The Early Years
Born in Greenwich London Steven Taylor was raised on Tyneside after moving from London just before his 1st Birthday. With Newcastle United supporters in the family it wasn’t long before Taylor followed in the same vein supporting the Black and Whites and starting playing the game himself. His father a Newcastle United season ticket holder soon got Steven one too and took him to the games even some away from home.
By the time he was 5 Taylor was already showing promising signs and joined local boys clubs but couldn’t get a game so he decided to try Cramlington Juniors. He was given the opportunity to play and took it with both hands. As luck would have it, on his first training session with Cramlington Juniors, Newcastle United scouts were watching and John Carver who liked what he saw offered Taylor the chance to join Newcastle Boys.
Arriving at Newcastle as a 9 year-old with lots of other players his age was very daunting but one that Steven took in his stride. Even at this tender age he was tipped to make it to the first team. At 16 Taylor’s reputation was growing finally having the chance to play for England School Boys captaining the side.

Moving On

Wycombe Wanderers
At 17 and impressing for United's reserves, Newcastle decided to farm out their highly rated youngster to Wycombe Wanderers on a 2 month loan-deal during the 2003-04 season. It was a great move for Taylor,not only would he get first team-football but he would also get to work with his big hero Tony Adams who was manager of Wycombe at the time.Taylor played six games in all and put in some outstanding displays.

Newcastle United
After arriving back at Newcastle from his loan spell at Wycombe Taylor soon found himself on the bench for a few games as injuries decimated United's squad and with the Newcastle coasting 3-0 up away to Real Mallorca in the UEFA Cup after a 4-1 first leg win back in March 2004, the United youngster's dreams become a reality. Replacing Andy O'Brien in the 81st minute Taylor got his first taste of first-team action for his beloved Magpies, and in Europe too.
Taylor was soon a regular in the first team and repaying the faith John Carver had in him way back when.

England Youth
Taylor has represented England at every level except senior level and has also had the distinction of captaining his country at every level too, just one of a handful in the history of the game to have done so.
Former England Under-21 coach David Platt on Taylor: "Steven has always played in age groups above his age, and when I saw him play in Dubai for the Under-20s - where he was one of the youngest players - he played very well and showed he could cope with the rigours of international football at that level.
"Since he joined the Under-21s he has showed he can handle things both on and off the pitch, and is clearly benefiting from training with the first-team squad and players of the calibre of Alan Shearer at Newcastle."
All in all he seems to be one of those rare youngsters in football, an old head on young shoulders as they say and the future for Taylor is very much one of huge promise.

The Future?
Whenever a young exciting talent emerges from the youth ranks it's easy to get carried away and even easier for such talent to fall by the wayside but with Taylor one senses this won't be the case.
As a centre-half he has everything in his locker. The build, the strength and power to go with it, the bravery, the confidence and that all important presence. As a footballer he is comfortable on the ball, a forceful runner is deceptively quick and his reading of the game for someone so young really is impressive. His biggest asset is his temperament. He is made of the right stuff mentally and it is his character that will take him to the top with any luck because he has it all as a defender.One to watch for club and country.