Taylor George Image 2 Bolton Wanderers 1938

Description

Ashton-under-Lyne born wing half George Taylor (born April 1909) joined First Division Bolton Wanderers in 1930 and made his Football League debut at Blackpool in February 1931. From August 1933 he was a first team regular, playing in most of the matches throughout the rest of the 1930’s for The Trotters. 

Confusingly there were two George Taylors that appeared for Bolton Wanderers in the 1930’s. The other, George T. (born December 1907), also missed very few games for Bolton between 1933 and 1937 before he left the club for Coventry City.

Taylor was an FA Cup semi finalist with Bolton in 1935 when they lost 2-0 to West Brom at The Victoria Ground, Stoke. The same year he missed only one game as Bolton, having been relegated in 1933, bounced back to First Division status having finished as Second Division runners up.

Taylor was selected for the England squad in November 1938 for their 7-0 win over Ireland at Old Trafford but was a non playing reserve and never got another opportunity with England before the Second World War arrived and effectively forced his retirement after 3 goals for Bolton in 247 appearances, although he continued to turn out for Bolton in wartime football. 

Taylor became a popular coach at Burnden Park after the War and such was the esteem in which he was held he was awarded a testimonial in April 1967 between Bolton Wanderers and an International All Star XI, probably the only time Stanley Matthews and George Best played together. He continued to scout for the club until the early 1970’s.