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Name: John TaggartBorn: 3 February 1872, Belfast
Died: 12 May 1927, Walsall (England)
Position: Left-Half
Representative Honours: Ireland: 1 Full Cap (1899).
Club Honours: (with West Brom) FA Cup Runner-Up 1894/95.
Club Career:
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Clubs
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Seasons
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Signed
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Fee
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League
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FA Cup
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Play-Off
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Distillery
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89/90-91/92
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Jul-89
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-
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-
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-
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-
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Middlesbrough
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92/93
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Apr-92
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-
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(Northern League)
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|||
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West Bromwich Alb
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92/93-95/96
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Mar-93
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£150
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68/4
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11/0
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4/0
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Walsall
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96/97-02/03
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May-96
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Free
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113/1
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10/0
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-
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TOTALS
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£150
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281/5
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21/0
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4/0
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Biography:
Jack 'Mit' Taggart played football for Dundonald & Belmont County Schools and briefly in the Irish League with Distillery before transferring to Middlesbrough in 1892. Still just twenty years-old, his methodical defensive play earned the attentions of one of the giants of the English game, West Bromwich Albion. Noted for his ability to hit a ball into space, rather than hoof it upfield as was more normal for the backs of the day, Taggart played in West Brom's 1895 FA Cup Final defeat by Aston Villa. The Villa side contained a "former" Irish international, Jack Reynolds.
In 1896, West Brom survived relegation to Division Two by virtue of a test-match series. Wholesale changes were required and Taggart was released. He moved to midland neighbours Walsall, who had just been elected to Division Two of the Football League. It was while with the Saddlers that he earned his only Ireland cap, in a 1-0 win over Wales in 1899. That match marked the first selection of "Anglos" in an Irish eleven, with Taggart joined by Archie Goodall of Derby County, Tom Morrison of Burnley and John Hanna of the Royal Artillery.
In 1901 Walsall failed to gain re-election to the Football League and instead re-joined the Midland League for the following campaign. Taggart lasted two seasons in "non-league" football before he was forced to retire in March 1903 due to ill-health. He remained in the Midlands until his death, aged 55, in 1927.
Ireland Cap Details:
04-03-1899 Wales... H W 1-0 BC
Summary: 1/0. Won 1, Drew 0, Lost 0.
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