Peter Taylor

Nottingham Forest

Peter Taylor was born on 2 July 1928, one of eight children in the Meadows, Nottingham to Tom and Jenny Taylor, an engineer and housewife, respectively. He met his future wife, Lily Thorpe, at the age of 14, who persuaded him to play for her father's team, local non-League side Christchurch. He later moved on to play for Mapperley Methodists before he was spotted by Nottingham Forest and signed to their youth team, the Forest Colts. He made his first-team debut for the club as an amateur in a wartime fixture against local rivals Notts County at Meadow Lane in 1944, at the age of 16.

Coventry City

He signed with Coventry City on his 17th birthday, though was initially only a part-time player as his father insisted that he also complete an apprenticeship in bricklaying. Under the stewardship of Harry Storer, Coventry finished seventh in the Second Division in 1950–51, and Taylor made his debut in the Football League on the final day of the season, breaking Alf Wood's run of 261 consecutive first-team appearances. The Birmingham Sports Argus described how "if Peter's role [back-up goalkeeper to Wood] has denied him the glamour of a glorious achievement in action, he has his share of personal glamour. He's a tall, fair-haired good looker and so comely that he was described as the film star of Highfield Road. Is single too." Taylor did not stay single for long, however, and married Lily Thorpe in June 1951. Coventry were relegated in 1951–52,…

Burton Albion

In October 1962, Taylor was offered the manager's job at Burton Albion after impressing chairman Trevor Grantham with his knowledge and theories on the game. In summer 1963 he oversaw a complete overhaul of the playing staff, only retaining four players, and completely rebuilt the squad. He signed strikers Richie Barker and Stan Round, who would score a combined 308 goals for the club, and remain the club's two highest goalscorers (as of 2021). He survived calls for his resignation after a defeat to Kidderminster Harriers in the FA Cup and went on to create one of the most successful sides in Burton's history, beating Weymouth to win the Southern League Cup in 1964. In 1965, he walked out on a newly signed £34-a-week three-year contract at Burton to become Clough's assistant manager at Hartlepools United on wages of £24 a week. He later admitted the decision, which he took against the advice of his friends and family, was "against all logic". His successor, Alex Tait, led Burton to promotion out of the Southern League Division One in 1965–66.

Hartlepool United

Before their arrival, Hartlepool had been forced to apply for re-election to the Football League five times in the previous six years. Taylor stated that the squad were all free transfer signings and some of the players struggled with "drink, debt or abandoned wives". The two gradually turned around the club's fortunes. They started by painting Victoria Park. Taylor had little chance to…

Playing statistics

Managerial statistics

Burton Albion

Southern League Cup: 1964 Derby County (with Clough)

Football League Second Division: 1968–69 Football League First Division: 1971–72 Nottingham Forest (with Clough)

Football League Second Division third-place promotion: 1976–77 Anglo-Scottish Cup: 1976–77 Football League First Division: 1977–78 League Cup: 1978, 1979 FA Charity Shield: 1978 European Cup: 1979, 1980 European Super Cup: 1979

Legacy

Clough paid tribute to Taylor when he was awarded the freedom of the city of Nottingham in March 1993, saying that "I have only one regret today, and that is that me mate isn't here with me". Taylor was portrayed by Timothy Spall in The Damned United, a film released in 2009 based on Clough's ill-fated spell at Leeds United. In August 2010, Derby County unveiled a statue of Clough and Taylor at Pride Park Stadium. In September 2015, Nottingham Forest announced that the Main Stand at the City Ground would be renamed the Peter Taylor Stand as part of the club's 150th anniversary celebrations.