Matt Taylor (footballer, born 1990)
 Matty Taylor at Bristol Rovers in 2015 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 30 March 1990 | ||
| Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Playing position | Striker | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | Bristol Rovers | ||
| Number | 10 | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2007–2009 | Oxford United | 7 | (0) |
| 2009–2011 | North Leigh | 92 | (80) |
| 2011–2014 | Forest Green Rovers | 96 | (22) |
| 2014 | → Chester (loan) | 7 | (6) |
| 2014– | Bristol Rovers | 106 | (58) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2014 | England C | 2 | (3) |
|
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22:06 , 17 September 2016 (UTC). | |||
Matt 'Matty' Taylor (born 30 March 1990) is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Bristol Rovers.
Career
Early career
Taylor's football career started at Oxford United where he made seven substitute appearances in two seasons before moving on to Southern League South & West Division side North Leigh. In two seasons at Eynsham Park, he scored 80 goals. In September 2011 he had a trial with Cheltenham Town but went on to sign for Forest Green Rovers,[1] having rejected a move to Newport County.[2]
Forest Green Rovers
His first goals for the Nailsworth club came in a 4–1 win over Alfreton Town as Taylor netted a hat-trick.[3] He went on to score a further seven goal as The Green finished 10th in the Conference National.
His second season at the club saw him find the net 11 times in league and cup competitions, earning himself a contract extension to summer 2014.[2] His third season saw him struggle for form and he was loaned out to fellow Conference side Chester in January 2014 until the end of the season.[4] Having scored six times in seven games, he was recalled by his parent club[5] but failed to score again in his remaining 12 appearances.
Bristol Rovers
In June 2014, Taylor signed for recently relegated Conference side Bristol Rovers, rejecting reported offers from former sides Oxford United and Chester as well as Mansfield Town and Kidderminster Harriers.[6] His Bristol Rovers career got off to a difficult start as he scored just three times in his first 18 games. He finished the season with 20 goals, including one in each of the play-off semi-final games against Forest Green Rovers. He played the full 120 minutes of the play-off Final and scored Rovers' second penalty of the shoot-out as Rovers secured an immediate return to the Football League.[7]
Taylor scored his first Football League goal in a 3–1 win against Barnet FC. A successful start to his season resulted in Taylor scoring 8 goals in all competitions before mid November, including two goals vs Carlisle United. After an unstoppable run, Taylor achieved 14 goals in all competitions before Christmas, including hat-tricks in the 3–0 victory against Wycombe Wanderers and 4–1 win against Hartlepool United. On the final day of the season, Bristol Rovers achieved promotion to League One by scoring a dramatic winner in the 92nd minute. Lee Brown scored the decisive goal after Taylor himself hit the post.[8] Taylor finished the season with 27 goals and 5 assists, outscoring every player in the Football League.[9]
Taylor proceeded to score on his League One debut against Scunthorpe United in a 3-1 loss. [10]
On 18 October 2016, Taylor scored a second-half hat-trick to earn a point for the Rovers against Milton Keynes Dons in a 3–3 draw.[11]
References
- ↑ "Bristol Rovers FC Player Profiles". Bristol Rovers F.C. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
- 1 2 "Forest Green Rovers FC Player Profiles". Forest Green Rovers F.C. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
- ↑ "Forest Green Rovers 4–1 Alfreton Town". Forest Green Rovers F.C. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
- ↑ "Transfer window: Matty Taylor joins Chester from Forest Green". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
- ↑ "Forest Green: Matty Taylor recalled from Chester loan spell". Gloucester Citizen. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
- ↑ "MATT TAYLOR SIGNS FOR BRISTOL ROVERS". Bristol Rovers F.C. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
- ↑ "Bristol Rovers 1–1 Grimbsy". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
- ↑ . "Bristol Rovers 2–0 Carlisle United". BBC Sport. 14 November 2016. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
- ↑ "League Two Top Scorers". BBC Sport. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
- ↑ "Scunthorpe United 3-1 Bristol Rovers". BBC Sport. 6 August 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
- ↑ "Milton Keynes Dons 3-3 Bristol Rovers". BBC Sports. 18 October 2016.
