A 9ct gold medal, the reverse inscribed The Football Association Challenge Cup, Winners, with ring suspension

ERNEST TAYLOR Ernie Taylor was one of a rare breed of footballers who participated in three F.A. Cup finals with three different clubs, Newcastle United (1951); Blackpool (1953) and Manchester United (1958). A winner on two occassions, Taylor started his football career in much more humble surroundings with his local side Hytton Colliery Juniors. In September 1942, at the age of seventeen, he joined Newcastle United. At Newcastle he helped win the F.A. Cup in 1951 before joining Blackpool for #25,000 in September of the same year. Blackpool, who were the beaten finalists in the 1951 Cup final, obviously liked the look of the 5'4" inside-right who prized open their defence in a final won by Newcastle 2-0, with both goals coming from the great Jackie Milburn. Blackpool, who by now had lost in two F.A. Cup finals, were desperately keen to get their hands on the cup, and in 1953 they got the chance once again. In what will always be remembered as the 'Matthews final' Taylor was instrumental in getting the ball out to the wing where Matthews was lurking menacingly and the rest is, as they say, history. Taylor had spent over six years with Blackpool, before Manchester United, with their team decimated by the 'Munich disaster', and Jimmy Murphy temporarily in charge, decided they needed the little ball-player to bolster their team after the recent tragedy. United paid Blackpool #7,500 for Taylor and he played 30 games for the club, including the 1958 F.A. Cup final, scoring four goals. In December 1958 he moved back to the North-East and joined Newcastle United's great rivals Sunderland, again for #7,500. Thereafter he played for Altringham and Derry City before becoming coach with New Brighton F.C. (New Zealand) in February 1964. The following five lots were awarded to ERNEST TAYLOR (See also lots 133-136 and 205-207)

Details

A 9ct gold medal, the reverse inscribed The Football Association Challenge Cup, Winners, with ring suspension

Lot Essay

Although uninscribed, the above F.A. Cup winner's medal represents the 1950-51 F.A.Cup final, when Newcastle United defeated Blackpool 2-0, with both goals being scored by Jackie Milburn.

In an extract from the 1972 Centenary F.A. Cup final programme Ernie Taylor recalls one of the goals scored in the match "I heard feet pounding behind me. I know only Jackie Milburn could move like that. I back-heeled and spun round to get out of his shooting line. I heard the ball thumped. When I turned round, the ball was in the net and 'wor' Jackie was sitting on his backside just in front of me laughing his head off".

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