Taylor wears the Toon no. 27 shirt as a tribute to his hero, Phillipe Albert. This is presumably because he can't grow a decent 'tache
When Jose Mourinho suggested he was jealous of Newcastle’s Academy, he was thinking of players like Steven Taylor.
The London-born centre-half made his club debut in a 3-0 UEFA Cup win over Mallorca in March 2004 and has since become the club’s most steadfast defender.
He got his first regular run of games following an injury to Stephen Carr during 2004/05, and his adaptability has proved crucial to a succession of Newcastle managers.
The England under-21 captain confirmed his promise by gaining his first full international call-up for the friendly against Germany in August 2007.