Sam Taylor

Barking-born, Hornchurch-raised, you’d be hard-pushed to find somebody more passionate about opening pathways in their local community than Sam Taylor .

An Academy of Football attendee himself from the ages of nine to 18, playing alongside the likes of Michael Carrick and Joe Cole and winning the 1999 FA Youth Cup, Taylor’s journey to date embodies the qualities of somebody steeped in the indescribable ‘West Ham Way.’

Now Integration Development Manager at West Ham United Foundation – a role Taylor carved out himself through his passion for providing youth development opportunities – the former left-back now helps many a youngster place their next step on life’s ladder.