Steven Jeffrey Taylor (born 18 October 1955) is an English former footballer. A forward, he scored 157 goals in 441 league games in a 15-year career in the Football League.
He began his career at Bolton Wanderers, turning professional in October 1973. He was loaned out to Port Vale in October 1975, before signing with Oldham Athletic in October 1977 for £38,000. He transferred to Luton Town in January 1979 for a £75,000 fee before moving on to Mansfield Town for the same fee a few months later. He signed with Burnley in 1980, and helped the "Clarets" to the Third Division title in 1981–82. He switched to Wigan Athletic in 1983 before spending a brief spell with Stockport County the following year. He was signed by Rochdale in November 1984 and had a prolific two-year spell at the club before he was bought by Preston North End for £20,000. He quickly returned to Burnley and featured in the 1988Football League Trophy final. He returned to Rochdale for the 1988–89 campaign before he retired from professional football. He later had an unsuccessful time as manager of Northern Premier League club Mossley in 1993.
In October 1977, Taylor signed for his hometown club Oldham Athletic for a fee of £38,000.[3] He finished as the club's top scorer in 1977–78 with 21 goals; the "Latics" enjoyed a good season under Jimmy Frizzell, and finished eighth in the Second Division. Taylor then left Boundary Park and moved to Luton Town in January 1979 for a £75,000 fee.[3] The "Hatters" finished two places and two points above the Second Division relegation zone in 1978–79. Taylor only hit one goal in 20 league games at Kenilworth Road. David Pleat sold Taylor on to Mansfield Town, again for £75,000. He could not prevent Mick Jones's "Stags" from occupying one of the Third Division relegation places in 1979–80, and did not stay on for long at Field Mill.
Taylor was then signed by Brian Miller's Burnley. He scored a hat-trick past Millwall in a 5–0 win at Turf Moor on 27 September 1980, and finished as the club's top scorer in 1980–81 with 17 goals in 47 games. He then hit 14 goals in 31 appearances in 1981–82, as the club finished as champions of the Third Division. He scored a hat-trick past Sheffield Wednesday in a 4–1 win on 1 January 1983, and another hat-trick past Charlton Athletic in a 7–1 home win on 26 February. He hit 15 goals in 41 appearances in 1982–83, though this was not enough to save the club from relegation.
After over four years out of the game, Taylor was appointed manager of Northern Premier League
Division One side Mossley in August 1993.[3] He left after just one win in 13 games. While manager of Mossley, he played four times, scoring once.[3] The club went on to finish the 1993–94 season in 17th place.
