise the dream of home ownership.
He added: "We are the first to say we must be vigilant and not repeat the mistakes of the past which is why we specifically gave the Bank of England powers to intervene in the housing market.
"They should not hesitate to use them if they see fit."


Teenager striker Idris Kanu has joined Peterborough United from Aldershot on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee.

The 17-year-old former West Ham academy player leaves National League side Aldershot just six months after signing his first professional deal, which was to run until the summer of 2019.
Kanu, who joined the Shots after having a trial with Manchester United's Under-18 side, scored four goals in 32 appearances last season.
His move is subject to paperwork.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.


Gabby Agbonlahor could still have a key role at Aston Villa if he maintains his current rate of progress, says manager Steve Bruce.

The 30-year-old striker fell out of favour at the club under the previous management, following a series of well-publicised off-field misdemeanours.
Agbonlahor came off the bench in Sunday's 1-1 draw at Birmingham - his first appearance for Villa since March.
"He's played in the big league. I'd be foolish to discard him," said Bruce.
"If we can get him right, he can be as good as any striker in this league," added the Villa boss, who said after his appointment earlier in October that the door was not shut on any player at the Championship club.
Bruce had already made it clear that another of his supposed problem players, Jack Grealish, still had a future at Villa Park.
Grealish was selected for his Bruce's first game in charge against Wolves on 15 October, in which he picked up a three-game suspension that ruled him out of the trip to St Andrew's.
But Bruce sprang an even bigger surprise by bringing Agbonlahor back into the Villa squad for the first time in seven months for Sunday's Second City derby.
Having seen his side pegged back by David Davis' 71st-minute equaliser after Villa midfielder Gary Gardner's first goal for the club, a lively Agbonlahor showed a lot of clever touches in a 20-minute cameo appearance.
"You only had to watch him to see what he's capable of," said ex-Birmingham and Hull boss Bruce. "He's been in a dark, horrible place and, for what he's done in the past, he's paid a high price.
"We've got him on a programme that he's only two weeks into, but he's working very hard. He's spent more hours on the training ground than I have over the last two weeks.
"We're not getting carried away but these are the first little shoots of recovery. The rest is up to him."
Bruce will have winger Grealish available again for Villa's next game at home to Blackburn Rovers on 5 November, but he looks like being without midfielders Albert Adomah and Leandro Bacuna.
Adomah limped off with a dead leg while Bacuna missed the Birmingham game, for which he was replaced by Ashley Westwood, and may be out for up to three weeks with a "tweaked groin" suffered in training.


A historic hall in Lancashire is set to reopen to the public after being closed for a year for major restoration work.

The Grade I listed Gawthorpe Hall in Padiham has undergone a £500,000 renovation to the external stonework and windows.
Other internal and external remedial work to return the building to its original condition have also been completed.
The Jacobean hall, built between 1600 and 1605, will reopen on 20 April.
Lancashire County Council's Julie Bell said: "Gawthorpe Hall is a very special building and we are delighted that the work has been completed enabling it to be enjoyed for years to come."
Gawthorpe Hall lies in the shadow of Pendle Hill in east Lancashire
The hall was built on the site of a pele tower by the Shuttleworth family who have lived on the spot since the 1400s
Robert Smythson is thought to have designed it and original architecture, plasterwork and oak panelling from that period can still be seen
Colonel Richard Shuttleworth fought in the English Civil War and rallied troops at Gawthorpe Hall in 1642 for the parliamentary cause.  Colonel Richard was also involved in sending some of the Lancashire witches to trail at Lancaster.
The Jacobean stately home was redesigned in the 1850s by Sir Charles Barry, who designed the Houses of Parliament
Author Charlotte Brontë stayed at the Hall twice at the invitation of the family in 1850 and 1855
Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth, the last family resident, died in 1967 and was responsible for putting together the collections of intricate lace, embroidery and costume.
Gawthorpe Hall was given to the National Trust in the 1970s. The Trust leases the property to Lancashire County Council who manages it on a day-to-day basis
Source National Trust/Lancashire County Council


BP has reported a sharp fall in profits for the three months to the end of June as lower oil prices continue to hurt.

Underlying replacement cost profit (RCP) was $1.31bn (£841m) compared with $3.63bn a year ago.
However, after setting aside $7.5bn for further costs relating to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster, BP recorded a loss of $6.26bn.
On 2 July, BP reached an $18.7bn settlement with the US Department of Justice (DoJ) over the oil spill.
BP said that in all, it was setting aside $9.8bn in the quarter for costs related to settlements with the DoJ and 400 local governments in relation to the oil spill, which became one of the worst environmental disasters in US history and claimed the lives of 11 people.
The results come at a time of continuing uncertainty for oil companies, with oil prices more than 50% lower than last year.
Brent crude oil stood at $52.93 a barrel on Tuesday, compared with roughly $115 a year ago.
The lower oil price is not only hurting the profits of the major oil firms, but also means they have cut back on investment in exploration in areas where they consider it makes little economic sense to drill.
BP chief executive Bob Dudley said: "The external environment remains challenging, but BP moved quickly in response and we continue to do so.
"Our work to increase efficiency and reduce costs is embedding sustainable benefits throughout the group and we continue with capital discipline and divestments."
In the last three months, Brent crude has averaged $62 per barrel, compared with $54 a barrel in the first quarter and an average of $110 a barrel the in the same period a year ago. In the third quarter to date, the price has averaged $58 a barrel.
Mr Dudley added: "In the past few weeks, oil prices have fallen back in response to continued oversupply and market weakness and the recent agreements regarding Iran. I am confident that positioning BP for a period of weaker prices is the right course to take, and will serve the company well for the future."
Oil and gas companies' businesses are predominately made up of "upstream" activities - getting energy out of the ground - and "downstream" - refining it into useable products.
Analysis: Douglas Fraser, BBC Scotland business and economy editor
Eleven lives lost and the huge oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico five years ago have so far cost BP $54.6bn (£35bn).
And the London-based oil giant admits that it still can't say it has capped this dollar gusher, or how much it will be in the end.
Without that, it's still making big profits, but it's a very different industry from last year. The oil price fall looks longer-term, and has returned to the downside in recent weeks.
BP is not alone in reporting a sharp drop in earnings, relying on its downstream refining to prop up the upstream problems. Later this week, Royal Dutch Shell reports on its half-year figures.
Statoil of Norway on Monday reported a fall in second-quarter profits from 32.3bn kroner (£2.5bn) to 22.4bn kroner (£1.75bn), beating market expectations. Production has gone up, following investment and lower maintenance requirements this year, and the company has been hammering down on costs, including job losses.
Like BP, it is sharply cutting investment spend. Companies in offshore exploration and production don't see the return they need at current oil prices.
Wood Mackenzie, the energy analyst, reckons $200bn (£128bn) of oil industry investment has been postponed this year, with the lion's share of that in offshore, and another chunk in Canada's tar sands. That keeps 20 billion barrels of oil (and gas equivalent) in the ground and under the seabed, at least until prices rise.
And as in the the previous quarter, BP found little to shout about from its exploration activities. Its "upstream" business reported an underlying pre-tax replacement cost profit (RCP) of $0.5bn in the three months to June, compared with $0.6bn three months earlier and $4.7bn for the same period a year earlier.
RCP is a measure of profitability used by the oil industry that takes into account the price of oil.
BP set the blame squarely on lower oil and gas prices.
It said the results also included about $600m of exploration write-offs and other costs related to BP's activities in war-torn Libya.
That meant once again that BP's profits came from its refinery or "downstream" business.
There, it reported underlying pre-tax RCP of $1.9bn, compared with $2.2bn in the first quarter and $0.7bn in the same period year ago.
BP also said it would maintain its dividend at 10 cents per ordinary share. That may help to calm investors after the company missed analysts' estimates that it would make $1.6bn in the quarter.


The Official Loch Ness Monster Sightings Register is 20 years old.

Inverness-based chartered accountant Gary Campbell, the keeper of the register, has logged more than 1,077 sightings since the record started.
He has accepted one sighting so far this year, from a visitor to the Highlands from Texas.
The tourist took photographs of a dark object which she said was just under the surface of the loch and following the boat she was on.
Last year, five sightings were accepted for the register - the most in 13 years.
Mr Campbell, who believes a large fish or eel is behind the monster claims, said the majority of sightings were not included because they could be explained.
He said: "Anything that is later proved to a hoax or can be subsequently explained is removed from the register.
"When I started the register I never expected to be doing it this long but after 20 years nobody has solved it - so I expect I will be doing this to the day I die."


The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has invited Gardaí (Irish police) to join them in marching in a gay pride parade in Belfast.

Last week, the PSNI announced some of its own officers will march in uniform at the Belfast Pride parade, for the first time in the festival's history.
PSNI officers have taken part in the parade before, but never in uniform.
A Garda spokesman said its officers have also been given permission to wear their uniforms at the Belfast parade.
However, their attendance will be voluntary and unpaid, as they will be marching in a different jurisdiction.
The event is due to take place in Belfast city centre on Saturday, 5 August.
A Garda spokesman told BBC News NI: "Members of An Garda Síochána, their families and friends are all invited to take part and join members from the PSNI and their colleagues from Great Britain.
"Garda members may, with permission, take part in uniform.
"Attendance at the event is at the Garda member's own expense," he added.
The PSNI will also have vehicles and signs at this year's event to encourage the public to report homophobic hate crime.
The 'Policing with Pride' liveried PSNI vehicles will also be used at Pride events in Newry and Londonderry.


A 27-year-old man was left unconscious after being attacked by two other men in Clydebank.

The victim was walking across Knowes football field, in Langside Drive, at some point between 22:15 hours and 22:40 on Friday when he was assaulted.
When he regained consciousness the men had gone.
He was treated at Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital for a serious head injury and has since been released.
The first suspect was described 27 to 30 years, between 6ft and 6ft 5in and thin. He was wearing a black hooded top, jeans and trainers.
The second suspect was about the same age, about 5ft 7in and of stocky build. He was wearing a dark zipper top, jeans and trainers.
Det Insp Andy Doherty, from Clydebank CID, said: "This was a sickening and totally unprovoked assault and inquiries are under way to trace the two men responsible.
"We will not tolerate this type of violent behaviour and I would appeal to anyone who witnessed what happened to get in touch.
"I would also ask anyone who may have seen two men matching the above descriptions in the Faifley area on Friday night to come forward."


A former Taiwanese president's possible release from prison has been delayed - because a courier carrying vital documents got stuck in traffic.

Ex-President Chen Shui-bian - in prison for corruption - was expected to be freed on medical parole on New Year's Eve.
But heavy holiday traffic meant documents relating to his release were delivered too late to be processed.
The parole request will now be dealt with on Monday.
About 300 supporters of Mr Chen - including his former deputy, Annette Lu - had gathered outside Taichung Prison, expecting his release before the new year began.
Documents relating to Mr Chen's medical parole had left the jail for Taiwan's ministry of justice in the afternoon. They included the recommendation of a medical panel to release the former president.
But because of a traffic jam those papers only arrived at the ministry a few minutes before 6pm, leaving no time for officials to consider them and come to a decision.
A government spokesman said the application to release the former president would now be dealt with first thing on Monday morning, the first day back after the new year break. He denied that officials had dragged their feet in dealing with the case.
Mr Chen, a former lawyer, is serving a 20-year sentence for money laundering and accepting bribes.
He was convicted shortly after stepping down from his second four-year term as Taiwan's president in 2008.
He has been suffering from a series of medical conditions, including depression and Parkinson's disease, and has for some time been trying to convince the authorities to release him on medical grounds. Last year, he tried to kill himself.
Mr Chen's supporters say his prosecution was politically motivated; his former vice-president, Ms Lu, is currently on hunger strike in an effort to draw attention to her former boss's situation.
She was admitted to hospital on New Year's Day suffering from symptoms related to her fast.


A dispute between Hollywood studios and screenwriters could lead to the first writers strike in a decade.

The current deal expires at midnight Pacific Standard Time (08:00 BST). Formal talks to reach a new deal have been going on since 13 March.
Officially the two sides are not commenting on negotiations, but reports suggest a compromise is in the works.
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) wants higher pay per episode and royalties for reruns.
The writers' union, which represents about 9,000 people, says its members have been squeezed, as studios commission shows with fewer episodes, but lock up writers with exclusive contracts.
The union also says writers are not sharing enough of the profits made from online streaming, which keeps shows and movies alive for years after first airing.
The union estimates the average salary for TV writer-producers fell 23% in the last two years.
Writers' Strike: Are US TV shows about to fall off air?
Competition mounts for Netflix
It says its requests would add about $156m in costs for the major production companies, which include firms such as 21st Century Fox and Time Warner.
"The undeniable truth is that these costs are very affordable for these profitable companies," it said in a post on its website.
About 96% of more than 6,000 WGA members voted to strike last week. Some took to social media to express solidarity, changing pictures on Twitter to spotlight their support.
A strike would first affect topical shows, such as Saturday Night Live, which have enjoyed higher ratings since the election of Donald Trump as President, who has proved an popular target for news satire.
The impact would be felt more slowly elsewhere.
But analysts said the threat posed by online services, such as Amazon and Netflix, puts pressure on major broadcasters and cable companies to avoid a work stoppage.
The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents conglomerates such as Comcast Corp, Walt Disney Co and CBS Corp, said last week it is "committed to reaching a deal ... that keeps the industry working."
Stephen Burke, a Comcast executive, told investors last week he was "optimistic" that the issues would be resolved.
"Strikes aren't good for anybody," he said. "The people on both sides of the table tend to lose and I'm hopeful that we're going to get it done."
The last WGA strike - a 100-day stoppage in 2007-2008 - cost the Californian economy an estimated $2.1 billion in lost output, according to a Milken Institute review.
TV viewership dropped 21% in the first week, according to Nielsen figures.
Online television was in its infancy at the time. Today, Amazon and Netflix are major competitors for eyeballs and have a deep reserve of programs to buffer them from viewer demands for new content.
Those companies are not exempt from union demands.
But they would be likely to emerge as big winners in any prolonged strike, which could lead to "lasting changes in viewership patterns", Barclays Capital analyst Kannan Venkateshwar wrote in a research note.
Theodore Sarandos, the chief content officer at Netflix, told investors last month that the firm was "keeping an eye" on the situation and some productions could be held up by a strike.
"Our fingers are crossed that, that won't happen," he said.


About 5,500 troops from the United States and the Philippines have begun a military exercise, amid tensions between Manila and China.

The drills, called Balikatan (Shoulder to Shoulder), take place every year.
These exercises come a week after a military pact to increase the US troop presence in the country was signed.
Visiting Manila last week, US President Barack Obama pledged "ironclad" backing for the Philippines, which is engaged in a maritime dispute with China.
The two countries have competing claims over a number of islands and shoals in the South China Sea, such as Second Thomas Shoal and Scarborough Shoal.
The South East Asian nation has asked a United Nations arbitration tribunal to rule on the issue.
At Balikatan's opening ceremony, Filipino Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said it was necessary to deal with "aggressive" neighbours intent on "changing the status quo", without mentioning China.
He said the 10-day drills would focus on maritime capabilities. They would also include live-fire and maritime surveillance exercises, the Philippine military said.
Its public affairs office chief, Ramon Zagala, however, sought to play down Balikatan's significance, saying it was "not related to any current situation".
Instead, it was aimed at improving "tactical-level military proficiency" and enhancing US-Filipino co-operation, he said. The military exercise would also focus on humanitarian assistance and disaster response.
Military personnel from both countries will offer free medical, dental and veterinary care in Legazpi City, and build and repair infrastructure such as schools in Bicol.
As tensions with China have grown, the US and the Philippines have moved to increase co-operation.
Last week, Washington and Manila signed a deal allowing US troops better access to military bases, ports and airfields.
This exercise comes amid reports China has sent more ships to an area disputed with the Philippines.
Over the weekend, Philippine media reported the sighting of more Chinese vessels near Second Thomas Shoal, as the Philippine military air-dropped provisions to its troops stationed on a rusting vessel beached there.
Meanwhile, Vietnam has protested against a plan by China to move its first deep-water drilling rig into an area which Vietnam claims as its territory.
China's maritime safety authority announced on Saturday that the oil rig Haiyang Shiyou 981 would be drilling in an area located 120 nautical miles off the coast of Vietnam until 15 August.
It prohibited ships from entering within one mile of the rig.
On Sunday, Vietnam's foreign ministry spokesman Le Hai Binh insisted that this area belonged to them.
Any activity by foreign countries conducted in Vietnam's waters without its permission would be considered "illegal and worthless" and would be "resolutely opposed" by Vietnam's government, he said.
State oil and gas group PetroVietnam also sent a letter of objection to China's state-run oil company CNOOC, demanding they immediately pull out the rig.
In response, China on Monday expanded the prohibited area to three miles.


Leicester City have won the Premier League title in one of the greatest sporting stories of all time.

3 May 2016 Last updated at 11:17 BST
Second placed Tottenham's 2-2 draw at Chelsea on Monday meant they could not catch Leicester at the top of the table anymore.
Leicester have had an incredible turnaround. Just a year ago, Leicester were right at the bottom of the league and winning the title was unthinkable.
Leah has been looking at the key moments in Leicester's incredible story.


Three men have been charged with hare coursing near Gifford in East Lothian.

The men aged 23, 26 and 31 were arrested on Wednesday and as part of their bail conditions banned from returning to the countryside in East Lothian.
Police Scotland have condemned hare coursing as a "barbaric practice" and warned that anyone involved in it will be "robustly dealt with".
The men are due to appear in court at a later date.
A vehicle the trio were using has also been seized.
Insp Alan Hogarth, of Police Scotland, said: "Hare coursing is an utterly barbaric practice, which not only inflicts great suffering on the animal but is widely condemned by our communities.
"This crime will not be tolerated within East Lothian and anyone found to be involved will be robustly dealt with."


An interim South Korea government report says the 16 April sinking of the Sewol ferry was partly due to government negligence and corruption.

It cited lax regulation, poor safety inspections and a slow and badly-coordinated coast guard response as factors that led to the disaster.
Eleven officials have been referred to prosecutors on corruption charges and dozens more face possible legal action.
The ferry sinking killed 304 passengers, most of whom were students.
A total of 293 bodies have been recovered and 11 passengers remain unaccounted for. Search operations are still continuing.
The disaster sparked national mourning and intense public criticism of the government.
Two separate trials, one for the ferry's captain and crew, and another for the head of the ferry operator and other company officials, began last month.
The South Korean government's audit and inspection board said in its report on Tuesday that the regional port administration had licensed the ferry even though it had been illegally converted, according to state news agency Yonhap.
The ship was found to have been illegally modified so that it could carry more cargo.
The Korean Register of Shipping, which is a body appointed by the government to inspect ships, also did not carry out proper safety check-ups.
The report also said the coast guard missed a crucial period to rescue passengers and botched its rescue operations. The agency failed to maintain proper communication with the ferry and issued ill-matched rescue orders.
Meanwhile the trial of the ferry's captain and 14 crew members continued on Tuesday in the city of Gwangju, with video evidence from inside the stricken ship shown in court.
The BBC's Lucy Williamson says prosecutors have alleged that the more than 300 deaths were avoidable had the crew acted differently. They said they would show footage of a young passenger standing metres from an exit door as the ship sank.
The gallery was packed with parents of victims, who jeered and shouted at the defendants when a video of the captain and crew jumping into a rescue boat was shown, according to agencies.
During a break in proceedings, some parents harangued the judge and defendants, and one woman tried to throw her shoes at the dock.