Gordon Taylor: Blues Promotion, Pelé, Bomb Scares & 40 Years at the PFA!

A bomb scare during Birmingham City's promotion celebrations, being named more valuable than Pelé, and four decades at the heart of English football. Gordon Taylor has certainly got a few stories to tell! ⚽🔵 This week on Made in Brum, we're joined by former Birmingham City winger and long-serving Professional Footballers' Association chief executive Gordon Taylor. Gordon takes us right back to his early days growing up in Ashton-under-Lyne, his journey into professional football with Bolton Wanderers and his move to Birmingham City in 1970. We revisit that famous 1971/72 promotion campaign, the characters in the Blues dressing room, playing alongside the likes of Trevor Francis and Bob Latchford, and the extraordinary events surrounding promotion at Leyton Orient. There's also the small matter of facing Pelé's Santos, an unforgettable trip to Old Trafford and some incredible memories of football in the 1970s. But Gordon's story doesn't end on the pitch. He went on to spend four decades leading the PFA, witnessing football transform from a working-class game into the multibillion-pound industry we know today. We discuss player wages, the rise of the Premier League, the changing relationship between footballers and their clubs, and the controversies surrounding his time at the PFA. From St Andrew's to the corridors of footballing power, this is a fascinating look at a life spent in the game. 👍 Enjoyed the episode? Give it a like, leave us a comment and subscribe to Made in Brum for more conversations with the people who've helped shape Birmingham and beyond. 💬 BLUES FANS — how good was that promotion-winning side of 1972? And who remembers Gordon Taylor playing at St Andrew's? 🎙️ MADE IN BRUM Hosted by Kev and Chris Bagnall. Proudly supported by HELL ENERGY DRINK ⚡