Alan David Taylor, born Hinckley, England, November 14, 1953. Alan Taylor’s role in West Ham’s 1975 FA Cup triumph ensures that his name will be remembered in football history for generations to come.
Alan Taylor’s early life was largely unremarkable by footballing standards. Born in Leicestershire but raised in Lancashire, his family’s move to the North led him to join Preston North End’s youth system. Yet, his football dreams were nearly extinguished when Preston, relegated in 1970, released him before he could make a significant impact. At this point, many aspiring footballers might have abandoned their dreams, but Taylor took a different route. He found work in a car repair shop while continuing to play football in Lancashire’s non-league system. During his time playing non-league football with Morecambe, Taylor showcased his innate goalscoring ability, drawing attention from professional clubs. It was at Morecambe that his reputation began to grow, marking him as a lethal forward. Rochdale soon came calling, and Taylor transitioned into full-time professional football for the first time. His brief but impactful spell at Rochdale in 1974 marked the beginning of a new chapter in his career. Notably, Rochdale was not a glamorous team by any stretch of the imagination. They struggled in the lower leagues, but Taylor’s performances caught the eye of John Lyall, the manager of West Ham United. West Ham, a club with a more storied history, saw in Taylor the potential for a goalscoring hero. In December 1974, Taylor signed for West Ham United for a fee of £40,000, a relatively modest sum even by the standards of the time.
Taylor’s arrival at West Ham was initially unheralded. He was not expected to immediately light up the league, nor did he. But what unfolded over the next few months would cement his place in the club’s history forever. West Ham entered the 1975 FA Cup in the third round, and as fortune would have it, Taylor was not cup-tied despite having been at Rochdale earlier in the competition. Injuries had kept him sidelined during Rochdale’s FA Cup matches, allowing him to participate fully in West Ham’s campaign. Taylor’s breakthrough moment came in the quarterfinals of the FA Cup against Arsenal. In only his fifth game for West Ham, he netted both goals in a stunning 2-0 victory at Highbury. His coolness in front of goal was starting to turn heads, and fans began to take notice of this unassuming striker who had, just months earlier, been plying his trade in non-league football. The semi-final against Ipswich Town followed, and again, Taylor delivered when it mattered most. After a goalless draw in the first match, the replay at Stamford Bridge saw Taylor score both goals in a 2-1 victory. His second goal, which sealed West Ham’s place in the final, came just eight minutes before the final whistle—further elevating his status as a rising star.
On May 3, 1975, West Ham faced Fulham, a Second Division side, in the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium. The match was expected to be competitive, as Fulham, despite being a division lower, had a strong cup run. However, Alan Taylor had other ideas. The first hour of the match was tightly contested, but in the 61st minute, Taylor seized his chance. A shot from Billy Jennings was parried by Fulham goalkeeper Peter Mellor, and Taylor, always alert and following up the play, placed a low drive through Mellor’s legs to give West Ham the lead. Just three minutes later, another rebound off Mellor, this time from a Graham Paddon shot, found Taylor once again in the right place at the right time. He calmly finished into the top of the net, effectively securing West Ham’s 2-0 victory and their first FA Cup since 1964. These two goals not only won the match, but solidified Taylor’s place in FA Cup history. The achievement of scoring back-to-back braces in the quarter-final, semi-final, and final was extraordinary, particularly for a player who had been playing in the Fourth Division only months earlier. His success generated widespread media attention, and Taylor was lauded as the quintessential rags to riches hero. The 1975-76 season saw West Ham embark on a journey through the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, with Taylor continuing to play a pivotal role. He scored crucial goals in the second-round tie against Ararat Erevan, netting both home and away. Taylor’s goals also helped West Ham past Den Haag in the third round, pushing them to the final. However, West Ham fell short in the 1976 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup final, losing 4-2 to Anderlecht. Taylor, who came on as a substitute for Frank Lampard, could not inspire a comeback, but his contributions throughout the campaign were undeniable.
Despite finishing as West Ham’s top scorer in the 1975-76 season with 17 goals from 50 appearances, the following seasons were less kind to Taylor. Injuries began to hamper his consistency, and his form dipped. As a result, his appearances became more sporadic, and he struggled to regain the goalscoring touch that had catapulted him into the limelight. By the 1978-79 season, Taylor had managed only 15 appearances and three goals. West Ham were relegated that season, and Taylor’s time at the club came to an end. He played his final game for the Hammers on May 5, 1979, in a 1-0 defeat to Blackburn Rovers. Taylor’s post-West Ham career saw him make several moves across the footballing landscape. In 1979, he joined Norwich City, where he attempted to revive his career. However, the injuries that had plagued him at West Ham continued to take their toll. After a brief stint at Norwich, Taylor moved on to Cambridge United, Hull City, and Burnley, among other clubs. His travels even took him to Canada, where he played for the Vancouver Whitecaps. Although his later career never quite reached the heights of his West Ham days, Taylor remained a respected figure in the game. He continued to work within football after retiring, and his name is still fondly remembered by the West Ham faithful.