Rodney Victor Taylor (9 September 1943 – 16 April 2018) was an English professional

footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby lea ...

of the 1960s. He played professionally for

Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. Most of Portsmouth is located on Portsea Island, off the south coast of England in the Solent, making Portsmouth the only city in En ...

, Gillingham, and Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic.

Career

Taylor's career began at

as a ground staff boy in 1958 and at the age of 17, he signed his first professional contract at Pompey, going on to play at Fratton Park for two seasons. He joined Gillingham in July 1963 and spent three years at Priestfield. In 1966, he returned to Dorset to play for Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic under manager

Freddie Cox Frederick James Arthur Cox Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom), DFC (1 November 1920 – 7 August 1973) was an English association football, football player and manager. Playing as a outside forward, winger, he scored 25 goals from 182 a ...

, who had signed him at Gillingham. He made 30 appearances for the Cherries in the Fourth Division, before joining Poole Town in August 1967 followed by Andover in 1971.

Career statistics

Later life and legacy

To support his family after his playing career, Taylor went into partnership with fellow former Portsmouth and Bournemouth player

Tony Priscott Anthony John Priscott (19 March 1941 – 24 July 2023) was an English professional footballer who played as a winger. Career He started his career with Portsmouth, making 35 appearances and scoring 6 goals. In August 1962 he moved to Aldersho ...

in the building trade. He died in April 2018 and, after having his brain donated and examined by the neuropathologist Dr Willie Stewart in a similar way as

Jeff Astle Jeffrey Astle (13 May 1942 – 19 January 2002) was an English professional footballer who played the majority of his career as a centre-forward for West Bromwich Albion. Nicknamed "the King" by the club's fans, he played 361 games for them an ...

, it was proved that he was suffering from Dementia with Lewy bodies and CTE. In January 2021, Taylor's daughter, Rachel Walden, was invited to join Astle's daughter Dawn at the

Professional Footballers' Association The Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) is the trade union for professional footballers in England and Wales. Founded in 1907, it is the world's oldest professional sports trade union, with approximately 5,000 current members each seaso ...

(PFA). Together, they embarked on a six-month project aimed at improving neurodegenerative care for former football players and their families. Their collaborative efforts resulted in the establishment of a dedicated Brain Health Department, which was officially launched in February 2022. This department designed to provide essential support and resources for individuals affected by neurological issues related to football. It also involved the recruitment of former professional footballers David Ryan and Alex Fletcher to deliver brain health education to current EFL and WSL players whilst promoting dementia awareness alongside notable figures like John Breckin and Tony Currie. In September 2023 the Premier League and PFA announced the launch of the Football Brain Health Fund.

References

1943 births 2018 deaths English men's footballers Men's association football defenders English Football League players Portsmouth F.C. players Gillingham F.C. players Footballers from Dorset 20th-century English sportsmen Association football players with chronic traumatic encephalopathy {{england-footy-defender-1940s-stub