Ipswich’s Jack Taylor joins special club with Saturday’s winner against Wolves
Jack Taylor’s goal in Ipswich Town’s crucial victory against Wolves on Saturday not only earned his team vital points in the relegation battle, but it also secured his place in an exclusive group of players who have scored in each of the top four divisions of English football.
Here’s a look at some other notable members of this exclusive group.
Robert Earnshaw
Key Clubs Represented: Cardiff City, West Bromwich Albion, Norwich City, Derby County
Known for his pace and clinical finishing, Earnshaw is one of the few players to have scored in each of the top four divisions, as well as in the FA Cup, League Cup, and for his national team, Wales.
His remarkable scoring record includes a prolific spell at Cardiff, where he first made his mark. What makes Earnshaw such a phenomenon is not just that he’s scored in each of the top four leagues, he has managed a hat-trick in each, too.
Steve Morison
Key Clubs Represented: Millwall, Norwich City, Stevenage, Bishop’s Stortford
Morison’s journey through the English football pyramid is a testament to his perseverance.
Starting in non-league football before rising to prominence, he played a key role in Norwich City’s promotion campaigns and became a fan favourite at Millwall, where his physical presence and work rate shone, as well as also scoring at international level for Wales.
Gary Hooper
Key Clubs Represented: Scunthorpe United, Norwich City, Sheffield Wednesday, Southend United, Hereford United
Hooper's career highlights include his exceptional goal-scoring form at Scunthorpe, which earned him a move to Celtic, where he enjoyed significant success.
Later, he achieved this unique milestone during stints with clubs across England’s top four tiers, showcasing his knack for finding the back of the net at every level. Indeed, he has scored in each of England’s top seven divisions.
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Steve Finnan
Key Clubs Represented: Fulham, Liverpool, Notts County, Birmingham City
A highly reliable defender, Finnan made history as the only player to appear in the top four divisions in England, the Champions League final (which he won with Liverpool in 2005), and the World Cup.
While primarily known for his defensive prowess, he also contributed important goals throughout his career.
Jimmy Willis
Key Clubs Represented: Bradford, Darlington, Leicester City, Halifax Town, Stockport County
Willis may not be as widely known as some of the others on this list, but his career trajectory across all four divisions still makes him a notable member of this elite club.
In fact, he was the first person to score in five divisions. In an interview with the Liverpool Echo, he said: "I was watching television when I heard the Sky News presenter say that Steve Finnan was the only player to have scored in the top five divisions of English football. I thought 'I'm sure I've done that'. I've kept all my old my cuttings, so I had a look, and it was there in black and white."
Steve Claridge
Key Clubs Represented: Leicester City, Birmingham City, Cambridge United
A journeyman striker with a career that spanned 800 games and multiple decades, Claridge was renowned for his instinctive goal-scoring ability.
His contributions to Leicester City’s promotion-winning campaigns and key goals in various divisions cemented his place in this list. While he scored 12 goals in the Premier League for Leicester, he is one of the few players to have scored through the divisions on both the upward and downward curves of his career.
On his way up to the top flight, he netted for the likes of Aldershot, Cambridge, Luton and Birmingham, while on the way down he scored for Portsmouth, Millwall, Wycombe, Bradford and Walsall.
Sammie Szmodics
Key Clubs Represented: Colchester United, Peterborough United, Blackburn Rovers, Ipswich Town
A forward with a sharp eye for goal, Szmodics is one of the more recent additions to this group. His ability to score at all levels highlights his technical skill and composure in front of goal.
He is part of the same Tractor Boys side that weekend hero Jack Taylor plays for, while he plays internationally for the Republic of Ireland.
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