Gordon Taylor (football)
Encyclopedia
Gordon Alexander Taylor OBE
(born 28 December 1944) is an English former professional footballer who played as a winger. He became chief executive of the English footballers' trades union, the Professional Footballers Association. He is reputed to be the highest paid union official in the world.
Taylor was born in Ashton-under-Lyne
, Lancashire
. He played over 250 games for Bolton Wanderers
and scored more than 50 goals before being transferred to Birmingham City
in 1970. He joined Blackburn Rovers
in 1976 and spent the 1977 close season playing in the North American Soccer League
for the Vancouver Whitecaps
. He returned to play for Blackburn and finally Bury
before retiring in 1980 to work full-time for the PFA.
Taylor has a degree in economics and is a member of FIFA
's football committee.
He is an alumnus of Manchester Metropolitan University
.
He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2008 New Year Honours
.
His mobile phone messages were allegedly hacked
by a private investigator
employed by the News of the World
newspaper. The Guardian
reported that News International
(the owner of News of the World) paid Taylor ₤700,000 ($1.1 million) in legal costs and damages in exchange for a confidentiality agreement barring him from speaking about the case.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 28 December 1944) is an English former professional footballer who played as a winger. He became chief executive of the English footballers' trades union, the Professional Footballers Association. He is reputed to be the highest paid union official in the world.
Taylor was born in Ashton-under-Lyne
Ashton-under-Lyne
Ashton-under-Lyne is a market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside, Greater Manchester, England. Historically a part of Lancashire, it lies on the north bank of the River Tame, on undulating land at the foothills of the Pennines...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
. He played over 250 games for Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
and scored more than 50 goals before being transferred to Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
in 1970. He joined Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
in 1976 and spent the 1977 close season playing in the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
for the Vancouver Whitecaps
Vancouver Whitecaps (NASL)
The original Vancouver Whitecaps were founded on December 11, 1973 and during the 1970s and 1980s played in the North American Soccer League . The Whitecaps achieved success, winning the 1979 Soccer Bowl. The Whitecaps of that era included international players such as Alan Ball, but also "home...
. He returned to play for Blackburn and finally Bury
Bury F.C.
Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the...
before retiring in 1980 to work full-time for the PFA.
Taylor has a degree in economics and is a member of FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
's football committee.
He is an alumnus of Manchester Metropolitan University
Manchester Metropolitan University
Manchester Metropolitan University is a university in North West England. Its headquarters and central campus is in the city of Manchester, but there are outlying facilities in the county of Cheshire. It is the third largest university in the United Kingdom in terms of student numbers, behind the...
.
He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2008 New Year Honours
New Year Honours 2008
The New Year Honours 2008 for the Commonwealth Realms were announced on 29 December 2007, to celebrate the year passed and mark the beginning of 2008....
.
His mobile phone messages were allegedly hacked
Hacker (computer security)
In computer security and everyday language, a hacker is someone who breaks into computers and computer networks. Hackers may be motivated by a multitude of reasons, including profit, protest, or because of the challenge...
by a private investigator
Private investigator
A private investigator , private detective or inquiry agent, is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. Private detectives/investigators often work for attorneys in civil cases. Many work for insurance companies to investigate suspicious claims...
employed by the News of the World
News of the World
The News of the World was a national red top newspaper published in the United Kingdom from 1843 to 2011. It was at one time the biggest selling English language newspaper in the world, and at closure still had one of the highest English language circulations...
newspaper. The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
reported that News International
News International
News International Ltd is the United Kingdom newspaper publishing division of News Corporation. Until June 2002, it was called News International plc....
(the owner of News of the World) paid Taylor ₤700,000 ($1.1 million) in legal costs and damages in exchange for a confidentiality agreement barring him from speaking about the case.
External links
- "Gordon Taylor on Asians in Football", Ethnic Now, 1 June 2007