Gerry Taylor
Encyclopedia
Gerald William "Gerry" Taylor (born 15 August 1947) is an English former footballer who played in the Football League
as a defender
for Wolverhampton Wanderers
, where he spent the majority of his playing career, and Swindon Town
, and in the United Soccer Association
league for the Los Angeles Wolves
.
, and began his football career at Wath Wanderers, the Yorkshire
-based nursery club of Wolverhampton Wanderers
, before heading south to join them. After proving himself in the reserve ranks, he progressed to making his first team debut on 31 December 1966 in a goalless draw with Ipswich Town
in the Second Division
. He remained in the team for the remainder of the 1966–67 season
as the club won promotion
to the First Division, and was part of the squad that won the United Soccer Association
league that summer under the Los Angeles Wolves
guise.
The defender was often reserve to players such as Joe Wilson
, Bobby Thomson
, Bernard Shaw
and Derek Parkin
in the Wolves defence over his career, but played in both legs of the 1972 UEFA Cup Final
. With fewer opportunities in his latter years with the club, he spent time on loan at Swindon Town
in 1975.
After 192 appearances in total for Wolves, he retired from the professional game in 1976. He spent 26 years in the police force, and then worked at the RAF Museum in Cosford
.
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
as a defender
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
for Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
, where he spent the majority of his playing career, and Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
, and in the United Soccer Association
United Soccer Association
The United Soccer Association is a former professional soccer league featuring teams from the United States and Canada. The league survived only one season before merging with the National Professional Soccer League to form the North American Soccer League. All the teams in the league were imported...
league for the Los Angeles Wolves
Los Angeles Wolves
Los Angeles Wolves are a former United States professional soccer team, owned by Jack Kent Cooke, that played for two seasons during the 1960s...
.
Career
Taylor was born in HullKingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
, and began his football career at Wath Wanderers, the Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
-based nursery club of Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
, before heading south to join them. After proving himself in the reserve ranks, he progressed to making his first team debut on 31 December 1966 in a goalless draw with Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
in the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
. He remained in the team for the remainder of the 1966–67 season
1966-67 in English football
The 1966–67 season was the 87th season of competitive football in England.-Events:Queens Park Rangers won the Football League Cup on the first occasion it was played at Wembley, coming from 2-0 down at half-time to beat West Bromwich Albion 3-2....
as the club won promotion
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
to the First Division, and was part of the squad that won the United Soccer Association
United Soccer Association
The United Soccer Association is a former professional soccer league featuring teams from the United States and Canada. The league survived only one season before merging with the National Professional Soccer League to form the North American Soccer League. All the teams in the league were imported...
league that summer under the Los Angeles Wolves
Los Angeles Wolves
Los Angeles Wolves are a former United States professional soccer team, owned by Jack Kent Cooke, that played for two seasons during the 1960s...
guise.
The defender was often reserve to players such as Joe Wilson
Joe Wilson (footballer born 1937)
Joe Wilson , was an English footballer who played as a full back. During his professional career he represented Workington , Nottingham Forest, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Newport County.- References :...
, Bobby Thomson
Bobby Thomson (footballer born 1943)
Robert Anthony "Bobby" Thomson was an English professional footballer. He made 478 appearances in the Football League and won eight caps for England....
, Bernard Shaw
Bernard Shaw (footballer)
Bernard Shaw is a former English footballer who played as a full back. He played more than 100 Football League games for each of the Sheffield clubs and for Wolverhampton Wanderers, in a career of more than 400 senior games....
and Derek Parkin
Derek Parkin
Derek Parkin is an English former football player who made a record number of appearances for Wolverhampton Wanderers .-Career:...
in the Wolves defence over his career, but played in both legs of the 1972 UEFA Cup Final
1972 UEFA Cup Final
The 1972 UEFA Cup Final was the final of the first ever UEFA Cup football tournament. It was a two-legged contest played on 3 May and 17 May 1972 between two English clubs, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur....
. With fewer opportunities in his latter years with the club, he spent time on loan at Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
in 1975.
After 192 appearances in total for Wolves, he retired from the professional game in 1976. He spent 26 years in the police force, and then worked at the RAF Museum in Cosford
Cosford
Cosford is the name of several places in England*Cosford, Shropshire**DCAE Cosford, formally RAF Cosford**Royal Air Force Museum Cosford*Cosford, Suffolk*Cosford, Warwickshire...
.
External links
- League stats at Neil Brown's site