Phil Taylor Player (1935-53) and Manager (1956-60)Birthplace: Bristol
Honours: 1 LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP 1946-47 (as player)
The ever adaptable Phil Taylor has an unfortunate place in the Anfield history books. As well as being Bill Shankly's predecessor - and thus very much in the background - Taylor is the only Liverpool boss never to manage the team in the top division.
Taylor had signed for Liverpool for £5,000 from Bristol Rovers in March 1936, and later took over the captaincy of the team under Don Welsh. He was a cultured, intelligent and charming man, well liked and respected by his team mates and the fans. His football was thoughtful and creative and he seemed the ideal choice to take charge of the team after the sacking of Don Welsh.
PROFILE
He immediately entered the transfer market and brought in Alan A'Court, Tommy Younger and Ronnie Moran - who became an inspirational captain and started his phenomenal 50 year service to the club - but his teams never achieved the consistency that would enable their promotion back to the top flight. After a rocky start to the 1959-60 season, Taylor resigned in November admitting that "the strain of trying to win promotion has proved too much."
After a superb 23 years at the club a sorrowful Phil Taylor spoke to the Liverpool Daily Post about his decision: "No matter how great has been the disappointment of the Directors at our failure to win our way back to the first division, it has not been greater then mine. I made it my goal. I set my heart on it and strove for it with all the energy I could muster. Such striving has not been enough and now the time has come to hand over to someone else to see if they can do better."
Likeable, honest and charming, Phil Taylor can at least have the satisfaction of knowing that his successor was no less than Bill Shankly, and he DID do better!
1st team games: 345
1st team goals: 34
International caps: 3 (England)
Other clubs: Bristol Rovers
Birth Place: Bristol
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