The Tommy Taylor Story: The Smiling Executioner

When Tommy Taylor signed for Manchester United from Barnsley in 1953 he was generally regarded as the finishing touch to Sir Matt Busby’s famous Babes. It had been rumoured that as many as 17 clubs had been chasing the 20 year-old’s signature and United’s fee (£29,999) instantly made Tommy one of the highest profile players in England. But was the Second Division striker worth it? Would he live up to the pressure at Old Trafford where so many before and since have failed? In the event, history records that Tommy went on to score 112 goals in 166 league games, 11 goals in 14 European Cup matches and 5 in 9 FA Cup ties. He represented his country 19 times, scoring 16 goals. More than mere statistics though, Tommy Taylor was renowned for his happy nature, his unselfish attitude and his ability in the air - he quickly became known among United fans as ‘the Smiling Executioner’. In his first game for the club, against Tom Finney’s Preston North End, he scored with a majestic header, the first of many. Tommy quickly became an instant hero at Old Trafford - tall, athletic, good in the air and on the floor: he was an integral part of the Busby Babes side that dominated the English game during the mid-fifties before his unfortunate demise in the Munich Air Disaster.