Frank Taylor (30 April 1916 – 2 January 1970) was an English footballer and manager who played as full-back in the Football League for Wolverhampton Wanderers and managed Scarborough and Stoke City.

Playing career Taylor was a full-back who started his playing career with Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1936. He made his senior debut on 13 March 1937 in a 1–0 win at Chelsea. He played in the same team as his older brother Jack a handful of times, but it was only after his sibling left the club in Summer 1938 that Frank became a first team regular.

Taylor missed just one game of the 1938–39 season that saw Wolves reach the 1939 FA Cup Final, where they lost 4–1 to Portsmouth at Wembley. The suspension of league football in September 1939 due to the outbreak of World War II effectively ended Taylor's playing career. Although he turned out in some wartime fixtures for Wolves, he left the club and playing football in 1944.

Management career In June 1948 Taylor was appointed manager of Scarborough, and then became Frank Buckley's assistant at Hull City, also doing a similar role at Leeds United before becoming Stoke City manager in 1952.

Taylor took over from Bob McGrory, who had been at Stoke for 31 years, first as a player and later as manager. In his first season Stoke were relegated from the First Division after losing their final match of the season. The team's aim was to return to the top tier; they would go on to finish fifth in each of the 1954–55, 1956–57 and 1958–59 seasons. After a poor result in the 1959–60 campaign — in which Stoke finished in 17th position, at risk of further relegation — and health struggles which saw him miss part of the season, Taylor's contract was not renewed.

Career statistics

As a player + Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueFA CupTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsWolverhampton Wanderers1936–37First Division5000501937–38First Division2000201938–39First Division41060470Career total48060540

As a manager + Managerial record by club and tenureTeamFromToRecordStoke City1 June 195231 May 1960Total

Honours Wolverhampton Wanderers FA Cup runner-up: 1938–39

References