Don Taylor (footballer)

Don Taylor
Personal information
Full name	A. 'Don' Taylor
Date of birth	24 June 1920
Height/Weight	183 cm / 80 kg
Position(s)	Half back
Playing career1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
1939-41 1942, 1947-48 1949-54	West Adelaide South Melbourne Glenelg	? 36 (38)  ?
1 Playing statistics to end of 1954 season .

Don Taylor (born 24 June 1920) was an Australian rules footballer who played for South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL) during the 1940s. He also played with West Adelaide and Glenelg in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL).

Like his brothers John and Laurie, Taylor began his career at West Adelaide and finished it at Glenelg. In between he had two separate stints with South Melbourne, the first while on war service in 1942 when he appeared in five VFL games, two of them finals, including their Preliminary Final loss to Essendon. He returned in 1947 and from mid season was used as a forward and on the ball, kicking at least two goals in each of his final six games. In one of those games, against Hawthorn at Glenferrie Oval, he kicked a career best bag of six goals.

As a result of his consistent performances up forward in 1947, Taylor remained there in 1948 and kicked five goals against Richmond in the opening round of the 1948 VFL season. He finished the year in defense, his preferred position while at West Adelaide, and in 1949 returned to South Australia and joined Glenelg.

Taylor won Glenelg's 'Best and fairest' award in both 1950 and 1952 before playing the last of his 135 SANFL games in 1954. He was recognised in the 1952 'Sporting Life' Team of the Year as a half back flanker and represented South Australia in nine interstate matches during his career.

His final contribution to South Australian football came in 1965 when he coached West Adelaide for the season. The club however struggled and finished the year in ninth position.

References

• Don Taylor (footballer)'s statistics from AFL Tables
• Full Points Footy: Don Taylor
• Holmesby, Russell and Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers. 7th ed. Melbourne: Bas Publishing.

Persondata
Name	Taylor,Albert Don
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	24 June 1920
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death