496 Archie Taylor

Biography

Pacy right winger Archie Taylor joined Hull City on part-time terms in May 1962 after impressing at Goole Town, where he had landed after injury and illness had stalled his Football League career. In September 1962 Taylor was given his debut in the seventh League game of the 1962/63 season at faraway Swindon Town, but was not selected again by manager Cliff Britton and spent the rest of the season in the Reserves where he scored seven goals before his release in May 1963.

Born in the coal mining village of Dunscroft near Doncaster, Arthur Matson “Archie” Taylor joined the Doncaster Rovers groundstaff in the 1955 close season and played in Rovers’ impressive youth team of the late-1950s. In May 1958 he joined Bristol City after Doncaster did not offer him a professional contract and while injury and illness dogged his time in the south west he was able to impress in the Robins’ Colts side before scoring a goal on his league debut against Charlton Athletic in September 1959. He made just one further appearance for Bristol City that season, four days later against Hull City, and by the summer of 1960 he was up for sale with a £2,000 price tag on his head, which Archie appealed to the Football League to get reduced.

Despite this turmoil, an approach from Southern League side King’s Lynn and Robins’ relegation to Division Three, Taylor remained at Bristol City for the 1960/61 season and made ten starts in the opening three months of the season, scoring his second goal in 12 appearances for the club in August 1960 against Barnsley. He then suffered a serious leg injury that prematurely ended his season, he left Bristol City in June 1961.

During August and September 1961 Taylor had an extended trial at Division Three side Barnsley and started two league games for the Tykes in early September. When the Tykes declined to offer Archie a contract he started another trial, between November 1961 and January 1962 at Mansfield Town, that also proved unsuccessful. At the end of January 1962 Taylor joined Midland League side Goole Town and despite a bout of chicken pox his form at Goole attracted the attention of City manager Cliff Britton, who played him in a Reserves trial match in April 1962 and signed him a month later.

Taylor joined Division Four side Halifax Town in July 1963 and at The Shay he found his form and consistency as a professional footballer. For four and a half years he was a first team regular for the Shaymen, making 189 senior appearances and scoring 21 goals at Halifax floated around the middle of the Division Four table. His reputation for pacy wing play was sealed and in December 1967 he secured a move to Division Four rivals Bradford City, who were challenging for promotion. He struggled to break into the Bantams’ first team and after ten months at Valley Parade and just 12 senior appearances he joined another Division Four side, York City in October 1968 for a four figure fee. Archie scored on his York City debut against Bradford Park Avenue and for three seasons he was a reliable first team presence for the Minstermen. When he left York City in May 1971 he had scored nine goals in 112 appearances and helped the Minstermen to promotion to Division Three.

Taylor remained in the Doncaster area and spent a further six years playing in the Lincolnshire and Yorkshire non-league scene. He joined Northern Premier League side Gainsborough Trinity in July 1971, rejecting a return to Goole Town, and had a productive season at The Northolme. In June 1972 he did return to Northern Premier League side Goole Town and spent the season in first team action, but was released in May 1973. In June 1973 Archie signed for Midland League side Frickley Athletic and he played regularly during the 1973/74 season before joining Yorkshire League side Hatfield Main in the 1974 close season, serving the South Yorkshire side for three seasons before retiring in 1977.

After football Archie worked as a salesman for haircare products and regularly attended Derby County home games, who were managed by his former teammate Jim Smith. Archie died in Doncaster in August 2023.

Details

Nationality: England
Date/Place of Birth: 7 November 1939, Dunscroft
Hull City First Game: 8 September 1962, Swindon Town A (Division Three), 22 years, 305 days old
Hull City Final Game: 8 September 1962, Swindon Town A (Division Three), 22 years, 305 days old

Clubs

Doncaster Rovers (1956-1958), Bristol City (1958-1961), Barnsley (1961), Goole Town (1962), Hull City (1962-1963), Halifax Town (1963-1967), Bradford City (1967-1968), York City (1968-1971), Gainsborough Trinity (1971-1972), Goole Town (1972-1973), Frickley Athletic (1973-1974), Hatfield Main (1974-1977)

Hull City Record

Career: 1 apps, 0 goals

Archie Taylor
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1962/6310

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