THE player profile of Pocklington full-back Mark Taylor certainly makes interesting reading.

Educated at Pocklington School, honours with East Yorkshire, leading try-scorer last season, a spell with Hull Kingston Rovers RL and an accomplished footballer, snooker player and darts player.

On top of that he is a qualified pilot.

But through his impressive CV it is clear that Pocklington RUFC has remained a vital part of his life.

Having followed the well-trodden path from Pocklington School to the Percy Road arena, Taylor has remained a fixture in the club's first team for a quarter of a century, clocking up just under 1,000 appearances.

Taylor made his debut make in 1977 against the York Unicorns when he was handed a spot in the centres for the first team while still a fresh faced 17-year-old schoolboy.

A try and two conversions later, and Taylor has never looked back.

Taylor, now aged 42, has not been without his suitors, as both union and league clubs - including Roundhay RU and Hull KR RL - attempted to woo him to bigger things.

However, he has remained loyal to Pock and despite the odd spat over the 25 years they have remained in harmony together.

"The lads and the general atmosphere at the club has been fabulous," said Taylor.

"I've made a lot of good friends there who I'm still friends with now. The attitude at the club is correct, they want to win, but they also want to enjoy their rugby.

"We would go to other clubs where people wouldn't hang around afterwards, but a lot of the players at Pock would stick together.

"I did have a trial with Roundhay but there was too much travelling from here involved, and I had a stint at rugby league with Hull KR but there wasn't much money in it then.

"It was all very hush-hush at the time because of the situation between league and union, but I used to play for them on Sundays.

"I managed a few first team appearances, but I mainly played with their 'A' team."

Taylor disclosed to the Evening Press that he did depart from the Pock crew.

"I did leave Pock at one stage," he confessed.

"Everyone turned up late for a match one week because we all went to the wrong ground, so the committee at the time dropped everyone.

"I disagreed and took my bat and ball home, but I was back playing for them again before the end of the season."

Taylor also left the club to head off for a spell in America, but, boomerang-like, he was soon back - although this time with his pilot's licence in hand.

Taylor puts his long run in the first team down to the fact he has escaped to the luxury of full-back - la fellow veteran, Selby number 15 Ray Adamson, who has also celebrated his silver jubilee on the thrilling fields.

"I started off in the centres, but after I had an operation on my knee I decided instead of taking more punishment on it I'd move to full-back," said Taylor.

"It meant I could pick and choose my involvement. I could have gone to stand-off and avoided tackling there as well though."

Taylor, who marked the start of his 26th season with a try against Skipton on Saturday, once enjoyed playing on the same side as his Selby veteran counterpart Adamson.

He explained: "I did play with Ray once when we were team-mates when Allan Robertshaw celebrated his 500th game, although he was the full-back on that day with me in the centres."

Hopefully for Pock, Taylor and Adamson will team up once more for either of their 1,000th appearances - although it will just be another line on the crammed Taylor CV.

Updated: 11:43 Thursday, September 19, 2002