Matthew Taylor (footballer)

For the Newport County player, see Matt Taylor (footballer). For the Bristol Rovers player, see Matt Taylor (footballer, born 1990).
For other people named Matthew Taylor, see Matthew Taylor (disambiguation).
Matthew Taylor

Taylor playing for West Ham United in 2012
Personal information
Full name Matthew Simon Taylor[1]
Date of birth (1981-11-27) 27 November 1981[1]
Place of birth Oxford, England
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[1]
Playing position Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Northampton Town
Number 31
Youth career
0000–1999 Luton Town
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2002 Luton Town 129 (16)
2002–2008 Portsmouth 178 (23)
2008–2011 Bolton Wanderers 123 (23)
2011–2014 West Ham United 76 (2)
2014–2016 Burnley 37 (4)
2016– Northampton Town 17 (4)
National team
2002–2003 England U21 3 (0)
2007 England B 1 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19:55, 26 November 2016 (UTC).


Matthew Simon Taylor (born 27 November 1981) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for League One club Northampton Town. He has previously played for Luton Town, Portsmouth, Bolton Wanderers, West Ham United and Burnley.

Club career

Luton Town

Taylor was born in Oxford, Oxfordshire.[1] He began his career at Luton Town, making his debut as a 17-year-old at the beginning of the 1999–2000 season. He soon made the left wing-back slot his own and won the Young Player of the Season award in his first ever season as a professional,[2] before he won the Player of the Season award in 2000–01.[3] His success at Luton came after an initial trial at his local side, Oxford United.

Portsmouth

His displays led to interest from Premier League clubs, but he instead decided, in July 2002, to sign for First Division team Portsmouth for £750,000.[4] The fee was set averting the need for a tribunal, causing Luton manager Joe Kinnear to lament: "at least Dick Turpin had the decency to wear a mask".[5]

Usually playing as a left wing-back in a 3–5–2 formation, his speedy breaks down the left flank in support of the attack were a feature of Portsmouth's play as they won the First Division title in May 2003. As well as being a regular in the team during the season, he also scored seven goals in the League.

An injury picked up in the later stages of the previous season meant that Taylor was unavailable for the start of Portsmouth's first Premiership season. After returning to fitness, Taylor struggled to win his place in the side back due to the side's good early season form and Harry Redknapp's switch to the 4–4–2 formation. Taylor eventually won a place in the Pompey team at left back, where he was a regular in the second half of the 2003–04 season and appeared to be regaining form. Despite failing to score a league goal in his Premiership debut season, Taylor did hit the equaliser in an FA Cup tie at Anfield on 15 February 2004, when he ran the length of the pitch to celebrate with the supporters after a forceful right-footed finish at the Kop End.

Taylor's first Premiership goal came against Middlesbrough on 1 February 2005.[6] The summer signing of David Unsworth from Everton meant Taylor only became a regular in the side in the second half of the season.

New manager Alain Perrin utilised Taylor as a left midfielder during the 2005–06 season. On 29 October 2005, he scored from 40 yards at Sunderland's Stadium of Light, winning the BBC Goal of the Month.[7] Spotting the goalkeeper Kelvin Davis off his line, Taylor hit a dipping left-footed half-volley over Davis' head and into the back of the net. Portsmouth had been trailing Sunderland 1–0 in the crucial "six pointer" but Taylor inspired a second half comeback with two goals and two assists in a 4–1 victory.[8] When Harry Redknapp returned, Taylor initially retained his attacking role but the arrival of Andrés D'Alessandro on loan and Redknapp's disapproval of Perrin's left-back, Grégory Vignal, meant that Taylor returned to full-back for the latter stages of the season. 2005–06 could be considered Taylor's breakthrough season as a Premiership footballer. In all he played 34 league games, scoring six goals. Two of these were crucial penalties; one in the last minute against Sunderland to secure a 2–1 win, and another in an away game at Wigan Athletic on 29 April 2006 to clinch another 2–1 win and survival from relegation.

His good form for Portsmouth attracted interest from Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham, but he signed a long term contract with Portsmouth in July 2006.[9] In the 2006–07 season, Taylor was a regular in the Portsmouth side on the left of midfield. Despite the team's good form, it took until early December for him to score his first league goal, in a game against Aston Villa.[10][11] He then added a second from the penalty spot in the same match before going on to score spectacular volleys in the next two games against Everton and Arsenal.[12][13]

His first-half goal against Manchester United at Fratton Park in April 2007 sent Portsmouth on their way to a 2–1 victory over the Premier League champions. His final goal for Portsmouth was a penalty kick in August 2007, in a 3–1 win over Bolton Wanderers, the club he moved to five months later.

Bolton Wanderers

Taylor training with West Ham United in 2012

After losing his place in the Portsmouth team to Niko Kranjčar in the first half of the 2007–08 season, Taylor moved to Bolton Wanderers on Thursday 17 January 2008 for an undisclosed fee, after rejecting an offer from Sunderland.[14] On 29 March 2008 Taylor scored his first goals for Bolton with a brace in the 3–2 home defeat to Arsenal. On 11 May 2008 Taylor scored his first away goal for Bolton with a last minute equaliser, gaining Bolton a 1–1 draw against Chelsea on the last day of the 2007–08 Premier League season. In July 2008, having previously worn number 32, Taylor was given the number 7 shirt previously worn by Stelios Giannakopoulos. Taylor scored the 50th goal of his career in a 3–1 win at West Ham United on 5 October 2008[15] and reached double figures in the league for the first time when scoring against Chelsea on 11 April 2009.[16] In July 2009 he signed a new long term contract at Bolton Wanderers. In the 2009–10 season, after the Blackburn Rovers game blood tests showed that Taylor had developed glandular fever.[17]

West Ham United

On 23 July 2011, Taylor signed for West Ham United for an undisclosed fee on a three-year contract.[18] He made his competitive debut on 7 August 2011 in 1–0 home defeat to Cardiff City[19] and scored his first goal in West Ham's 4-3 win over his former club, Portsmouth, on 10 September.[20]

Burnley

On 4 July 2014, newly promoted Premier League club Burnley confirmed that they had signed Taylor from West Ham United on a two-year deal, on a free transfer.[21] Taylor played in Burnley's first three games of the 2014-15 season but sustained an Achilles' heel injury for which he underwent surgery in October 2014.[22] Taylor returned to the first-team on 11 April 2015, coming on as a late substitute in a 1–0 home defeat to Arsenal.[23] In his third game back, he missed a penalty kick which would have put Burnley 1–0 up in an important game against Leicester City to avoid relegation from the Premier League. Leicester won the game 1–0 scoring 59 seconds after Taylor had missed his penalty.[24]

Taylor was released by Burnley at the end of 2015–16 season after making 27 appearances, scoring four goals.[25]

Northampton Town

On 1 August 2016, Taylor signed for newly promoted League One club Northampton Town on a free transfer.[26]

Career statistics

Taylor (left) playing for West Ham United in 2014
As of match played 26 November 2016
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Luton Town 1999–2000[27] Second Division 414511000475
2000–01[28] Second Division 45140401[lower-alpha 1]0541
2001–02[29] Third Division 43111010004511
Total 12916101601014617
Portsmouth 2002–03[30] First Division 3571020—387
2003–04[31] Premier League 3005331—384
2004–05[32] Premier League 3111040—361
2005–06[33] Premier League 3462011—377
2006–07[11] Premier League 3582021—399
2007–08[34] Premier League 1310020—151
Total 17823113143—20329
Bolton Wanderers 2007–08[34] Premier League 163——3[lower-alpha 2]0193
2008–09[35] Premier League 34101000—3510
2009–10[36] Premier League 3783030—438
2010–11[37] Premier League 3624020—422
Total 1232380503013923
West Ham United 2011–12[38] Championship 28100103[lower-alpha 3]0321
2012–13[39] Premier League 2812020—321
2013–14[40] Premier League 2000061—261
Total 762209130903
Burnley 2014–15[41] Premier League 1000010—110
2015–16[42] Championship 2740010—284
Total 3740020—394
Northampton Town 2016–17[43] League One 174113000215
Career total 560723253947063881
  1. ↑ Appearance in Football League Trophy
  2. ↑ Appearances in UEFA Cup
  3. ↑ Appearances in Championship play-offs

Honours

Club

Portsmouth

West Ham United

Burnley

Individual

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2010). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2010–11. Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing. p. 401. ISBN 978-1-84596-601-0.
  2. 1 2 "Gary's at the double". Luton Today. 3 May 2000. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
  3. 1 2 "Taylor steals the show". Luton Today. 2 May 2001. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
  4. ↑ "Pompey seal Taylor switch". BBC Sport. 3 July 2002. Retrieved 29 August 2007.
  5. ↑ Burt, Jason (20 December 2003). "Taylor fights to keep career and Portsmouth afloat". The Independent. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  6. ↑ "Portsmouth 2–1 Middlesbrough". BBC Sport. 1 February 2005. Retrieved 25 April 2009.
  7. ↑ "Goal of the Month". BBC Sport. 16 May 2006. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
  8. ↑ "Sunderland 1–4 Portsmouth". BBC Sport. 29 October 2005. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  9. ↑ "Pompey pair agree long-term deals". BBC Sport. 4 July 2006. Retrieved 19 January 2008.
  10. ↑ "Portsmouth 2 Aston Villa 2: Angel swoops in to deny Pompey a Taylor-made victory". The Independent. 3 December 2006. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  11. 1 2 "Games played by Matthew Taylor in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  12. ↑ "Portsmouth 2–0 Everton". BBC Sport. 10 December 2006. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
  13. ↑ McNulty, Phil (16 December 2006). "Arsenal 2–2 Portsmouth". BBC Sport. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
  14. ↑ O'Rourke, Peter (17 January 2008). "Taylor makes Bolton move". Sky Sports. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  15. ↑ Hughes, Ian (5 October 2008). "West Ham 1–3 Bolton". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 November 2015.
  16. ↑ "Matthew Taylor". Premier League. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  17. ↑ "Illness affected my form – Taylor". BBC Sport. 19 April 2010. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  18. ↑ "West Ham sign Bolton midfielder Matt Taylor". BBC Sport. 23 July 2011. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  19. ↑ Da Silva, Michael (7 August 2011). "West Ham 0–1 Cardiff". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 August 2011.
  20. ↑ "West Ham 4–3 Portsmouth". BBC Sport. 10 September 2011. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  21. ↑ "Clarets lay out the welcome Matt". Burnley F.C. 4 July 2014. Retrieved 4 July 2014.
  22. ↑ "Taylor goes under the knife to fix Achilles problem". Lancashire Telegraph. 21 October 2014. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  23. ↑ Bevan, Chris (11 April 2015). "Burnley 0–1 Arsenal". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  24. ↑ Whalley, Mike (25 April 2015). "Burnley 0–1 Leicester City". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  25. ↑ Marshall, Tyrone (23 May 2016). "Paul Robinson offered new contract by Burnley but Gilks, Taylor and Dyer leave Turf Moor". This Is Lancashire. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  26. ↑ "Matt Taylor: Northampton Town sign ex-Portsmouth, West Ham & Burnley midfielder". BBC Sport. 1 August 2016. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  27. ↑ "Games played by Matthew Taylor in 1999/2000". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  28. ↑ "Games played by Matthew Taylor in 2000/2001". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  29. ↑ "Games played by Matthew Taylor in 2001/2002". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  30. ↑ "Games played by Matthew Taylor in 2002/2003". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  31. ↑ "Games played by Matthew Taylor in 2003/2004". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  32. ↑ "Games played by Matthew Taylor in 2004/2005". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  33. ↑ "Games played by Matthew Taylor in 2005/2006". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  34. 1 2 "Games played by Matthew Taylor in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  35. ↑ "Games played by Matthew Taylor in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  36. ↑ "Games played by Matthew Taylor in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  37. ↑ "Games played by Matthew Taylor in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  38. 1 2 "Games played by Matthew Taylor in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  39. ↑ "Games played by Matthew Taylor in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  40. ↑ "Games played by Matthew Taylor in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  41. ↑ "Games played by Matthew Taylor in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  42. ↑ "Games played by Matthew Taylor in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  43. ↑ "Games played by Matthew Taylor in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  44. ↑ "M. Taylor". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
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