Frederick Mark Taylor known as Tim Taylor (18 March 1888 – 2 March 1966) was a
rugby union
Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...
fly half who played 294 games for
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers (officially Leicester Football Club) are a professional rugby union club based in Leicester, England. They play in Premiership Rugby, England's top division of rugby.
The club was founded in 1880 and since 1892 plays its hom ...
between 1907–1923 and once for England in 1914.
Taylor made his
Leicester
Leicester ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city, Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest settlement in the East Midlands.
The city l ...
debut on 5 October 1907 at
Welford Road against
Manchester
Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...
in a 32-6 win for Leicester. Taylor also played the next match against
Bristol
Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...
but did not feature again in the 1907/08 season. For the next two season's Taylor was the back up to Tigers captain Jamie Watson before forcing Watson to centre in the second half of the 1909/10 season. Taylor started the Midlands Counties Cup final in 1910 against
Coventry
Coventry ( or ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. It is on the River Sherbourne. Coventry has been a large settlement for centuries, although it was not founded and given its ...
which Leicester won. Taylor also played as Leicester won the cup in 1912 and 1913.
Taylor formed a long lasting half back partnership with
Pedlar Wood playing 188 games together for Leicester, this is the third most selected half back partnership in the club's history.
Taylor played his only international for England on 17 January 1914 against
Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...
at Twickenham.
Taylor played with his regular Leicester partner
Wood
Wood is a porous and fibrous structural tissue found in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic materiala natural composite of cellulose fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of lignin th ...
and despite winning the game both players were dropped for the next game in the
1914 Five Nations Championship
The 1914 Five Nations Championship was the fifth series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship following the inclusion of France into the Home Nations Championship. Including the previous Home Nations Championships, this was the thirty-secon ...
against Scotland.
Sources
Farmer,Stuart & Hands, David ''Tigers-Official History of Leicester Football Club'' (The Rugby DevelopmentFoundation )
References
1888 births
1966 deaths
English rugby union players
England international rugby union players
Rugby union players from Leicester
Rugby union fly-halves
Leicester Tigers players
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