The Thistle Archive

Goalkeeper Bill Taylor joined Thistle in March 1967. He had started his senior career with St Johnstone in March 1958, and played more than 170 competitive matches for the Saints. He joined Stirling Albion in 1964, where he played for 3 seasons. He was in both the St Johnstone and Stirling Albion sides that won the SFL 2nd Division during his time at both clubs.

He joined Thistle in March 1967, but George Niven was Thistle’s regular keeper and not easily displaced. Bill got his chance in an away friendly at New Writtle Street in Chelmsford on 17th April 1967 where Thistle beat Chelmsford City 3-1, the home side conceding 2 own goals. Arthur Duncan scored the other Jags’ counter. He kept goal 2 days later when the Maryhill Magyars defeated Notts County 4-1 at Meadow Lane, on the banks of the River Trent in Nottingham. His initial competitive outing was in a 2-2 draw away to Dundee United in the SFL 1st Division match at Tannadice on 22 April 1967. The following season saw him start against Blackpool at Bloomfield Road in a pre-season friendly which ended in a 1-1 draw. His final 3 appearances were in the League Cup in Aug 1967, with a 2-1 victory away to Airdrie and a 1-1 draw away to Dunfermline away at East End Park. He also played in a 5-0 defeat at Celtic Park in the Glasgow Cup. As that was his final appearance for the Jags, Bill never made an appearance at Firhill! He suffered from injuries during his spell in Maryhill, including an ankle injury at the end of his time with the Jags, and he subsequently fell out with Willie Thornton. Bill went on to play for Luton Town where he made 7 appearances.

An article in Nutmeg magazine explores Stirling Albion’s claim to fame as being the first British club side to play in Japan, and their exploits in getting there in that memorable summer of 1966. Sheffield Wednesday were due to go, but their game-heavy season, including losing in the FA Cup Final against Everton, meant that they cancelled their trip. The Binos went in their place. Bill was the only goalkeeper in their squad. They played AEK Athens and then a Teheran Select side en route to the Far East. They played a number of matches against Japanese Select sides, and returned to the UK via Alaska. Post football, Bill worked at Luton Airport.