A farewell to Sammy Taylor
Sammy Taylor, who has died in Preston at the age of 80, was a key member of the Carlisle United side that achieved the club’s first promotion to Division Three in 1962.
The Blues were relegated the following year but in his third and final year at Brunton Park he was again a member of a promotion winning side as United returned to Division Three scoring a club record 111 goals in the process.
Sammy Taylor was born in Glasgow in 1933. After National Service he was signed by Falkirk who had watched him in Junior football. He spent just a year at Brockville before he was sold to First Division Preston North End for a fee of £8,000.
He spent six seasons playing in the First Division for North End. Inspired by the incomparable Tom Finney, Preston twice came close to winning the league title. Sammy Taylor, who was a ball player in the classic mould, normally featured on the left wing while at Deepdale although in his time at Brunton Park he played on both flanks.
Manager Ivor Powell brought him to Carlisle in the summer of 1961 along with Les Dagger, another ex Preston winger who normally featured on the right flank. They had contrasting styles with Dagger a superb crosser of the ball while Sammy Taylor was the better dribbler and also the more frequent goalscorer.
Both were members of the 1961/62 promotion side but after relegation the following season, Les Dagger left for Southport. Sammy Taylor spent one more year at Brunton Park, making his final appearance in the defeat of Rochdale which clinched Carlisle’s second promotion in three years.
He scored 12 goals in his 93 league games but is best remembered for his part in the fifth round cup tie against Preston at Deepdale. North End won 1-0 but not before Sammy Taylor struck both posts with a shot that finally ended up in the hands of a grateful Preston goalkeeper. He also had a header which hit the bar.
On leaving Brunton Park, Sammy Taylor also took the road to Southport. After a year at Haig Avenue, he had a spell at non league Morecambe. He then settled in Preston along with his wife and three sons, working at times for both British Leyland and the British Aircraft Corporation.
Thank you to Ian Rigby and the Preston North End Former Players Association for allowing use of their image. Click HERE to visit their website.
