Former referee Jack Taylor OBE dies aged 82
Friday, July 27, 2012
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The man who refereed the 1974 FIFA World Cup final and handled the European Cup showpiece three years earlier, Englishman Jack Taylor OBE, has died aged 82.
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Jack Taylor OBE, the English referee who officiated the 1974 FIFA World Cup final between the Netherlands and West Germany, has died aged 82.
Taylor, born in Wolverhampton, oversaw more than 1,000 club matches in a refereeing career which spanned three decades. In 1971, he was the man in the middle for the European Champion Clubs' Cup final at Wembley between AFC Ajax and Panathinaikos FC, which the Dutch side won 2-0.
He also handled over 100 international fixtures, the highlight being the 1974 World Cup final in Munich, where he made history by becoming the first man to award a penalty in a global showpiece.
Former English Premier League referee Mike Riley, now general manager of the Professional Game Match Officials (PGMOL), said: "Every referee of our generation looked up to Jack Taylor because he set the standard. His performances at the 1974 FIFA World Cup inspired a whole generation of referees in this country."
