Duke of Edinburgh unveils plaque dedicated to football legend Tommy Taylor in Barnsley
The Duke, Prince Edward, joined legendary players and members of the Taylor family to unveil a new plaque to officially dedicate the bridge in Tommy’s memory.
The Duke of Edinburgh has visited Barnsley to unveil a plaque dedicated to football legend Tommy Taylor, at a bridge named after him.
The Duke, Prince Edward, joined legendary Manchester United players Brian Kidd and Alex Stepney, Barnsley FC’s record appearance holder Barry Murphy, and members of the Taylor family to unveil a new plaque to officially dedicate the bridge in Tommy’s memory.
It was named after Mr Taylor, whose life was cut tragically short in the Munich Air Disaster, following a request for name suggestions by Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council (BMBC).
In total more than 1,200 suggestions were made by members of the public, and the name was chosen by a panel.
Steven Kossowicz, Mr Taylor’s nephew, said that his uncle was ‘always proud of Barnsley,’ and that he felt ‘immensely proud that Uncle Tom’s name will live on’.
Mr Taylor was born in Smithies and worked at Wharncliffe Colliery as a teenager, playing for Smithies United, Barnsley and then Manchester United.
In March 1953, Manchester United manager Sir Matt Busby famously paid £1 to Barnsley’s tea lady Lily Wilby to avoid Taylor becoming the first £30,000 player.
He scored 131 goals in 191 games for the team.
Representing England, he scored 16 goals in 19 caps, including two hat-tricks against Denmark and the Republic of Ireland in 1956 and 1957.
He was one of eight Manchester United players among the 23 fatalities of the Munich air disaster on February 6, 1958.
On February 6, 1958, the British European Airways Flight 609 crashed on its third attempt to take off from a snow-covered runway at Munich-Riem Airport.
Unveiling the plaque, one of four to be placed on each corner of the bridge, council leader Sir Steve Houghton told the crowd that Mr Taylor is one of ‘Barnsley’s most famous sons,’ along with Mark Jones, from Wombwell, who also lost his life in the disaster.
Coun Houghton said that the bridge would serve as an ‘eternal memory’ to Tommy, Mark, and ‘all those people who lost their lives in the Munich tragedy in 1958’
Barry Murphy added that the unveiling had been ‘fantastic’, and that the bridge will always be there in Tommy’s memory.
Alex Stepney, former Manchester United goalkeeper and club ambassador, added: “You’re going on 66 years since, sadly, Tommy died, and the amount of people that turned up, the amount of interest this has got – it’s just incredible what one player has done in his home town.
“So many players who sadly passed away that day, they deserve to be here. In their own town, doing the same thing.
“The song goes; ‘you’ll never die, you’ll never die!’ and that is true – everyone at the club will always remember Tommy’s contribution to Manchester United, and to football, and the naming of this bridge 66 years after the disaster just shows the level of respect that exists for Tommy and that special group of players.”
Brian Kidd – European Cup winner in 1968 – added: “Winning the European Cup in 1968 felt like it was meant to be, and I remember to this day how determined that group of players were to win that final for Sir Matt and all those we had lost ten years prior in Munich, including Tommy.
“I grew up watching Tommy and as a forward myself I was in awe of his goal scoring ability as well as his technical skill.
"There is no doubt he is a Manchester United great. It is fitting that we have gathered here today to celebrate his immense contribution to Manchester United, to Barnsley FC and our great game.”