Scotland manager Gordon Strachan says midfielder Scott Brown can continue playing for years to come.

The 31-year-old Celtic captain retired from international football in August 2016 but returned for the match against England at Wembley in November 2016.
After naming Brown in his squad to face England at Hampden in June, Strachan said: "He can play for a long time yet.
"His fitness level is not a worry and shouldn't have been a worry - 30 or 31, that's no age at all."
Brown captained title-winning Celtic to their historic unbeaten league campaign this term and, with the League Cup already won, can help them complete an unbeaten domestic treble if they see off Aberdeen in Saturday's Scottish Cup final.
And Strachan is delighted to have the in-form midfielder in his ranks for the World Cup qualifier against England on 10 June.
"He is a huge influence on the game," he said. "When he was young he had influential points in the game with some of the wonderful things he does, but he is commanding 90 minutes now."
Brown is one of six Celtic players named in Strachan's squad, all of whom started in the 1-0 qualifying win over Slovenia in March.
And the manager suggested he could again start Brown, Craig Gordon, Kieran Tierney, Stuart Armstrong, James Forrest and Leigh Griffiths of Celtic when England visit Glasgow.
"Well, it worked the last time, but you've got to remember there were other players playing and I've got to say they were terrific as well," Strachan said.
"The Celtic players did very well. It was just a continuation of what they've been doing all season.
"You can tell from the squad that is at the forefront of my mind, but it was easy to pick these players."
Strachan felt his players were unlucky in the 3-0 defeat at Wembley last November but believes the win over Slovenia has reinvigorated the squad.
Should they beat Gareth Southgate's side it would be the Scots' first win over England at Hampden since the 1-0 triumph in 1985 - a match Strachan played in - thanks to a Richard Gough header.
"I wasn't very good," Strachan said. "I remember the goal. I think the ball was coming to me if Richard Gough had missed it.
"With the game I was having, I was so delighted that Richard got to it first because you wouldn't be talking about a victory.
"The media coverage was not as big back then as it is now. We are saturated with it.
"There will be a big build-up, but the players are used to that now."


Proudly straightening her skirt, jauntily knotting his tie - a new premier usually feels some excitement about attending their first summit of European Union leaders.

Not so Theresa May.
I imagine her slipping on her patterned pumps with some dread this morning as she dashes off to Brussels.
There is a plethora of English expressions for what she has to do today: put a brave face on things; maintain a stiff upper lip; make the best of a bad job.
Her welcome to the EU leaders' table for the first time as British prime minister will be polite but cold.
Brussels has been at pains to point out there will be no Brexit debate at this or any other summit until Downing Street launches formal Brexit negotiations, which it says it will do by the end of March.
Mrs May has been invited to give a "Brexit update" on Thursday night over dinner with other EU leaders but an open discussion has been ruled out.
But Brexit will remain the red, white and blue elephant in the room during all the official discussions tabled at this summit, such as Russia, Syria and migration.
And as I travel through Europe now, I notice a distinct hardening of attitudes - even amongst Britain's closest EU allies, like Germany.
Leading Brexiteers boast confidently that Europe's most powerful nation is bound to push hard for a good EU deal for the UK.
They cite German self-interest and a four-letter word: cars.
The UK is Germany's third largest export market, and one in five German cars is sold in Britain.
But, says Sir Peter Torry, the UK's former ambassador in Berlin, Britain misunderstands the relationship its European partners have with the EU.
It's very different to the UK's transactional attitude.
"Europe was a salvation for Germany after the horrors of World War Two," Sir Peter said.
"If push comes to shove and it's EU integrity or selling more cars; if the choice is between the UK and the EU, Germany will plump for the EU."
Once the best EU buddy of David Cameron, the Netherlands' Prime Minister, Mark Rutte, has also begun to turn his back on London.
He fears his Eurosceptic political rivals will only benefit if post-Brexit UK wins generous concessions.
The leaders of France and Germany face a similar dilemma.
All three countries hold general elections next year, with Brexit becoming something of a political football.
For now, the assumption in Brussels, based on Theresa May's speeches, is that she's moving towards a so-called hard Brexit.
The EU intention is to drive a hard bargain.
One high level EU source was only half-joking when he told me that after the migration, the euro and the terror and security crises, he had not seen EU leaders this united in a long time as they close ranks over Brexit.
True, it seems, for now...
...except possibly the Italians.
Italy is incandescent that the European Commission isn't taking firmer action to help with the thousands of mainly economic migrants still landing on Italian shores.
An EU source described Italy as being convinced that Britain was "the root cause" of paralysis, with the commission so anxious to maintain the united front amongst EU countries post-Brexit that it was shying away from making any tough decisions.
Just the other week, a clearly frustrated Prime Minister Matteo Renzi told me: "Enough! We in Europe have been focusing on Brexit for more than two years now.
"It holds up key EU business. Let's get Brexit over and move on."
I went to a political cabaret in Berlin this week where Brexit, Germany's struggle with it and the EU's precarious future were all the subject of merciless satire.
At one point, the cast staged a mock Eurovision song contest with each country mourning Britain's impending EU departure.
"Ne me quitte pas" (Don't leave me) being the French contribution, of course.
However, the grand finale included all the supposed Eurovision singers telling Britain to get stuffed (in rather cruder language).
Today a similar show has come to Brussels - promising a daring debut by Theresa May and increasingly hostile performances by the Dutch, the French, the Germans and their supporting EU cast.


A toddler has died after a fireplace fell on top of him.

Two-year-old Malaki Hughes died following an incident at a house in Saltney, Flintshire, on Monday morning.
Emergency services were sent to the home at about 08:40 BST. He was taken to the Countess of Chester Hospital but he could not be saved.
Saltney town councillor Shelly Streeter described him as a "sweet" and "lovely" boy.
Ms Streeter said: "I was out delivering news letters last night and it was what was on everyone's lips. It's affected everybody. It's shocking and heartbreaking.
"The hearts of the community just go out to the family, and people are very keen to try and help them."
Ms Streeter said she had met the boy's mother occasionally, adding: "I just feel terrible for her."
She added Malaki was "lovely, absolutely magical".
An online fundraising page set up to raise money for his family has already attracted hundreds of pounds in donations.


Telecoms provider TalkTalk is investigating a "significant and sustained cyber-attack" on its website in which some of its customer data may have been accessed.

The phone and broadband provider has said that some of its customers' credit card details may have been accessed.
However, it added that the details would have been incomplete because some of the digits are replaced with the letter "x" in its records.
Unfortunately, many attackers target the vulnerable in the wake of a big cyber-attack, trying to trick them into handing over more of their personal information.
So what can you do to try to protect yourself from danger?
Be wary if you receive any telephone calls claiming to be from TalkTalk, especially if the caller asks you for private information.
TalkTalk says it never asks customers to give their full passwords or Pin codes over the telephone.
"If you're talking to somebody, think whether what you are saying is exactly the kind of information which would open up your bank account," Daniel Dresner from the University of Manchester told BBC Breakfast.
"These companies don't ask for that kind of information."
If you are not sure whether a call from TalkTalk is genuine, ask for a reference number and call the company back yourself on 0203 441 5550. It is a good idea to wait at least five minutes before returning the call - or use phone another line.
Attackers can send very convincing emails that look like they are from TalkTalk but are actually trying to gather your personal information.
They may even refer to the cyber-attack in an attempt to appear genuine.
Be suspicious if an email asks you to reply with personal information or click on a link. Criminals can set up official-looking websites to harvest your account details.
"I would caution against clicking links in emails you are unsure of - it's always better to type the website address manually, to avoid the risk of being redirected to a phishing site," said David Emm from security firm Kaspersky Lab.
If you suspect an email is not genuine, call the company's customer service line and ask whether they have sent one.
Although it can be a nuisance for victims of a cyber-attack to monitor their bank accounts, it can help spot problems quickly.
Look through your recent transactions for any payments you do not recognise, even if they are very small.
"People will try and take a small amount first. TalkTalk has four million customers. If they do four million Â£1 transactions, that's not a bad haul," said Mr Dresner.
If you spot any unusual activity you should contact your bank and Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.
TalkTalk is advising customers to change their account password as soon as its website is back up and running.
It is especially important to change your password on other websites, if you have used the same one across many accounts.
Attackers may have harvested usernames, email addresses and passwords from TalkTalk which could let them unlock other services such as your email.
"It's a growing concern that many use the same password and personal details across multiple online accounts, meaning if their details have been compromised by one attack they could find other accounts suffer too," said Mr Emm.
Security experts recommend using a different password for each account.
TalkTalk has reported three cyber-attacks over the past 12 months, so some customers may feel it's time to move elsewhere.
However, such a step could be costly.
The firm has said it would only waive its termination fees for customers who have had money stolen from them as a consequence of the latest incident.
Others face a penalty of up to Â£23.31 for each month that remains on their contract.
Unsurprisingly, the firm's share price recovered some of its recent losses after it made clear this stipulation.


Iraqi security forces are only days away from completing the operation to recapture Mosul from so-called Islamic State, the army's chief of staff says.

Lt Gen Othman al-Ghanimi told the BBC he hoped the jihadist group would be defeated in the city before the Islamic holy month of Ramadan begins on 26 May.
Recent gains in the north meant the remaining militants were being squeezed into an ever smaller area, he added.
Mosul fell to IS in 2014 and is its last major urban stronghold in Iraq.
Pro-government forces launched a major offensive to retake the city in October with the support of US-led coalition air strikes.
They managed to take full control of the eastern half of Mosul in January and started an assault on the west the following month.
Fewer than 1,000 militants are now besieged in several north-western districts, including the Old City, along with as many as 450,000 civilians.
"The security forces are carrying out a big and effective effort. I say that Daesh (IS) will be finished in days, God willing," Gen Ghanimi told BBC Arabic's Feras Kilani.
"I say that the rest of Mosul will be liberated before the holy month of Ramadan."
A week ago, units from the army's 9th Armoured Division and the interior ministry's Rapid Response Force opened a new front in the north after the advance into the densely-populated Old City from the south and west stalled.
Progress in the north was initially limited by fierce resistance from militants using suicide car bombs and snipers, but Gen Ghanimi said gains were now being made.
On Wednesday, police commander Lt Gen Raed Jawdat said the Rapid Response Force had stormed the entrances to the Iqtisadiyeen district, south-east of Mushairfa, and killed dozens of militants in heavy clashes.
The United Nations has said the battle has left more than 8,000 civilians dead or wounded, but that figure only includes people transferred to medical facilities.
Iraq's military does not release casualty figures, but a US general said at the end of March that 774 Iraqi security personnel had been killed and 4,600 wounded.
More than 620,000 civilians have also been displaced by the fighting, among them 414,000 from western Mosul, the Iraqi authorities say.
Most have taken refuge in nearby camps and reception centres. Others are staying with relatives and friends.
The UN says another 100,000 to 200,000 could flee the final battle for the Old City.
On Monday, the International Committee of the Red Cross expressed concern for civilians inside IS-led districts, saying they were facing "very stark choices" as supplies of food and water ran out.
"This population is not only exposed to the immediate dangers of the conflict itself and being either targeted or hit as collateral damage, but is also facing the effects of just no longer really having much access to the basic essentials that they need to live," deputy Middle East director Patrick Hamilton told Reuters news agency.
"People don't have enough to eat, don't have water," he added. "Babies, elderly and so on of course they are very vulnerable and may already be dying."


Defending champion Angelique Kerber was knocked out in round one of the US Open by Japanese teenager Naomi Osaka.

The German sixth seed was overpowered by the 19-year-old world number 45, who won 6-3 6-1 under the roof on Arthur Ashe Stadium at Flushing Meadows.
It continues a disappointing year for 29-year-old Kerber, who has not won a title since her victory in New York 12 months ago.
"I'm still the same player and the same person," she said.
"I know that I'm strong and I know that I will come back stronger, for sure.
"I know that I will not be giving up like this. So for me, I will try to forget the match as soon as possible and look forward again."
Osaka, who led Madison Keys 5-1 in the final set in round three of last year's US Open before losing, said: "It means a lot, especially since last time I was here.
"This court has not given me fond memories but hopefully this overtakes that.
"When it was 4-1 today I was thinking, 'I really hope I don't do what I did last year' and that let me focus a lot."
Two-time Grand Slam champion Kerber struggled badly with her second serve, winning only 37% of points behind it.
Osaka hit 22 winners to Kerber's nine, while the German also made 23 unforced errors in an erratic display.
"She just goes for it," added Kerber. "I think she took the chances and she played a very good match.
"But for me it was for sure not the best day and not the best match."
Find out how to get into tennis in our special guide.


A 42ft (13m) tall pile of rubbish that has cast an enormous shadow over the Black Country for more than three years is finally being cleared.

The pile, made up of household waste, rubble and industrial refuse, is taller than the nearby houses in Moor Street, Brierley Hill.
The Environment Agency said it will take eight months and cost Â£750,000 to clear the blot on the landscape.
Neighbours have spoken of their relief that it is being taken down.
One woman said there had been a "strong whiff" from the site over the summer which had not been pleasant at all.
The director of the firm which owned the rubble, Refuse Derived Fuel Ltd, was jailed for six months in December 2013 for repeatedly failing to clear it.
He had said the firm could not afford the clean up operation.
The agency said the bill would not fall to taxpayers and would be paid by some of the landowners.


Red Bull drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Sebastian Vettel have been excluded from qualifying at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix for driving illegal cars.

Media playback is not supported on this device
Governing body the FIA said the front wings on both cars were too flexible.
Ricciardo and Vettel, who qualified fifth and sixth respectively, can start from the back of the grid, although the team will have to strengthen the wings.
Red Bull are "disappointed" and believe "other teams are interpreting the rules in a similar fashion".
But they said they accepted the decision of the stewards and would start Sunday's race from the back of the grid.
The race stewards made the decision to disqualify Red Bull after hearing an explanation from the team.
Teams can gain an aerodynamic advantage by having front wings that flex downwards at speed.
The rules on flexible bodywork have been toughened in recent seasons after teams pursued it as a way to make cars as efficient as possible in a straight line but have as much downforce as possible in corners.
In previous years, Red Bull have been the leading exponent, but the rules have been tightened in recent years.
Front wings are subjected to load tests under which they must flex only within certain parameters.
The FIA said the Red Bull "front wing flaps were designed to flex under aerodynamic load".
The Red Bulls were said to be in breach of article 3.15 of the technical regulations.
It says that any specific part of the car influencing its aerodynamic performance must comply with the rules relating to bodywork, must be rigidly secured to the entirely sprung part of the car (rigidly secured means not having any degree of freedom) and must remain immobile in relation to the sprung part of the car.
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix coverage details
Full qualifying results


The last school on the Western Isles to offer primary education and the first two years at secondary level is to lose its S1/2 departments.

The decision to close the secondary school unit at Lionel on Lewis was agreed at a full meeting of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar on Wednesday night.
The move got the go ahead on the casting vote of the council's convener.
Parents opposed to the closure attended the meeting and were visibly upset by the decision.
Lionel School provides primary and S1/2 education before pupils move on to finish their secondary schooling at the Nicolson Institute in Stornoway.
It is the last school on the Western Isles to offer primary education and the first two years at secondary level.
Earlier this month, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar's education committee voted nine to six in favour of ending the S1/2 provision.
A final decision on the plans rested with the full council.
Supporters of the closure say that transferring pupils to the new Nicolson Institute will given them more educational opportunities.
But hundreds of people have objected to the plans saying they will be harmful to local children and will damage the community.


A man who had a "bomb workshop" at his Hull home has been given a 10-year anti-social behaviour order banning him from owning certain fireworks.

Paul Smith, of Holm Garth Drive, was also given a 12-month community order after pleading guilty at Hull Crown Court to owning explosive substances.
Smith told police it was a "hobby" when they found two pipe bombs in a workshop at his home earlier this year.
The 40-year-old was even given a bomb-shaped birthday cake, police said.
Smith, who also pleaded guilty to one charge of possession of a Class B drug, has been banned from owning flares or fireworks that are not commercially available under the order.
During the search, officers had found bomb-making equipment and a number of "sophisticated" explosives. An Army bomb disposal team had to make his house safe, police said.
Det Ch Insp Steve Hibbit, from Humberside Police, said: "We never found any evidence that Mr Smith had any intent to harm anybody, either as a group or an individual.
"But anybody making devices like that inevitably brings danger to themselves, to others in the immediate vicinity and who's to know how this would've ended up."
Smith told police he had an interest in explosives "in the same way that other people have an interest in collecting stamps".
Det Ch Insp Hibbit said: "What is extraordinary is the fact that he was living at home [with his parents] and he was even given a birthday cake in the shape of a bomb.
"If it wasn't so dangerous it could be comical. He was clearly self-taught using recipes that are readily available to anybody, but it's not a joke. It is a very serious matter."


The executive producer of the BBC's Top Gear has defended the show following reports its crew had to flee Argentina because of a number plate "stunt".

The stars and crew of the show had to leave South America amid angry protests - reportedly over a number plate that appeared to refer to the Falklands War.
Andy Wilman said the H982 FKL plate had not been deliberately chosen and it was "most definitely" not a stunt.
The team, including Jeremy Clarkson, had been filming a Christmas special.
The crew had travelled to Argentina last month to film the Top Gear special, which saw Clarkson and co-stars Richard Hammond and James May drive the famous Patagonian highway - Route 40 - to the southernmost city of Ushuaia.
However, filming had to be cut short when the show provoked anger among locals following the use of a Porsche with the registration number H982 FKL - an apparent reference to the 1982 Falklands War.
The show's cars had to be abandoned by the roadside and the crew escorted to the airport after being pelted with stones.
In a blog, Mr Wilman said the team had driven into "a night of violent terror".
He said he had read "quite a few comments from viewers" who were convinced the show had put the plate on "deliberately".
"We are, after all, a show known for getting into hot water through our antics, and now we're protesting our innocence over this affair, we're seen as merely crying wolf," he said.
"The truth is, however, this is most definitely not the sort of stunt we'd pull."
Mr Wilman said team had bought the car - complete with the number plate - in the UK, saying it was the best available vehicle of its type and that no-one noticed the plates.
He said the first time the crew realised the plate could be a problem was on the third night of the show's shoot in Argentina.
"Jeremy was scrolling through Twitter and spotted a comment on one of the auto fan sites, next to a photo of the plate. I remember his surprise and concern," he said.
He said the show's team then spoke to authorities in Ushuaia - where the team's road trip was due to end - and the number plates were removed from the car.
"There was nothing in the air to suggest trouble was brewing until the Argentinean veterans arrived and kicked off. We apologised that the existence of the plates earlier on would have caused offence.
"We explained they were now gone, and that they had not been a deliberate act. They didn't believe us, told us to leave town or face the consequences, we did that very thing and drove into a night of violent terror," he added.
It is not the first time the show has met with controversy.
In July, Ofcom ruled that Top Gear had breached broadcasting rules after Clarkson had used a racial slur during a Top Gear special in Burma.
A 2011 episode caused a diplomatic incident in Mexico when Hammond said Mexican cars reflected national characteristics - saying they were like a "lazy, feckless, flatulent oaf with a moustache".
In May this year, the BBC faced calls to fire Clarkson after leaked footage showed him mumbling an offensive version of the nursery rhyme Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe in a clip that was not broadcast.


A motorist in one of the world's fastest and most expensive road cars was pulled over by police for having no number plate.

North Wales Police's road unit posted on Facebook: "Even if your car is worth well in excess of a million pounds you still need a number plate like everybody else."
The Swedish-made Koenigsegg One:1 model was stopped on the A55 on Anglesey.
There are just seven models of the car in the world, including one prototype.
Versions can drive at 439 km/h (273 mph) and cost millions of pounds.


After the murder of nine black Americans at a church in Charleston, South Carolina by a white man, advocates and commentators are calling for suspect Dylann Roof to be described as a terrorist.

Roof has been charged with nine counts of murder. South Carolina has no hate crimes statute, and so it will be not be part of the state's prosecution. But the US Department of Justice has opened up a separate investigation, and it is possible Roof could also face federal charges.
On Friday, a spokeswoman for the justice department said the crime was "undoubtedly designed to strike fear and terror into this community, and the department is looking at this crime from all angles, including as a hate crime and as an act of domestic terrorism".
Who gets called a terrorist by the media and politicians can be a matter of semantics and speculation.
Legally, there are some guidelines for who gets charged with terrorism - and also some room for interpretation.
What is the legal difference between hate crimes and terrorism in the US?
Hate crimes are not separate charges, but an "enhancement" to an existing charge, like assault or murder. Prosecutors use this option to increase the severity of the punishment for those crimes - a potential sentence for a hate crime assault would be higher than an assault with no hate crime enhancement.
In the US, a hate crime is generally defined as "motivated in whole or in part by an offender's bias against a race, religion, disability, ethnic origin or sexual orientation".
Many - but not all - US states have their own hate crime statutes that apply to charges prosecuted under state laws.
Terrorism charges are discrete offences, including charges like material support for terrorist groups and use of weapons of mass destruction.
The US defines "domestic terrorism" as activities that meet three criteria - "dangerous to human life that violate federal or state law", are intended to intimidate or coerce civilians or governments, and occurs primarily within the US.
But "different parts of the US government tend to have different definitions", says Gary LaFree, director of National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (Start).
The FBI and the Bureau of Prisons cannot even agree on the number of prisoners currently incarcerated on terrorism charges, he adds.
What gets charged as terrorism in the US?
The decision to bring terrorism-related charges or add a hate crimes charge rests with the prosecutor.
Heidi Beirich, director of the Southern Poverty Law Center's Intelligence Project, says if prosecutors feel evidence against a suspect is already solid then adding hate crime charges may be an unnecessary complication to the case. The incentive is especially strong in capital murder cases, where there is no higher penalty to give.
Many of the most successful US terrorism prosecutions have been against suspects prosecuted for support or actions for overseas groups like al-Qaeda and Islamic State.
Domestic organisations and individuals, especially neo-Nazi and white supremacists, tend to be charged with conspiracy, organised crime and weapons violations, Beirich says.
An attempt to bomb a Martin Luther King Jr Day parade in Spokane in 2011 was initially described as a "domestic terrorism incident", according to the Congressional Research Service.
The perpetrator later pleaded guilty to attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction and federal hate crimes. Afterwards the FBI said a "horrific hate crime" had been prevented, but the terrorism language was gone.
Terrorism prosecutions are harder to prove than regular crimes, Dr LaFree says, in part because the crucial parts of the charges rely on motive and other psychological factors.
"A relatively small number of cases of those that could be classified as terrorism are actually prosecuted as terrorism," he says, adding a study of Justice Department cases that went forward with terror charges had a lower rate of conviction than those that didn't.


A US weatherman got a bit of a fright after spotting what looked like a massive spider on a monitor in the TV studio.

20 May 2016 Last updated at 07:22 BST
In the video the weatherman Bryan Hughes can be seen chatting to colleagues before letting out a super loud scream.
Take a look at the clip!


Cardiff's Ben Turner could miss the rest of season with an ankle injury.

The centre-back, 26, injured ligaments in last weekend's 2-1 FA Cup loss at home to Reading and the Bluebirds fear he will be sidelined for 10-12 weeks.
Cardiff manager Russell Slade said: "He is devastated, especially as he worked so hard to get over the double ankle injury he had in the summer."
The Bluebirds could rush Bruno Ecuele Manga back into action for Saturday's Championship game against Derby County.
Ecuele Manga only returned on Thursday from African Cup of Nations duty with Gabon.
Turner's absence could also have implications for Cardiff before the transfer window closes on Monday night.
Slade hopes to make one or two more additions, adding: " I have been looking for a leader type in the window anyway.
"But probably with Ben going it makes it more vital we try to search for somebody who can provide that role for us a little bit."
Slade, who is not looking to lose more players before the window closes, is awaiting a decision from a transfer target and said other potential acquisitions could "go to the wire".
And the Cardiff manager made it clear there is no desire to sell Scottish international goalkeeper David Marshall, who is currently sidelined following groin surgery.
"Nobody at the football wants to sell David Marshall, not even the owner," Slade said.
"But I suspect at some stage at virtually every club in the country everybody has a value, so it would probably have to be something that would blow us away.
"I actually don't see that happening at all. David is very happy and to date there have been no inquiries on my desk."


Rock star Jimi Hendrix would have helped pioneer rap music had he stayed alive, says the producer who worked on his final album.

"This whole idea of street music would have definitely influenced him," Eddie Kramer told BBC 6 Music.
"Jimi was aware of everything that was going on, he was a musical sponge.  The next step? Who knows... He may have even gotten into rap."
The star would have been "an enormous force" had he survived, Kramer added.
"I think about this all the time. Not only would he have been a great record producer, but he would have had his own record company, a film company, a musical production company.
"He would have been an enormous force - pretty much like Jay-Z is today. He would have been king of the heap."
Kramer was speaking to Matt Everitt ahead of the release of a new documentary, Electric Church, which revisits one of Hendrix's final shows, at the second Atlanta Pop Festival in 1970.
The musician played a 16-song set, featuring several new songs from what was to become a posthumous album, Cry of Love.
The documentary features interviews with his bandmates Billy Cox and the late Mitch Mitchell, as well as Sir Paul McCartney, Steve Winwood and Kirk Hammett of Metallica.
"We had just finished recording a lot of these songs at Electric Lady studios," Kramer recalled. "So when the band are playing, they are tight."
"The amount of freedom that he had doing a live gig, based upon the work we had done in the studio - all of a sudden he could stretch out and make the solo twice as long and put all the bits that come to him as an improvisational guitar solo.
"Any time Jimi straps on a guitar and plays live it's going to be pretty damn good. He was in his element. He loved playing live."
Hendrix, one of the most influential guitarists in rock music, died on 18 September 1970.
A coroner recorded an open verdict on his death.  An inquest heard he had taken nine sleeping pills but there was no evidence of drug addiction.


Hospitals with A&E departments around Bristol are back on black alert for the second time in a month amid "severe pressure" on services.

Some operations have been cancelled and extra staff drafted in to deal with a surge of patients over the weekend.
The Bristol Royal Infirmary, Southmead Hospital and Weston General hospitals are affected.
More beds are being opened but people are urged not to go to A&E unless they have a "life-threatening" condition.
Instead they are urged to go to minor injury units, chemists and GP surgeries, or to call the NHS on 111.
A black alert, the highest level, means hospital services are unable to cope with demand. The three hospitals were last on black alert earlier this month.
The number of people in hospital for more than two weeks is much higher than usual, said an NHS spokesman.
A surge of patients during last week's cold snap has added to pressure.
The black alert is likely to stay in place for days. Extra ambulance staff are being used to transfer patients into hospital, to prevent ambulances queuing and district nurses are being deployed to hospitals, to help find community beds for patients well enough to leave.
Bristol GP Peter Goyder said an increase in hospital admissions together with "a higher number of very ill patients who need to stay in hospital for longer" had contributed to the situation.
Analysis of the most recent figures suggests hospitals in England are struggling to meet the four-hour target for treating or admitting 95% of patients.
Three hospitals in Cornwall also went on black alert this month, as did two in Somerset.


Prime Minister David Cameron has held face-to-face talks with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani as part of a bid to revive the Syrian peace process.

The pair's meeting - which was brought forward from Tuesday - was at the United Nations summit in New York.
Downing Street said it was a "good, considered, thoughtful discussion"  between the two leaders.
Efforts to engage Tehran in a push to end Syria's civil war have been spurred by a thaw in relations with the west.
The meeting was rescheduled after Mr Rouhani decided to cut short his attendance at the UN General Assembly to fly home for funerals of victims of the Hajj stampede, which killed at least 700 people.
They talked for 45 minutes, a Downing Street spokeswoman said.
She said the prime minister had said so-called Islamic State could not be defeated as long as President Assad was head of the regime in Syria - a key difference with president Rouhani's view - and she added "we need to find a way forward on that".
The spokeswoman said the discussions were at "a very early stage" but the two leaders had agreed to continue their discussions.
Last month, the British embassy in Iran reopened nearly four years after it was closed after it was stormed by protesters during a demonstration against sanctions.
And in July, Tehran reached a deal with six world powers aimed at curbing its nuclear programme.
Iran has been a close ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in recent years.
Mr Cameron is expected to drop his opposition to President Assad playing a role in any transitional government during talks with a number of leaders in New York.
But on Sunday he told reporters President Assad had "butchered his own people" and was "one of the great recruiting sergeants" for so-called Islamic State.
"He can't play a part in the future of Syria and that position hasn't changed," the PM continued.
"Obviously conversations about how we bring about transition are very important and that's what we need to see greater emphasis on."
Asked if he believed Mr Assad should face prosecution at the International Criminal Court, Mr Cameron said: "People who break international law should be subject to international law."
It is clear that Britain has had to accept that it may be necessary to allow Assad to stay on in some form of interim role if a longer-term solution is to be achieved, not least because of the need to remain in step with the United States.
The other factor in all this is the election of Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader. The anti-war veteran is opposed to extending military action, though the shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn has said Labour would look at any proposal to do so.
David Cameron has not even discussed the matter with the new Labour leader yet.
The government is well aware of the potential risks and consequences of any military mission in the Middle East and it seems the prime minister is carefully assessing the rapidly shifting political and military picture before reaching any decision on what Britain should do next.
Read the full article
But Mr Rouhani said it was essential the regime stayed in place.
"If we are to succeed in defeating terrorism, the government in Damascus cannot be weakened. It must be able to carry on the fight," he said.
Mr Cameron is attending several sessions at the UN but will not join Mr Rouhani, US president Barack Obama, Russian president Vladimir Putin and China's Xi Jinping in making a keynote speech.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn criticised that decision.
"What matters now is a broad and comprehensive plan as the foundation for a political solution to the conflict and a new United Nations Security Council resolution," he said.
"That's why it is so disappointing that David Cameron isn't showing leadership and unlike other world leaders won't be speaking at the UN this week."
In his speech at the Labour Party conference, shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn called on the prime minister to "strain every sinew" over Syria at the summit.


Garry Fleming's equaliser eight minutes from time gave Dumbarton a share of the points with fellow Championship strugglers Dunfermline Athletic.

The Pars had hit the bar through Kallum Higginbotham before Robert Thomson slotted in Joe Thomson's cross for the second-bottom Sons.
Second-half goals from Nicky Clark and substitute Joe Cardle appeared to set up the Pars' third win of the season.
But Fleming salvaged a draw as the Sons stay a point behind their visitors.
Match ends, Dumbarton 2, Dunfermline Athletic 2.
Second Half ends, Dumbarton 2, Dunfermline Athletic 2.
Attempt missed. Darren Barr (Dumbarton) header from very close range is just a bit too high.
Corner,  Dumbarton. Conceded by Andrew Geggan.
Attempt missed. Kallum Higginbotham (Dunfermline Athletic) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left.
Foul by Ryan Stevenson (Dumbarton).
Jason Talbot (Dunfermline Athletic) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Attempt saved. Andy Stirling (Dumbarton) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Corner,  Dumbarton. Conceded by Sean Murdoch.
Attempt saved. Joseph Thomson (Dumbarton) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Substitution, Dumbarton. Ryan Stevenson replaces Robert Thomson.
Garry Fleming (Dumbarton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Lewis Martin (Dunfermline Athletic).
Attempt missed. Nicky Clark (Dunfermline Athletic) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the left.
Goal!  Dumbarton 2, Dunfermline Athletic 2. Garry Fleming (Dumbarton) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Daniel Harvie.
Goal!  Dumbarton 1, Dunfermline Athletic 2. Joe Cardle (Dunfermline Athletic) right footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Nicky Clark.
Robert Thomson (Dumbarton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Kallum Higginbotham (Dunfermline Athletic).
Attempt blocked. Andy Stirling (Dumbarton) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Gregor Buchanan (Dumbarton) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Michael Moffat (Dunfermline Athletic).
Corner,  Dunfermline Athletic. Conceded by Robert Thomson.
Substitution, Dumbarton. Andy Stirling replaces Samuel Stanton.
Attempt missed. Michael Moffat (Dunfermline Athletic) right footed shot from the left side of the box is high and wide to the left.
Kallum Higginbotham (Dunfermline Athletic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Daniel Harvie (Dumbarton).
Jason Talbot (Dunfermline Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Robert Thomson (Dumbarton).
Corner,  Dumbarton. Conceded by Lee Ashcroft.
Substitution, Dunfermline Athletic. Michael Moffat replaces Gavin Reilly.
Attempt missed. Joe Cardle (Dunfermline Athletic) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses the top left corner.
Foul by Mark Docherty (Dumbarton).
Gavin Reilly (Dunfermline Athletic) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Attempt missed. Nathaniel Wedderburn (Dunfermline Athletic) left footed shot from outside the box is too high.
Attempt blocked. Jason Talbot (Dunfermline Athletic) right footed shot from long range on the left is blocked.
Corner,  Dunfermline Athletic. Conceded by Josh Todd.
Corner,  Dunfermline Athletic. Conceded by Joseph Thomson.
Corner,  Dunfermline Athletic. Conceded by Joseph Thomson.
Foul by Nicky Clark (Dunfermline Athletic).
Samuel Stanton (Dumbarton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.


A fox got itself wedged between two headstones at a cemetery and had to be freed by the RSPCA.

The charity was contacted by a member of the public who spotted the animal at St Mary Magdalene Church in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire.
Inspector Georgia McCormick said the animal was completely trapped and unable to free itself when she got to the site last Thursday.
The animal, which was not injured, was rescued and released into the wild.
See updates on this and other stories from across Coventry and Warwickshire here
Ms McCormick said: "I'm not sure how he managed to get there, or how long he had been there for, but he really was in a tight spot.
"The call came into us at 11am, and as foxes are nocturnal animals I can only imagine he had been there from the night before.
"I managed to carefully free him and check him over - thankfully he wasn't injured and so he was released back into the wild.
"I dread to think what could have happened to him if we hadn't have been contacted."


Video game pioneer Leslie Benzies has invested in a Scottish audio tech firm which creates imaginary creature sounds for films, television and video games.

The former president of Grand Theft Auto producer Rockstar North is the main investor in a six-figure funding deal involving Edinburgh-based Krotos.
Its "dehumaniser" voice processor has been used in movies such as The Jungle Book and Avengers: Age of Ultron.
It has also featured in hit video games including Doom and League of Legends.
The new investment was co-funded by Old College Capital, the venture investment arm of the University of Edinburgh.
Krotos now plans to double its staff headcount to 20 and target consumer markets in growth areas such as virtual reality (VR) and gaming communication.
Its software produces imaginary creature and monster sounds in real-time, which the company says "dramatically" speeds up a process that previously took up to eight hours to complete.
It also allows actors to generate sounds themselves using their own voices.
Krotos founder and chief executive Orfeas Boteas hit upon the idea for the "dehumaniser" while studying at the University of Edinburgh.
Mr Boteas said: "Our tools will finally free audio designers, creatives and musicians from outdated workflows and will allow them to focus on creativity.
"The next few years will open up exciting possibilities for new media, as audio is now more challenging than ever with Virtual Reality, Augmented reality and Mixed reality.
"Video games and films are our core market but there is massive potential in VR and that will be an important focus for us moving forward."
Mr Benzies said: "Orfeas understands the potential of bringing technology and creativity together, and his vision for the future of audio tools resonated with me."


People in financial trouble can choose new fee-free current accounts - but banks still have the right to move them onto accounts with charges.

A basic bank account allows customers to use cash machines and direct debits but blocks them from overdraft fees.
All the major High Street names have offered these accounts since January after a deal was thrashed out between the Treasury and the industry.
But one charity says bank staff are not all aware of the accounts.
Debt counselling service Christians Against Poverty (CAP) said that staff were inadvertently directing applicants with a chequered financial history to regular, fee-charging current accounts.
The customers' applications are then inevitably rejected because they fail the credit checks.
"It can be upsetting for people who are already dealing with debt," said Daniel Kelly, creditor relations analyst at CAP. "Many have had a negative relationship with banks for quite some time."
When Lee, from Bolton, lost his job he started to get into financial difficulty. He had to move out of his home because he could not afford the rent and faced years of debt.
The 35-year-old was advised by CAP to open a basic bank account and they provided him with a letter explaining his situation to bank staff and outlining the account he needed to open.
"There are about 10 banks in the centre of Bolton. I went from one bank to another. I kept on getting turned away. I felt like giving up, wondering what was the point," he said.
Initially, he was told he did not have the correct paperwork but, after that, he encountered confusion from bank staff.
"About three or four of them looked at me and asked me what a basic bank account was," he said.
In January, after three months of trying, he went into a branch of Barclays and a member of staff opened a basic bank account for him virtually on the spot.
He said that having the account was helping him to get back on his feet financially.
A basic bank account is aimed at people who are unable to open a regular current account, or switch accounts, owing to their poor credit rating. Customers in financial difficulty who already hold a current account, but need a further account to manage their financial affairs are also eligible.
A basic bank account includes:
The account has no option of an arranged overdraft, and there are no fees for a failed payment when the account is short of funds. Previously they might have paid up to Â£35 per failed payment.
Mr Kelly said it was "crucial" for those who had faced financial difficulty to have a payment card and direct debit facility in order to access the best deals found online. For example, the best gas and electricity tariffs are only available to those who could pay via direct debit.
A report by the Financial Inclusion Commission, published in March 2015, found that those without an account faced paying an extra Â£1,300 a year for financial services.
Many people in debt also find it useful to open a separate basic bank account for day-to-day expenses, rather than stick with an account when the bank can take a chunk of any fresh income for unpaid charges.
The banking industry signed an agreement with the Treasury in late 2014 that gave them a year to set up basic bank accounts.
Mr Kelly said that the new basic accounts launched by the deadline were "encouraging", although "it was a shame that the banks had to be forced into it".
He still raised concerns that some people in debt, who were forced to move between temporary accommodation and did not have a passport, found it difficult to product the paperwork and ID required to open an account.
The agreement also gives the banks the power to move customers from a basic bank account to a regular, fee-charging current account if they believe the customer's financial circumstances have improved sufficiently.
The bank must give the customer two months' notice in writing, explaining why it intends to shift them to the new account.
Other providers have separate arrangements to the agreement. For example, Virgin Money launched its version of a basic bank account in 2014.
The British Bankers' Association, which represents the major UK banks, said: "The basic bank account has recently been substantially redesigned to deliver better service for customers and builds on the significant progress made by the industry on financial inclusion in recent years.
"More people than ever before can now access banking services without any fees.
"High street banks are committed to delivering the basic bank account agreement in full, including the obligations to ensure visibility and access, and they take this responsibility very seriously."
Tomorrow: Why consumers get a raw deal from internet banking


Republican Senator Rand Paul has dropped out of the race for US president after a disappointing fifth place finish in the Iowa caucuses.

Mr Paul often clashed with his Republican rivals over their hawkish views on foreign policy and their support of government surveillance.
He ended his bid in part to focus on his re-election to the US Senate.
He is seen as representing the Libertarian wing of the party, which promotes individual rights and privacy.
"Across the country thousands upon thousands of people flocked to our message of limited government, privacy, criminal justice reform and a reasonable foreign policy," he said.
"Although, today I will suspend my campaign for president, the fight is far from over."
Mr Paul, an ophthalmologist, represents Kentucky in the US Senate and is the son of former Congressman Ron Paul, who ran for president several times.
He has said in the past he is the right candidate to "stand up to both the right and the left".
Last year, a Time magazine cover labelled him "the most interesting man in politics".
There are now 10 Republicans left in the White House race, down from the original 17.
The 52-year-old hoped to gain the attention of young people hoping for change but was ultimately overshadowed by billionaire businessman Donald Trump.
Mr Paul is known for holding up the Senate floor for nearly 13 hours to delay the nomination of John Brennan as CIA director because of his opposition to the Obama administration's use of drone strikes against terrorists.
He also was criticised last year when he said vaccines could give children "profound mental disorders". He later said his children are immunised.
Mr Paul was passionate about criminal justice reform, saying the US needs to "break the cycle of incarceration for non-violent ex-offenders".
He was praised for level-headed debate performances, but ultimately was hurt by his non-interventionist polices after terrorist attacks in San Bernardino, California and Paris.
Mr Paul had trouble raising money for his campaign, as well, not attracting wealthy donors flocking to candidates like Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush and Ted Cruz.
With such a large field of candidates, underperforming Republican candidates are under increasing pressure to drop out of the race.
Former Governor of Arkansas Mike Huckabee dropped out on Tuesday as votes were being cast in Iowa.


The average age at which people in the UK first become obese is decreasing, figures show.

University College London researchers looked at data from more than 56,000 people born in Britain between 1946 and 2001.
They found a clear shift over time, with obesity becoming more common and starting earlier in life.
The latest data, however, suggests childhood obesity may now be stabilising among the under-10s.
But it is too early to say if this will continue. Public health officials have said they are concerned.
Obese children often go on to be obese adults, carrying with them an increased risk of heart disease and diabetes.
Prof Rebecca Hardy and colleagues looked at five generations of Britons and reported their findings in the journal PLOS Medicine.
The first, post-War male babies, did not become overweight until they hit the age of 40, on average - the report said.
But the next two generations of men got fatter younger - at a median age of 33 and 30, respectively.
The trend was the same for women. By the third generation - babies born in the 1970s - the median age for becoming overweight was 41, compared with 48 for those born in 1946 and 44 for those born in 1958.
By the fourth generation, obesity was becoming common in childhood.
Children born since the 1980s were up to three times more likely than older generations to be overweight or obese by the age of 10.
Latest figures for England suggest a fifth of children joining primary school are now obese or overweight.
Prof Hardy said: "Our work shows this coincided with the onset of an obesogenic environment in the 1980s, where there was easy access to high-calorie food.
"The onset of obesity has been getting earlier and earlier and this does have implications if people are not losing that weight.
"Being overweight over a lifetime means you accumulate risks for things like heart disease and diabetes."
Eustace De Sousa, national lead for children, young people and families, at Public Health England, said: "Evidence shows that children of obese parents are much more likely to have weight problems, which is a major concern when almost two-thirds of adults are overweight or obese.
"Almost one in 10 children in Reception are obese - but what's even more shocking is that by the time they leave primary school, this doubles to nearly one in five."
The government has already launched a number of initiatives to help people eat more healthily and be more active.
It estimates that health problems associated with being overweight or obese cost the NHS more than Â£5bn every year.


Ali Price says Scotland will travel to Twickenham confident they can register a first win there since 1983.

The Scots produced a superb second-half display to beat Wales 29-13 at Murrayfield, their first win over the Welsh in a decade.
Price feels this team now has the tools to compete with Eddie Jones' Grand Slam winners.
"We'll go down there knowing, if we play how we can play, we'll leave there with a win," the scrum-half said.
"We now look at every game as a game we can go and win.
"We've got two weeks now to prepare for the England game, so we'll prepare well."
Price stepped up with an assured display in place of injured captain Greig Laidlaw in only his third appearance - and first start - for Scotland.
The Glasgow Warriors back says it was important to play his own game rather than trying to replicate the role played by the inspirational Laidlaw.
"I don't want to try and replicate Greig. I'm not Greig," he said.
"He's an incredible game-manager, an incredible leader. That's something I still need to learn a lot about. That part of the game, I really want to work on.
"Having Finn Russell playing outside me - obviously we play together at Glasgow - helped a lot.
"Greig did an awful lot for the team. After we knew he was going to be out, everyone else stepped up and has taken on more of a leadership role, especially in those decision-making positions.
"I didn't feel under that much pressure. I just wanted to go out there and put in a good performance."
Russell kicked 19 points in a man-of-the-match display and echoed Price's belief that the Scots have a chance of a first win at Twickenham in his lifetime.
"I don't remember it - I wasn't even born," said the 24-year-old stand-off of the 1983 triumph.
"We ran them close a couple of years ago and last year. They are playing well and have a lot of confidence and momentum, so it will be a tough game.
"But, if we get our preparation right, we will see what happens.
"We have the belief. It is 10 years since we beat Wales, so this is a different team to ones in the past.
"We won't get arrogant and say we are going to win as it will be a tough game. We will have belief in ourselves because, if we don't do that, we will not win.
"We'll go down there and give it our best crack. We're looking forward to the challenge."


Livingston secured the Scottish League One title and promotion to the Championship with a 2-1 home win over Alloa Athletic.

Leaders Livi had needed just a point to go up and did enough thanks to Scott Pittman and Jackson Longridge goals.
Meanwhile, Airdrieonians leapfrogged Brechin City into third with a 3-1 win.
Stenhousemuir saw off East Fife by the same scoreline, and there were wins for Albion Rovers over Stranraer and Queen's Park over Peterhead.
Iain Russell's double helped Airdrie strengthen their play-off push against Brechin, as he scored the first and last goals at the Excelsior Stadium.
The captain was teed up by Kyle Hutton to open the scoring after 20 minutes, before Kieran MacDonald doubled the advantage just three minutes later.
Jack Leitch's own goal in first-half injury time put the visitors back in contention, but Russell made it 3-1 11 minutes into the second period.
Bottom side Stenhousemuir boosted their survival hopes with a home win over East Fife, as Willie Furtado scored twice.
He gave the hosts the lead just before half-time but Chris Kane drew the Fifers level early in the second period.
Colin McMenamin's penalty just after the hour mark put Stenhousemuir back in front and Furtado got his second with 11 minutes to go to complete the scoring.
Elsewhere, Paul Willis, Ryan Wallace and a Morgyn Neill own-goal gave Albion a 3-0 home win over Stranraer.
And Queen's Park defeated Peterhead 2-0 with goals from on-loan Hearts forward Dario Zanatta and Ryan McGeever.


Seven suspected illegal immigrants have been detained after a yacht ran aground in Suffolk.

UK Border Force officers were called after the group of Ukrainian nationals was discovered in Orford on Sunday morning.
The Coastguard was called out when the yacht found itself in trouble in high winds.
It is thought to be the second time in recent years that a group of Ukrainians has been detained at the port.


Former England manager Graham Taylor has died at the age of 72.

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As a club manager, Taylor led Watford from the Fourth Division to runners-up in the old First Division in five years, and to the 1984 FA Cup final.
He took Aston Villa to second in the First Division, returning to Watford and Villa after his spell in charge of the national side, and managing Wolves.
He became England boss in 1990 but resigned in 1993 after the team failed to qualify for the 1994 World Cup.
Taylor later became a renowned pundit for BBC Sport.
A family statement said: "With the greatest sadness, we have to announce that Graham passed away at his home early this morning of a suspected heart attack.
"The family are devastated by this sudden and totally unexpected loss."
Watford will hold a minute's applause in honour of their former manager before their home Premier League game against Middlesbrough on Saturday, and their players will wear black armbands.
The EFL said a minute's applause will be held before this weekend's league fixtures, while clubs will have the option of wearing black armbands.
Tributes have been pouring in, including from musician Sir Elton John, who owned Watford during both of Taylor's spells at the club.
"I am deeply saddened and shocked to hear about Graham's passing. He was like a brother to me," he wrote on Instagram.
"We shared an unbreakable bond since we first met. We went on an incredible journey together and it will stay with me forever.
"He took my beloved Watford from the depths of the lower leagues to uncharted territory and into Europe. We have become a leading English club because of his managerial wisdom and genius."
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Aston Villa said they were "deeply saddened" by the news and that Taylor would be "fondly remembered" by staff who worked with him.
"Graham will always have a place of honour in our history books for his achievements while at the helm," the club added.
Football Association chairman Greg Clarke said: "He was a hugely popular and respected figure in the game, not just in English football but international circles as well.
"I know Graham was very proud of his time as England manager and it was always great to see him at football grounds across the country.
"He had an exceptional knowledge and a love for the game that never diminished over the years. He will be much missed by us all at Wembley and St George's Park."
Match of the Day pundit and former England striker Alan Shearer was given his international debut by Taylor.
"I held him in the very, very highest regard because of what he gave to me," he told BBC Sport. "He set me on the road, as it were. I'll never ever forget that."
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Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson told the League Managers' Association website: "Graham was one of the old-school managers. He started as a very young man of 28, having suffered a career-ending injury as a player.
"He was the natural choice to become the England manager when he did and this was the pinnacle of a hugely successful career.
"I have very fond memories of Graham. He was approachable, open and honest.  If he could help you in any way, he always would."
Howard Wilkinson, chairman of the LMA - of which Taylor was the first president, said: "Football has lost one of its greatest servants and our thoughts and condolences are with his wife Rita, his daughters Joanne and Karen, and the rest of his family."
Much of Taylor's work as a pundit at the BBC was carried out for BBC Radio 5 live, and controller Jonathan Wall said: "His colleagues loved working with him, and for our listeners he was a much-loved pundit. He leaves us with wonderful warm memories and so many stories. Our thoughts are with his family at this sad time."
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Taylor started out as a player and, after coming through the youth ranks with Scunthorpe, was a defender at Grimsby and Lincoln City.
He became manager at Lincoln in 1972 aged 28, and led them to the old Fourth Division title in 1975-76 before joining Watford.
In his first spell as Hornets boss between 1977 and 1987, Taylor took the club to the top flight and they finished second to Liverpool in 1983.
He was appointed by Villa in 1987 and, after leading them to promotion into the top tier, took them to second in 1990.
His exploits led to his appointment as England manager, but he had a turbulent spell in charge of the national team as they failed to make it out of the group at Euro 92 and did not qualify for the World Cup in the United States two years later.
Taylor's return to club management came with a brief stint at Wolves before he again took over at Watford, leading them to two promotions in as many years as he guided them back into English football's top flight.
He also returned to manage Villa in 2002 but retired a year later.
His association with Watford continued when he became chairman in 2009, a post he held for three years, and the club renamed their Rous Stand at Vicarage Road after Taylor in 2014.
"In this day and age, when a stand is named after somebody, it's for commercial reasons. I felt honoured," he told BBC Three Counties Radio at the time.
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BBC Sport chief football writer Phil McNulty
Graham Taylor will not simply be remembered for his outstanding management at places like Watford and Aston Villa where, despite his struggles with England, he proved himself an outstanding manager.
Taylor will be remembered, by those who had dealings with him in his career as a manager and a BBC Sport pundit, as one of the nicest and most genuine men you could ever meet.
He, in many respects, was vastly underrated as a manager because of his unfulfilling spell with England, but close scrutiny of his record proved his pedigree.
Taylor took Watford from the Fourth Division to second place in the First Division, as well as the 1984 FA Cup final, before the advent of the Premier League. It was a remarkable feat.
He continued at Aston Villa, not only taking them back into the top flight but almost winning the title, finishing second to Liverpool in his third season at the club.
A spell at Wolves did not work out but he reproduced the old magic in a second spell at Watford, taking them into the Premier League, although a second stint at Villa was not so successful.
Above all, this is a loss that will be felt keenly throughout football's generations because the game has lost one its true gentlemen.
Read more from Phil


A High Court ruling has paved the way for a John Lewis store at Sprucefield near Lisburn, County Antrim.

It follows a court case in March which found Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan (BMAP) planning policy had been adopted unlawfully.
BMAP restricted future expansion at Sprucefield to bulky goods only - an obstacle to a John Lewis department store.
However, the restriction has now effectively been lifted.
On Friday, a judge ruled that the rest of BMAP can now be implemented, declaring it a "fair, just and proportionate" remedy.
A spokesperson for John Lewis said: "We do not have any current plans to open a shop in the province."
Intu, the UK-property company which owns the Sprucefield site said: "We plan to study this judgement carefully.
"Until then we are really not in a position to comment."
Analysis by BBC NI Business Correspondent Julian O'Neill
The court has removed a significant barrier to John Lewis, but no one should expect sudden action.
This is already a saga which has run for more than ten years.
Firstly, there is the prospect of a legal challenge to the court ruling.
Secondly, there are other policies around out-of-town retail developments versus a cities-first strategy.
Thirdly, there are the intentions of the Sprucefield site owners, Intu, and John Lewis.
What are they?
Neither party has said much in response to the ruling.
John Lewis saw profits slump earlier this year and is assessing what it means for expanding its 48 stores.
So while the court move is important, the issue is far from settled.
Welcoming the verdict, Lagan Valley MP Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said renewed attempts will now be made to attract John Lewis to Sprucefield.
But Belfast City Council immediately announced its intention to appeal the outcome amid concerns for the impact on the retail sector.
Earlier this year, a High Court judge held that former SDLP Environment Minister Mark H Durkan acted unilaterally and unlawfully in authorising BMAP without securing consent from executive colleagues.
Mr Durkan's approval of the planning framework adopted in 2014 was challenged by the DUP's Arlene Foster, who was the Stormont enterprise minister at the time.
But following the assembly elections in May, agreement was reached by newly created departments on the way forward in the legal action.
Simon Hamilton, the DUP Economy Minister, and Sinn FÃ©in Minister for Infrastructure Chris Hazzard, agreed on a proposal to have BMAP adopted without the bulky goods restriction.
In a joint statement, both ministers welcomed the court's decision, saying it would provide "certainty" for communities, councils and investors.
But a barrister for Belfast City Council urged the judge against rubber stamping the draft order.
He argued that it would involve the court veering into the area of creating planning policy.
However, a barrister who brought the original challenge on behalf of the enterprise minister, claimed that Mr Durkan should not be allowed to get away with "going on a solo run".
He said: "If correct that would drive a coach and horses through the Northern Ireland Act and would be a charter for ministers to effectively chance their arm and hope for the best later on."
Despite Belfast City Council's objections, the judge agreed to make the declaration sought by the two departments.
Announcing the council's intention to appeal the judgment, Councillor John Hussey said it raises important issues about the role of the courts in sanctioning changes to planning policy, when the original complaint was that a minister acted unlawfully.
"This is not about Belfast versus anywhere else," he said.
"Neglecting Belfast will have an adverse effect on the economy of Northern Ireland as a whole."
But Sir Jeffrey, the DUP MP in whose constituency the Sprucefield retail park area is situated, predicted a new planning application would be submitted by the site's owners INTU.
"The restriction should never have been placed on Sprucefield in the first instance - I'm pleased it's now been removed.
"We will certainly be looking to attract John Lewis into the park as part of future development," he added.


A woman who sold jewellery embellished with tiger claws and teeth has been handed a 12-month community order for trading in endangered species.

Catherine Emberton, 29, admitted three offences under the Control of Trade in Endangered Species regulations.
She sold 129 pieces containing tiger parts from her home in Sheffield over an 18-month period.
At the city's crown court, she was ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work.
Emberton, of Gleadless Road, was acquitted of one count of fraud.
In June, officers raided her house, where they recovered 23 claws and 10 teeth, a silversmith's workbench, jewellery-making equipment, as well as claws and teeth set in silver.
Police first discovered she was selling the jewellery on an internet auction site in May.
A large proportion of her jewellery featured tiger teeth and claws, which she was shipping across the globe, detectives said.
South Yorkshire Police said most of her adverts "carried a rider suggesting these were antique... and exempt from any requirement for permits".
"However, the items being sold and offered for sale by Emberton did not qualify for this exemption. Most of the items she was selling were raw teeth or claws set in metal," the force said.
The raid was carried out in conjunction with the UK National Wildlife Crime Unit as part of an investigation into the illegal trade in tiger parts on the internet.


Pakistan has hanged three Baloch insurgents, 17 years after they hijacked a passenger plane with 30 people on board.

The men were executed at jails in Karachi and Hyderabad.
They hijacked a Pakistan International Airlines flight in May 1998 and ordered the pilot to fly to India but the plane was diverted and stormed by troops.
Pakistan has put at least 130 people to death since lifting a moratorium on executions in December.
The men - Shabbir Rind, Shahsawar Baloch and Sabir Rind - were members of the left-wing Baloch Students' Organisation (BSO), who were demanding more resources, such as gas and electricity, for their region.
They were sentenced to be executed in October 1998 but remained on death row until a moratorium on executions was lifted after the Peshawar school massacre.
Four other men were hanged on Thursday at jails across the country. They were convicted in murder cases and were not linked to the hijackers.
PIA flight 554 took off from Turbat, in the south of Balochistan, and was heading for Karachi when the attackers boarded during a stop-over in Gwadar.
They commandeered the Fokker shortly after take-off, and demanded the captain fly directly to Delhi.
He told them there was not enough fuel, but agreed to bring the plane as far as Bhuj, an airstrip in Gujrat, India.
Instead, he landed in Hyderabad where security forces were waiting.
BBC Urdu's Riaz Sohail in Karachi reports that in order to let the hijackers think they were in India, authorities banned the use of loudspeakers in mosques around the airport.
Troops then stormed the plane and overpowered the hijackers. Passengers and crew were unharmed.
The hijacking on 24 May came just four days before Pakistan carried out nuclear tests in Balochistan, which the BSO opposed.
The province is one of the most underdeveloped regions in the country and has become the site of a long-running conflict between separatists and security forces.


Fire crews have been called out to tackle a blaze at a tea room and shop in Dumfries and Galloway.

Emergency services were sent to the property at Glencaple at about 06:30 after reports of smoke billowing from the building.
The road next to the Caerlaverock Tea Room was closed and people in nearby camper vans moved to safety.
The fire was put out after about three hours. It is not thought to have been suspicious and nobody was hurt.
The tea room and shop is situated on the quayside in the village.
It was officially opened by Princess Alexandra in September 2012.


Manchester United will receive no more than 9,500 tickets for the Europa League final in the 50,000-capacity Friends Arena in Stockholm.

United will play Ajax - who will get a similar allocation for the 24 May final - after edging past Celta Vigo.
The rest of the tickets went on general sale and to local organisers, national associations, commercial partners, broadcasters and corporate hospitality.
There will be no screenings of the game in Stockholm for fans without tickets.
The only United supporters eligible to apply for a ticket will be season ticket holders who have attended every cup game this season and season ticket or executive ticket holders who have applied for a ticket for an away game in Europe at some point over the past two seasons.
Even then, United - who have written to fans to say the likely allocation will be between 8,000 to 9,500 - expect to have far more applications than tickets.
Last year's final at Basel's St Jakob-Park, which has a capacity of 35,000, saw Liverpool and Sevilla allocated 10,236 tickets each.


Back-row forward Alasdair Strokosch has retired from international rugby after 47 Test appearances for Scotland.

The Perpignan flanker, 32, last featured for the Scots in their Rugby World Cup win over United States in Leeds in September.
Former Edinburgh and Gloucester player Strokosch has been involved with the Scotland squad since 2006.
"I've been lucky enough to fulfil my childhood dream of representing Scotland," he said.
"Wearing the thistle has been the greatest honour and responsibility of my life outside of raising my children."
After breaking through in club rugby at Boroughmuir, Strokosch turned professional with Edinburgh in 2004 and moved on to Gloucester three years later. He has been playing in France since 2012.
His Test career started with a substitute's appearance an autumn series defeat by Australia.
Strokosch featured in eight consecutive Six Nations campaigns up until this year's tournament and his two international tries came against Canada and Italy.
"I treasure every memory from my time with the squad," he added.
"I believe that the group we have now are among the most talented that I've seen have the potential to achieve great things for Scottish rugby.
"I would have never achieved anything without the support over the years, particularly from Bob Easson, Carl Hogg, Dean Ryan, Shaun Longstaff, my parents and my wife Kirsty."
And Scotland head coach Vern Cotter, said: "On behalf of the Scotland squad and management I'd like to thank Alasdair for his commitment to the Scotland jersey over the past nine years.
"For almost a decade he has quietly gone about his business with exceptional professionalism, with a lot of the hard work put in - often in the less glamorous and combative areas of the park - going unseen.
"We wish him all the very best in the remaining days with Perpignan where I know he's committed to doing everything he can to ensure their return to the Top 14 before finally hanging up his boots."


Automated pods on a guided roadway may be used to transport workers around a multimillion-pound enterprise zone in Bristol.

The city council is considering the plan for the business park close to Bristol Temple Meads station.
Liberal Democrat transport councillor Tim Kent said the pods were one of many options under consideration.
"It's a lot cheaper than a traditional tram and it's good for an area as small as the enterprise zone," he added.
The zone was announced in April by the government and aims to encourage firms, with a business rate discount and simplified planning rules.
The pods would be similar to those in use at Heathrow Airport, which were designed by a firm from Aztec West near Bristol.
Officials from the city council have already visited Heathrow on a fact-finding mission.
It is likely that the cost per journey would be between £2 and £3.
"It obviously wouldn't be a very large system, it would be quite a small system but we think the option is very good and we have been talking with one provider and looking at it as a possibility," Mr Kent added.
Mr Kent said the system would link up with nearby Temple Meads railway station and could eventually run to Cabot Circus shopping centre.
He said the scheme would not be cheap to build.
"You could be looking at anywhere between £30m and £40m to build such a scheme in reality," he added.
Other options being considered include making the zone either cycle or pedestrian only, increasing the number of car parking spaces or using the nearby harbourside and River Avon.
Mr Kent said investigations into travel schemes were at an early stage and further work would be taking place over the coming months.
The council said 11 new business had moved into the enterprise since it opened in April, creating 306 jobs.


Worcester Warriors' South African captain GJ van Velze has extended his contract with the Premiership club.

The 28-year-old 6ft 5ins lock is in his second season at Sixways since arriving in the summer of 2014 from then Premiership champions Northampton.
His importance to the team is summed up by Worcester's impressive results since his return from injury in January.
Tight-head prop James Johnston has also signed a new one-year deal for the 2016-17 season.
"Signing a new deal was a no-brainer as everything is in place for this club to become one of the best in Europe," said van Velze, whose new contract is of an undisclosed length.
"The facilities and support we receive is world-class."
Director of rugby Dean Ryan added: "GJ joined the club at a time of transition and has been one of the catalysts in our transformation over the last couple of seasons. He leads by example on the field and his work rate is second to none."
Worcester go into Saturday's home game with bottom club London Irish looking for a fourth consecutive Premiership win for the first time since originally being promoted to English rugby's top flight in 2004


Europe's space agency (Esa) has finally released a proper model for the shape of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.

The organisation's Rosetta mission will try to put a small robot on the surface of this "ice mountain" on 12 November.
The model provides some further details on the comet's size, and also allows enthusiasts to print their own 3D version of the duck-shaped object.
Rosetta has been flying around 67P since August, and could get as close as 10km, if it is deemed safe to do so.
Esa Flight Director Andrea Accomazzo told the International Astronautical Congress in Toronto on Friday that a final decision on this matter would be made next week.
The comet and the Rosetta probe are currently speeding through space some 464 million km from Earth.
The daring landing manoeuvre is planned for the afternoon (European time) of Wednesday 12 November.
Rosetta will attempt to deploy its piggybacked Philae lander to the surface in a procedure that is likely to last roughly seven hours.
The 100kg robot will be aimed at the "head" of the "duck".
If it gets down successfully - and that is a big "if" because of the difficulties involved - it would be a historic first for space exploration.
The shape model just released provides some more definitive physical parameters for 67P.
Previously, mission scientists have used the vague phrase of "about 4km wide" to describe the object's size.
Now, we have measurements to two significant figures.
The head, or smaller lobe of the comet, is 2.5km by 2.5km by 2.0km. The "body" is described as being 4.1km by 3.2km by 1.3km.
With the previously released mass of 10 billion tonnes and a density of 400kg per cubic metre, which I published last month, this makes for an object that has a volume of 25 cubic km.
Its rotation rate is also now known to at least six significant figures - at 12.4043 hours.
Mission scientists have taken almost two months to release Friday's very simple data-set.
In part, this is because they were trying to make very careful measurements of a highly irregular object. And, it should be said, not all of the comet is visible - parts are permanently in darkness.
But it also speaks to their desire to hold back information that has enormous intellectual primacy.
No-one has ever been this close to a comet before, and there are major discoveries to be made.
To follow a completely open approach to the mission could allow anyone to claim a breakthrough.
To date, very few pictures have been released that have been acquired by the high-resolution Osiris cameras on the Rosetta probe.
The public has had to make do with the much lower resolution images produced by the satellite's navigation cameras.
And even the shape model released on Friday presents only a very coarse view of 67P. The mission team is currently working with far more precise data-sets.
One very interesting parameter for which we still await a report is the comet's albedo - the degree to which it reflects light
Although it may look quite bright in pictures, the object is actually very black. Quite how black it is, though, is still being kept back.
All this said, those with access to the necessary software and a 3D printer can now turn out a desktop depiction of the most famous comet in the Solar System.
The relevant files are available in .wrl and .obj formats.
Other details released:
Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter: @BBCAmos


Freedom to recruit the best and the brightest from around the world is more important than rules on where UK companies are allowed to operate, according to Barclays chief executive Jes Staley.

Speaking at a summit convened to bring former pro-Remain and pro-Leave business leaders together to work for a constructive Brexit, he said preserving the concentration of worldwide talent in the UK should be the government's top priority in the upcoming negotiations.
He also described Google's decision to make London its second biggest hub outside California as the single most important announcement since the referendum vote.
"Basing 7,000 Google engineers in the UK is huge. Banks are technology companies that have a balance sheet (lend money) - having the best technology brains here will be a huge anchor for all kinds of business," Mr Staley said.
It's been commonly assumed that banks are most concerned about their ability to sell their services into the EU from London - so called "passporting" - but today's comments show priorities are changing as the chances of retaining those rights look all but dead.
Both Mr Staley and the chairman of HSBC Douglas Flint said that contingency plans to work around that were close to being triggered. Both seemed sceptical that enough clarity on the future shape of the UK's relationship would emerge in time for them to mothball plans to move jobs and functions into the EU.
Barclays is planning to move at least 150 jobs to Dublin, which will become a fully fledged European subsidiary. HSBC has already announced plans to move 1,000 jobs to Paris.
Their comments came at a conference convened by unlikely allies: Sir Paul Marshall, successful hedge fund manager and donor to the Leave Campaign and Lord Hill former EU commissioner for Financial Services in Brussels and a staunch Remainer.
"When the referendum vote came in the facts changed. I was struck by how business got on with it and I didn't feel we had the luxury of endless debates as we have seen in the political world," said Lord Hill.
Both Lord Hill and Sir Paul still think the other was wrong but Brexit Secretary David Davis, who addressed the conference, appreciated the display of pragmatism.
The conference could in part be seen as a lack of faith in government's ability to handle the complexity of the negotiations that lie ahead. Lord Hill said that his former colleagues in Whitehall would be approaching them with a theoretical approach rather than one informed by practical experience.
The business lobby was largely in favour of Remain and super-wealthy hedge fund managers like Sir Paul are card carrying members of the global elite that Theresa May has been so scathing about.
Hoping their wishes will be listened to now - however united they are - may be wishful thinking.


Residents of a village in south-eastern Paraguay are refusing to leave their homes even though flooding is imminent, officials say.

The Paraguay river has reached a height of 9.64m (32ft) in Alberdi in Neembucu province, and officials have warned that flood defences are about to burst.
But Neembucu's governor said locals had refused to follow advice to leave.
The El Nino weather phenomenon has triggered some of the worst floods seen in 50 years in the region.
Dyke experts suggested as early as Saturday that resident should be evacuated.
National Emergency chief Joaquin Roa warned that a breach of the defences was imminent and would almost certainly lead to loss of life.
Neembucu Governor Carlos Silva said that people "do not want to believe they real danger they are in".
While the village itself is not yet flooded it has been cut off by the rising waters of the river Paraguay.
The army is helping villagers to cross the river Paraguay by boat to the Argentine city of Formosa.
From there, they are flown by military plane to the Paraguayan capital, Asuncion.


Leeds United head coach Steve Evans has said he is keen to stay at the club but wants his future to be resolved soon.

Evans, 53, returned to work at Elland Road this week despite the club approaching Bristol Rovers boss Darrell Clarke on Tuesday.
"The obvious and simple, one-word answer to that [if he would stay], is yes," Evans told BBC Radio Leeds.
"I need to establish, in the next week or so at the latest, whether I have a plan going forward at Leeds United."
He added: "I've not allowed my representatives to put me in front of any other board of directors or chairman and have a chat about somewhere else, because of the wonderful opportunity that is here.
"The chairman is very straight with me and has been all down the line. I have had a great relationship with him all the way through the season I've been here."
Evans was appointed in October 2015 on a rolling contract until 30 June, with the remit to keep Leeds in the Championship.
The Whites finished in 13th place but Evans has been given no assurances about his future, with MK Dons manager Karl Robinson recently turning down an offer to coach Leeds.
"At this minute in time I need to establish whether the bridge is broken or whether it's remaining and I can get across it," Evans said.
"If Steve Evans is the head coach at Leeds United, you can put the kettle on for the play-offs."
After the approach from Leeds, Bristol Rovers confirmed on Friday that Clarke had agreed a new three-year contract.
"It's been a difficult situation as everyone can imagine, but I respect the fact that Mr Cellino and the board have a decision to make," Evans added.
"I think I have to retain a lot of dignity and character and I think I've tried to display that, and that's always been in the forefront of my mind as I've gone forward."


The London stock market edged higher, in advance of an interest rate decision by the US Federal Reserve.

The benchmark FTSE 100 closed up 10 points at 7,368, helped by strong gains for mining shares.
The biggest winner on the FTSE 100 was pharmaceuticals firm Hikma, which rose 8% after reporting stronger than expected annual results.
House builders were  among the losers, with Persimmon down 1% and Taylor Wimpey falling 0.7%.
Analysts said that a warning from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics), was weighing on building shares.
Rics said the UK construction industry could lose almost 200,000 workers from the European Union after Brexit.
On the currency markets, the pound rose 0.52% against the dollar, to $1.2219. Against the euro, the pound also rose, trading 0.3% higher at 1.1491 euros.
Policy makers at the Fed are expected to raise interest rates, with the decision due at 18:00 GMT.
A news conference, held half an hour later by Fed chair Janet Yellen, will be closely watched for any clues about future rate increases.
"The Federal Reserve is a dead cert to raise rates on Wednesday, so the key question is how far and how fast the US central bank will tighten monetary policy this year," said Neil Wilson, senior market analyst, at ETX Capital.
"Fed officials believe there will be three 25-basis-point increases in 2017, the first of which is almost certain to be announced today. But the policymakers on the Federal Open Market Committee could raise this to four," he added.


An academy chain has been accused by Ofsted inspectors of not making enough progress, with warnings the quality of education for too many pupils is "not good enough".

The E-Act trust runs 23 academies across England and the Ofsted report says pupils from "poor backgrounds do not do well enough" in its schools.
Last month the academy chain scrapped all its local governing bodies.
E-Act said Ofsted recognised "substantial progress" had been made.
The Department for Education said unless standards were improved it would take "further action".
The same warning was given last week to England's biggest academy chain, AET, after tough criticism from Ofsted, which accused AET of "failing too many pupils".
Ofsted carried out a "focused inspection" on schools run by the E-Act chain, which in the past had been heavily criticised by inspectors and which two years ago had 10 schools taken away.
This latest report commends E-Act for making progress and adopting a "more robust and direct approach to school improvement".
But inspectors say the chain's schools are still not good enough and "more than half are not providing a good standard of education", including five rated as "inadequate".
There is particular criticism of E-Act's secondary schools, with Ofsted saying standards are "too low" and attempts to improve "have not had enough impact".
E-ACT's 23 schools are spread across England, with clusters in places including the West Midlands, Buckinghamshire, Bristol, Yorkshire and the North West.
Academy chains receive public funding to operate schools, with E-Act's accounts up to August 2014 showing an income of Â£135m.
Ofsted says since joining E-Act, six of the 23 academies have declined from their previous inspection grade, six have improved and 10 have remained the same. There is no previous inspection grade for one academy.
A response from E-Act said the inspectors had recognised improvements had been made, particularly in primary schools.
"Over the past year, we have radically overhauled the way that E-Act is run, and the way that our academies operate, so that children and young people genuinely have an excellent education during their time with us.
"This is now beginning to bear fruit, but there is more work to be done."
Last month E-Act announced plans to scrap local governing bodies, including parent governors, in all of its schools, ending their role of holding schools to account.
Instead scrutiny of schools will be carried out centrally by the chain, with the former governing bodies replaced by groups who will be "ambassadors" for each school.
Christine Blower, leader of the National Union of Teachers, said: "Time and again reports are released which show that academy status has no direct link with good outcomes for young people.
"Academy conversion is not a school improvement strategy and claiming this to parents and voters is deeply misleading."
Labour's shadow schools minister Nic Dakin accused ministers of "taking their eye off the ball on school standards and failing to ensure that all schools, including those in academy chains, are properly accountable".
"Two years after Ofsted warned that E-Act was failing to take effective action to improve standards in many of its schools, we find out that the quality of provision for too many pupils in these academies is still not good enough."
A Department for Education spokeswoman said: "This Ofsted report shows E-Act is beginning to show signs of improvement since its performance was challenged in 2014."
"However, too many children are not achieving well enough and the impact of these changes must lead to better results in 2016 and beyond."


Joe McMahon and Kyle Coney are among six players who are reported to have departed from the Tyrone football squad following Saturday's McKenna Cup final.

McMahon, 31, has opted out because of time constraints and fitness issues.
Dermot Carlin is thought to have pulled out for similar reasons but the duo could return later in the season.
Coney is understood to have quit the squad while Mark Donnelly, Plunkett Kane and Kevin Gallagher are thought to have been dropped from the panel.
Manager Mickey Harte was expected to reduce his extended squad following the McKenna Cup campaign and Donnelly, Kane and Gallagher appear to be the principal casualties.
Coney was substituted at half-time in Saturday's McKenna Cup final win over Cavan as was Coalisland man Kane.
McMahon, who won All-Ireland medals with Tyrone in 2005 and 2008, was also replaced at the interval in the McKenna Cup final after making his first appearance of the season in the semi-final win over Armagh.
Omagh St Enda's player McMahon recently became a father for the second time and he is also currently undertaking a teacher training qualification at the University of Ulster, Coleraine.
McMahon was severely affected by injury in 2014 but it is thought there could be a road back for him and Carlin into the Red Hand squad later in the year.
Carrickmore player Donnelly started the McKenna Cup decider but was replaced in the second half by Peter Harte.
After a tremendous underage career, Coney spent a short stint Down Under playing Australian Rules before opting to return home.
However, the Ardboe player has struggled for consistency in the Red Hand senior jersey.
Defender Carlin's 2014 campaign was badly hindered by injury and he did not figure in this month's McKenna Cup.
Tyrone face Monaghan in their Football League Division 1 opener against Monaghan on Saturday night [19:00 GMT].


The amount of money spent on services for teenagers in England has fallen by 36% in the past two years, according to figures released to the BBC.

Former children's minister, Tory MP Tim Loughton, said the £438m reduction in spending was "disproportionate".
Youth workers warned that the long-term cost of the cuts would be "enormous".
But the Local Government Association said funding cuts meant there were "no easy choices" and spending on things like child protection came first.
The figures, released to BBC Radio 4's World at One after a Freedom of Information request to the Department for Education, outline the amount spent by local authorities on providing services like youth clubs and other out-of-school activities.
The spending also covers education for excluded pupils, teenage pregnancy services and drug and alcohol support programmes.
Figures from s251 budget statements. Some councils may fund youth services from other budgets
They show that, in real terms, the amount spent by councils fell from £1.2bn in 2010-11, to £791m in 2012-13.
The biggest cut in percentage terms was in the London borough of Kensington and Chelsea which reduced its budget by 78%, or £5.1m, while Tower Hamlets cut spending by £9.4m - a 65% reduction.
Outside the capital, Tameside, Stoke-on-Trent and Warrington all cut spending by more than 70%.
The amount being spent increased in seven out of 152 areas, including Oldham and Hertfordshire.
Tory MP Tim Loughton, who was children's minister until September 2012, said "councils clearly are cutting youth services disproportionately".
He said a requirement that councils must provide "sufficient leisure-time activities" for teenagers, but only "so far as reasonably practicable", meant youth services were a "soft touch".
"Because they don't have to statutorily provide youth services they have too often been at the top of the queue when cuts come along," he said.
Mr Loughton also described a decision to move responsibility for young people from the Department for Education to the Cabinet Office as a "retrograde step".
He said youth policy "should be back in the Department for Education where you've got that clear interface with what young people do in schools".
Fiona Black, chief executive of the National Youth Agency - the national body for youth work, said the cuts will lead to problems in the long term.
She said: "We're going to see more young people in the criminal justice system, more young people who perhaps aren't engaging in education. The cost of that to taxpayers is enormous compared to the very small investment in youth services."
But David Simmonds, who chairs the Local Government Association's children and young people's board, said councils faced "no easy choices".
Some councils, he said, "have been badly affected by the level of reductions in government funding and that's meant we've seen some areas where the level of funding going into youth services has gone down really quite substantially".
He added that councils had to prioritise some services over others.
Mr Simmonds said: "The government has made some decisions about how to respond to the overall austerity situation.
"Councils are faced with rapidly rising demand, in particular for child protection services. So in order to fund that we need to look at the things that have a less direct and less immediate impact on the lives of children and young people."
Update 2 April 2014: Kensington and Chelsea points out that the reduction in its funding is because youth services have been spun off in a free-standing staff mutual which is funded separately.
Listen to the full report on The World at One at 13:00 on BBC Radio 4 or catch up later on BBC iPlayer.