Shaun Taylor was an old-fashioned centre-half, brave as a lion and ever ready to put his head into a challenge others might have shirked with their feet.
Signed at the age of 33 by Bristol City boss Joe Jordan early in the 1996-97 season, the Devonian defender had already racked up more than 400 League appearances for Exeter City and Swindon Town.
But anyone who thought Jordan had erred by recruiting a player in the twilight of his career was made to think again as big Shaun became the linchpin of City’s defence.
Not only did Taylor play a huge role in helping the Robins win promotion in his second season at Ashton Gate. He also proved a mentor to a young Louis Carey, who became his centre-back partner.
That pairing was employed for only the third time when City visited tomorrow’s opponents Preston North End for a Second Division game on Saturday December 28, 1996.
Carey, who had made his first team debut the previous season, was more used to operating at right-back, but had the pace to combine effectively with Taylor in the middle.
Shaun was fearless in attacking the ball in the air, while Louis was rarely beaten on the ground. It was a combination Jordan’s successor John Ward would utilise to great effect.
But there was little thought of replacing Big Joe, then in his second spell as manager, when City travelled to face Preston in their second Christmas fixture of 1996.
The first had brought a 3-2 home win over Shrewsbury Town in front of a near 10,000 Ashton Gate crowd, the goals coming from Paul Agostino, Darren Barnard and Gary Owers.
That sent Jordan’s men to Deepdale in high spirits, handily placed to challenge for at least a play-off place over the second half of the season.
Rob Edwards had partnered Taylor against The Shrews, but picked up an injury. Carey moved to central defence, with the versatile Owers switching from midfield to right-back.
Other changes saw Jordan bring in transfer-listed Junior Bent for Greg Goodridge on the right wing, while Martin Kuhl took Owers’ place in the middle of the park.
City’s strike-force looked particularly potent. Agostino had netted four times in a 9-2 FA Cup win over St Albans City at Ashton Gate earlier in the month, while Shaun Goater had returned to the starting line-up after injury against Shrewsbury.
Both players were on 11 goals for the season and were to run riot in City’s best performance of the campaign to date.
Agostino opened the scoring on 17 minutes. An Owers cross from the fight looped off the head of Preston’s Neil McDonald and the Australian striker pounced to beat goalkeeper Bobby Mimms with a shot on the turn.
City should have been in front even earlier, Goater delaying his fourth minute shot and allowing Ryan Kidd to make a superb saving tackle.
Perhaps still showing signs of rustiness following the injury lay-off which saw him left out for five games, the Bermudan striker lacked his normal sharpness in front of goal early on.
When Bent and Matt Hewlett combined to set up another chance, Shaun uncharacteristically cleared the crossbar from six yards.
When a third chance went begging on 32 minutes, after Goater had burst clear only to see his low drive saved by Mimms, it didn’t look like being his day.
But top strikers have the ability to put misses to the back of their minds and keep on getting into positions to score.
So it was with Goater on 66 minutes when he latched onto an Owers cross and fired firmly past Mimms from the edge of the six-yard box.
The goal knocked the stuffing out of Preston, who had threatened a fightback in the early stages of the second half, forcing a succession of corner.
Taylor’s aerial power came to City’s rescue time and again, making him an easy choice for man-of-the-match.
When Preston did breach the visiting defence, goalkeeper Stuart Naylor was in fine form, pushing Gary Bennett’s 47th minute header around a post and also saving well from Lee Ashcroft moments later.
Bennett also headed inches wide for Preston, but Agostino miscued a shot with the goal at his mercy and there was no disputing City’s right to their 2-0 win.
It was only the Robins' fourth victory at Deepdale in 31 attempts and Jordan had good cause to be pleased with the pace, aggression and inventiveness of his attack on a bogey ground.
“Our football was first class and for a team to create as many chances as we did away from home was exceptional,” said the manager.
“We should have been four or five goals ahead at half time, but I wasn’t too concerned when we went in at 1-0. I knew the chances would continue to come.”
The victory lifted City to sixth place in Division II, seven points behind leaders Brentford.
Fortunes improved further with a 2-1 home win over Bury in the next game. But a poor run of results in March saw the club slip to 10th and Jordan left to be replaced by Ward.
The new boss inspired a revival that saw City reach the play-offs with five successive wins in April. But the season ultimately ended in disappointment with defeat over two legs by Brentford, who won both semi-final matches 2-1.
Promotion would come for City the following season, Taylor and Carey developing into Ward’s regular centre-backs as the Robins finished runners-up behind Graham Taylor’s Watford.
Preston North End: Mimms; Gage (Squires 77 mins), Gregan (Rankine 86 mins), Kidd, Barrick; Ashcroft, Davey, McDonald, Kilbane; Reeves, Bennett; Sub not used: Bryson.
Bristol City: Naylor; Owers, Carey, Taylor, Barnard; Bent, Kuhl, Hewlett, Tinnion; Agostino, Goater (Nugent 73 mins); Subs not used: Goodridge, Paterson.
Referee: Terry Heilbron (County Durham)
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