🌹 Happy Heavenly Birthday to Tommy Taylor, born on this day in 1932
A Yorkshire lad who started life down the pit at Wharncliffe Colliery, Tommy became one of the finest centre-forwards to ever wear the Manchester United shirt. His remarkable goalscoring record, 131 goals in 191 appearances, remains unmatched at the club, a ratio of two goals every three games that still stands as the best in United's history.
They called him 'The Smiling Executioner', a nickname that captured both his deadly finishing and the warmth that made him beloved by teammates and fans alike. Even the great Alfredo Di Stefano called him 'Magnifico'. Sir Bobby Charlton remembered him as someone who was "very fast, immensely strong, and absolutely sensational in the air."
His striking partner Dennis Viollet, who knew him best on the pitch, spoke of Tommy's "beautiful, graceful movements" and recalled how Tommy would say, "If you feel like you need a breather, just pass the ball to me." Jimmy Greaves described him simply as "a truly great centre-forward...a brilliant player with bags of old-fashioned guts."
What many don't know is that Tommy nearly had his career ended before it truly began, a serious knee injury during his National Service threatened everything. Or that Matt Busby paid £29,999 for him from Barnsley, famously giving the extra pound to the tea lady, because he didn't want the young man burdened with being football's first £30,000 player.
On February 6, 1958, Tommy lost his life in the Munich Air Disaster at just 26 years old. He was at the peak of his powers, England's first-choice striker heading into the 1958 World Cup, and had recently rejected a then-astronomical £65,000 offer from Inter Milan because Matt Busby wouldn't let him go.
The world was at his feet. Gone far too soon, but his smile, his goals, and his legacy live on forever in the heart of every Red.
Gone but never forgotten 🌹⚪⚫
#MUFC #Munich #TommyTaylor
🗣️ “I’ll be bringing you all a nice early Christmas present!”
🥊 The message from undefeated Barnsley fighter @CallumSimpson9 to the Reds faithful ahead of facing Troy Williamson in Leeds.
Full fight preview 🎧👉 https://t.co/eKUPL79RWA
#BarnsleyFC | @BBCSheffield
𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗨𝗟𝗧𝗦
After a frustrating weekend of no football last week, we got both games on today and brought 6 points back to Barnsley!
Sheffield City 2-4 Firsts
⚽️⚽️⚽️ Welford
⚽️ Bedford J
Sheffield Medics 6-7 Ressies
⚽️⚽️⚽️ Stoddard
⚽️⚽️ Bedford W
⚽️ Drury
⚽️ Sida
20 years ago today, The Reds beat Rotherham United 1-0 at Millmoor in the third tier, courtesy of a 73rd minute strike by substitute Martin Devaney. Super.
The NHS bowel cancer screening kit can detect signs of cancer before you notice anything is wrong.
If you’re sent a bowel cancer screening kit, put it by the loo. Don’t put it off.
➡️ https://t.co/j1AI4yXIJz
Hearts have joined Barnsley in the chase for Cheltenham Town winger Jordan Thomas after the Tykes saw a second bid rejected for the highly-rated attacker. #HOMFC#barnsleyfc#ctfc
Saw a bloke on the tube at 7.30am peel the cover off a Sainsbury's trifle.
People were watching, interested to see how he'd approach it.
He got a large Dairy Milk Fruit and Nut bar out of his pocket, unwrapped it, then used it as a spoon to eat the trifle.
Sensational viewing