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.^[1]

Taylor was born in Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire. He, alongside Harry Clapstick and Chalkie White, founded Curzon Ashton Football Club in 1963. They raised money for their first kit by selling firewood door-to-door. 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.

He has a degree in economics and is a member of FIFA's football committee.^[1]. He is an alumni of Manchester Metropolitan University^[2].

He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2008 New Year Honours.^[3]

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 in legal costs and damages to prevent him speaking about the case.^[4]

[edit] References

• Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 128. ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9. 
• "Gordon Taylor". Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Database. Neil Brown. http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player/gordontaylor.htm. Retrieved 2008-03-11. 
• "North American Soccer League Rosters Vancouver Whitecaps". NASL Jerseys, Rosters, Player Statistics and Photos. Dave Morrison. http://nasljerseys.com/Rosters/Whitecaps/Whitecaps_Rosters.htm. Retrieved 2008-03-11. 

[edit] External links

• Gordon Taylor on Asians in Football, Ethnic Now, 1 June 2007
• The Unsung Hero interview

This biographical article related to an English football striker born in the 1940s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v • d • e