Eric Taylor (football manager)
Eric Woodhouse Taylor was a football administrator who spent his entire 45-year career at Sheffield Wednesday serving as manager, secretary and eventually vice-president. During his time at the club he rose from office boy to vice-president and became known as "Mr. Sheffield Wednesday".
Early life and office boy
Taylor was born in the Sheffield suburb of Fulwood in May 1912, although he spent his formative years in Birley Carr very close to the Sheffield Wednesday ground. He rapidly gained a lifelong love of the club, slipping into the ground to see the final few minutes of games when the gates were opened. Taylor started his working life in a law office but In 1929, at the age of 17, he was appointed by Wednesday as office boy to the manager Bob Brown on a wage of seven shillings and sixpence a week. Wednesday had won the First Division championship in the 1928-29 season and it is said the appointment was a reward to the manager for this. In November 1934 Taylor was promoted to the post of assistant secretary when Joe McClelland departed and he remained in this role until 1942.[1]
Part-time football during the
Secretary / manager
During his time as secretary/manager, Taylor was very much an office based manager. Seen rarely at the training ground, he had negligible input on tactics or team selection. Day to day training sessions were left to the
Secretary / general manager
Freed from responsibility for team affairs, Taylor showed flair and vision as an administrator for the club. After hearing that England were favourites to host the
Retirement, death and testimonial match
In January 1974 Taylor announced that he would retire the following summer and he duly stepped down from his post on 30 July 1974. He was immediately named as vice-president of the club and agreed to act as a consultant. Just twelve weeks after retiring Taylor died on 23 September 1974, aged 62 years. On 21 October 1974 a testimonial match was held at Hillsborough in memory of Eric Taylor. The match was held between Sheffield Wednesday and an England XI; Don Revie had just been appointed England manager and he sent a strong team which won the match 5-0. Taylor is buried at Christ Church, Fulwood in Sheffield.
References
- ^ Adrian Bullock‘s Wednesday Archive Gives short biography.
- ISBN 0 9547264 9 9, pages 340, Gives general biography.
- ISBN 978 0 9568647 0 3, Gives general biography.