TAYLOR RECIEVES DEATH THREATS

Birmingham defender Martin Taylor has been the subject of death threats after his challenge on Eduardo left the Arsenal striker with a broken leg.

Croatian fans, angry at Eduardo being ruled out of the Euro 2008 finals, are among supporters who have posted threatening messages on various internet sites.

One website specifically set up after the incident during Saturday's 2-2 draw at St Andrews has already received 27,000 messages directed at the former Blackburn player.

And security personnel had to restrain Croatian journalists who ran onto the road and tried to get into Taylor's car as he left the club's Wast Hills training complex on Monday.

But Taylor has received many messages of support from people inside the game of football which Blues manager Alex McLeish claimed had helped to limit the psychological damage he could have suffered.

"There has been a furore over the incident which has probably gone too far and we would like to draw a line under it now and let Martin get on with his career and hope Eduardo gets back as soon as possible," McLeish told Sky Sports.

"I've heard about the death threats and you are going to ridiculous proportions if that is the case. You've just got to get on with it and dismiss those things. There are some crazy people in the world.

"I think Martin's wife was upset at the weekend but he has come in this morning and got on with his life again thanks to the support of everyone who knew it wasn't a challenge with malicious intending to injure a player.

"We've had to rally around Martin because he was mentally shattered by the whole experience. I would have been worried about him coming into training today had we not received the support from football people the length and breadth of the country.

"But the fact he has had such magnificent support has helped Martin psychologically because I felt he could be damaged by this incident as well.

"We have shown as a club we are right behind the big fellow. We have rallied around him, got him back into training. It was important he did that as soon as possible."

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger retracted his post-match statement about Taylor whom he claimed "should never play football again."