IAN TAYLOR was a popular player in a successful Aston Villa team in the 1990s.
Since retirement, Taylor has ventured into a very different career, designing and selling high-end headphones.
After a fruitful spell at Port Vale, and a short stint at Sheffield Wednesday, Taylor joined Aston Villa in 1994.
A former season ticket holder at Villa Park, Taylor scored big goals and quickly made himself a fans’ favourite.
This included scoring the second goal in a 3-0 win against Leeds United in the 1996 League Cup final at Wembley, Villa’s last major trophy to date.
Taylor was involved in other strong Villa performances in the league and in Europe during his time at the club, including reaching the 2000 FA Cup final, losing 1-0 to Chelsea.
He left the club in 2003 after 291 appearances and 43 goals, later joining Derby and Northampton before retiring in 2007.
After this, Taylor teamed up with Midlands-based firm Bluechipworld in 2013 to launch his range of headphones, IT7.
He told Business Live the same year how his new venture came about.
He said: “It was a chance meeting in Hong Kong when I was out there with the Villa.
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“They have got a manufacturing business – they manufacture mobile phones and wireless bluetooth headsets and sell to Tesco and Asda and places like that.
“We just got talking about the fact they are launching some headphones and it is all bluetooth technology. We talked for a bit and they asked if I would be interested, and it is right up my street.”
He went on to talk about his involvement in producing the products, saying: “I helped to design the headphones and I have put my name to them.
“I was involved with the design and sound and everything. We sat down with the sound guys and the bluetooth technology people and again once they had finished and I was really pleased.”
Taylor also continues to be an ambassador for his former club Aston Villa, as well SNRG, a renewable energy company.
