How Germany-born striker became NI goalkeeping great

"Until he was 19 years old, Maik Taylor had never played a game in goal. Until he was 24, he had not been a professional footballer, but a lance corporal in the British Army. Until he was 27, when he appeared for their under-21 side as an overage player, he had never even set foot in Northern Ireland. Yet, when all was said and done, with assistance from the likes of Ray Clemence, Graeme Souness"

"Taylor was born in the city of Hildesheim just south of Hanover to a German mother and an English father who was serving in the British Army's Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers regiment. Raised in what was then West Germany until he was a teenager, his footballing upbringing was decidedly anglicised with Southampton's victory over Manchester United in the FA Cup final of 1976 his earliest sporting memory."

Maik Taylor never played in goal until age 19 and did not become a professional until 24, having been a lance corporal in the British Army. He had not set foot in Northern Ireland until 27 when he appeared for the under-21 side as an overage player. With guidance from Ray Clemence, Graeme Souness and Kevin Keegan he made over 500 appearances across England's top four divisions and won 88 caps for Northern Ireland. Born in Hildesheim to a German mother and English father, he was raised in West Germany and had an anglicised football upbringing, recalling Southampton's 1976 FA Cup victory as an early memory. He later became Birmingham City's goalkeeping coach.

Read at www.bbc.com