Profile

Phil Taylor has a somewhat unfortunate place among the elite few to have held the Anfield hot-seat.

Not only is he best remembered for being Bill Shankly's predecessor, but he also has the unenviable status of being the only Liverpool boss never to have managed in the topflight.

A fine half back who signed for the Reds from Bristol Rovers in 1936, Taylor would endure contrasting fortunes as a player and manager at Anfield.

On the field he had an impressive reputation throughout the game and would eventually go on to captain the club. As his career came to a close, natural progression saw him take up a coaching role with the Reds before he eventually took over the managerial reigns from Don Welsh in 1956.

However, good players don't always make good managers, and the bid to gain promotion from Division Two would be a bridge too far for Taylor.

Despite signing the likes of Johnny Wheeler and Roger Hunt, inconsistency would shadow his tenure at the club. A third place finish in 1957 followed by fourth spot in 1958 might have been satisfactory enough at some other clubs - but not at Liverpool.

A new chairman, Tom (T.V.) Williams, had been appointed in 1956 and had ambitions that certainly surpassed some of his predecessors.

Inevitably, the pressure began to mount and after a frustrating start to the 1959-60 season, Taylor finally resigned.

"No matter how great has been the disappointment of the directors at our failure to win our way back to the first division, it has not been greater than mine," he said when news broke of his departure.

"I made it my goal. I set my heart on it and strove for it with all the energy I could muster. Such striving has not been enough and now the time has come to hand over to someone else to see if they can do better."

Having been a magnificent servant to the club as a player, it was a shame that Taylor's time in the hot-seat did not work out.

However, if it had not been for his departure our history could well have been different. His successor would go on to have unprecedented glory and, in doing so, alter the face of Liverpool Football Club forever.