Ian Taylor - Midfielder Date of Birth: June 4, 1968 Birthplace: Birmingham Nationality: English Height: 1.88m / 6'2" Previous Clubs: Sheffield Wednesday, Port Vale Joined Villa: December 21, 1994 Acquisition Price: £1 million Debut: December 1994 Left Villa (for): June 24, 2003 (Derby County) Selling Price: Free transfer

Started playing at midlands club Moor Green before being snapped up by Port Vale. Good Attacking midfielder who as able to run from box to box (a lá David Platt). Scored about 25 goals for Port Vale in his last two season before the summer of 1994 he was sold to Sheffield Wednesday for just over one million. Due to being played out of position in Chris Waddle's role (while CW was injured) Taylor did not fit in Trevor Francis's plans and was exchanged with Villa for Guy Whittingham and 300.000 pounds in December 1994. Scored on his home debut against Chelsea. He more or less settled the 1996 Coca Cola Cup Final when he rifled a blistering volley past John Lukic, putting Villa ahead 2-0. In fact, Ian Taylor's goals often settle a match, i.e. make him "match winner".

The 96-97 Liverpool fixture at Villa Park was another example. The Anfield boys came for the three points in their battle to keep up with Man Utd, but with ten minutes to go, Ian Taylor was on the spot, and cannoned the round thing past David James, thus Liverpool left empty handed. Ian Taylor has always been a Villa fan, and is delighted to play for the team. He almost had tears in his eyes after the 1996 Coca Cola Cup when being interviewed. In 1994, when Villa played Man Utd in the very same Cup Final, Ian Taylor was in the stands, cheering for the claret and blue boys.

The 1997-98 season with all its crisis and criticism saw at least one player virtually unchanged. Ian Taylor just keeps on working, diving, tackling, muscling, passing and shooting with an enthusiasm you see very rarely. His dedication and work-rate was second to none.

However, a vast amount of choises in the midfield available to Gregory in the 2001/02 season saw Ian Taylor being relegated to being a substitute, and he never managed to play himself back into the team. Much to his own dismay, the Villa supporter was sold to Derby in the Summer of 2003 where former Villa manager John Gregory was in charge.