The Diamond Hall lad who became a Busby Babe and a Sunderland legend
He was the 5ft 4ins football genius from Diamond Hall who went on to do Sunderland - and the Busby Babes - proud.
It is 40 years this year since Ernie Taylor passed away aged just 59 years old.
FA Cup genius, Mackem, and a Busby Babe
In his heyday, Ernie played for Newcastle, Sunderland, Blackpool and Manchester United proud.
He may have been one of the smallest players on the field but he was known for his silky skills which troubled the opposition - including his backheel which led to a goal in the 1951 FA Cup Final for Newcastle.
Our thanks go to Sunderland historian Derek Holcroft for sharing more details on Ernie.
A photo shows him in the Diamond Hall School team in Sunderland in 1935. He is the one holding the youngster who was the team’s mascot.
A century at cricket for Sunderland Boys
The picture was taken in the grounds of the school in John Candlish Road.
But we wonder how many people knew that he was a talented cricketer and once scored 100 runs for Sunderland Boys.
A report at the time said he was one of the boys who ‘showed exceptional promise’.
It was in football, though, that his future lay and he played first for Hylton Colliery where he was scouted by Newcastle.
After the 1951 Cup Final, he was transferred to Blackpool where he formed an outstanding partnership with Stanley Matthews.
He shone for the Busby Babes
The team reached the 1953 FA Cup Final which Blackpool won and Ernie was chosen to play for England, but his only cap came in the famous 6-3 defeat to Hungary in the same year.
His hometown club Sunderland showed interest in signing him in 1958 but stood down in deference to Manchester United after the Munich air disaster.
Ernie did eventually sign for SAFC for £6,000 later that year and stayed until 1961, scoring 11 goals in 68 appearances.
Our thanks go to Derek for sharing memories of Ernie.
It is the latest in a long line of Sunderland stories to come from him and they also include;
If you have an amazing story of a relative who achieved greatness, share it by emailing [email protected]