Gerry Taggart

Gerald Taggart (born 18 October 1970) is a Northern Irish former professional footballer. He played for Barnsley, Bolton Wanderers, Leicester City, Manchester City and Stoke City as well as the Northern Ireland national team.

Gerry Taggart
Personal information
Full name Gerald Taggart
Date of birth (1970-10-18) 18 October 1970
Place of birth Belfast, Northern Ireland
Position(s) Defender
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1989–1990 Manchester City 12 (1)
1990–1995 Barnsley 212 (16)
1995–1998 Bolton Wanderers 69 (4)
1998–2004 Leicester City 117 (9)
2003–2004 → Stoke City (loan) 8 (2)
2004–2006 Stoke City 47 (3)
2007 Tamworth 2 (0)
Total 547 (44)
National team
1990–2002 Northern Ireland 51 (7)
Teams managed
2007 Leicester City (caretaker manager)
2010–2013 Oldham Athletic (assistant manager)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

A former defender, Taggart began his career as a trainee with Manchester City in 1989 but joined Barnsley in 1990 after being unable to break into the first team at Maine Road. He soon became a popular player with the "Tykes" supporters due to his passionate and committed performances. After spending five years with Barnsley making 249 appearances he joined Bolton Wanderers where he helped them to win the Division One title in 1996–97. He signed for Leicester City in 1998 and played in back to back League Cup Finals with Leicester winning the cup in 2000. He remained with Leicester until 2003 when he joined Stoke City. He spent three seasons at the Britannia Stadium and after a short spell with Tamworth he retired from playing.

After his retirement in 2007, he began his coaching/managing career for Leicester. On 10 June 2010, he was announced as the new assistant manager at Oldham Athletic.[1] He was placed on garden leave by the club on 31 December 2012 following a run of poor results.

Club career

Manchester City

Taggart started his career as a trainee with Manchester City in 1989. Taggart spent one season with the club making 13 appearances, and scoring one goal.

Barnsley

Limited chances in the Manchester City team saw Taggart drop down a division to take up the option of joining Barnsley where he spent five seasons, making the Northern Irish national team in the process. Taggart spent most of his time at Barnsley under former Northern Ireland player Danny Wilson, where he made 247 appearances and scored 20 goals for the club.

Bolton Wanderers

He signed for Bolton Wanderers for a club record £1.5 million on 1 August 1995, as they prepared for the Premier League after winning promotion from Division One. However, he was unable to prevent them from being relegated after just one season.[2]

In his second season with the club, Taggart helped Bolton reach the Premier League after they had amassed 98 points and scored 100 goals in that season and gained promotion as Champions of the First Division. The following season Taggart was relegated back to the First Division. In a total of three seasons with the club, Taggart made 81 appearances, scoring five goals for Bolton, with one such goal coming in the last ever game at the clubs old Burnden Park ground against Charlton Athletic in April 1997.

Leicester City

Taggart again played in the Premier League when he signed for Leicester City on 16 June 1998. Taggart was often partnered with Steve Walsh and Matt Elliott in Leicester's defence. In 2000, he won a League Cup winners medal with Leicester.

He scored his last European goal in a 1–1 UEFA Cup draw against Red Star Belgrade on 15 September 2000, at Filbert Street.[3] In the 2001–02 season Leicester were relegated from the Premier League and Taggart opted to remain with the "Foxes" and helped them regain their top-flight status. He was over looked for the first team squad in the Premier League and joined Stoke City on loan then on a permanent basis.

Stoke City

Taggart joined Stoke City on loan on 9 December 2003.[4] He instantly impressed Stoke manager Tony Pulis with his leadership qualities.[5] His loan deal was extended for another month on 6 January 2004.[6] But he was recalled by Leicester.[7]

He joined Stoke on a permanent basis on 26 February 2004 until the end of the 2003–04.[8] He then signed an extension at Stoke turning down an approach from Derby County.[9] He formed a decent defensive partnership with Michael Duberry in the 2004–05 season Pulis was sacked at the end of it though and was replaced by Johan Boskamp. Boskamp used Taggart as a coach during his one season spell and he was not offered a new contract at the end of the season.[10]

Tamworth

Taggart had spent the 2006–07 season back with his former club Leicester City to take his coaching badges. He signed for Conference North division side Tamworth on 16 May 2007.[11] He played twice for the "Lambs" leaving to become assistant manager at Leicester.[12]

International career

Taggart played international football for Northern Ireland, making his debut in 1990 and spending 13 years at the back for Northern Ireland with his final appearance coming in 2003 while at Leicester. Taggart earned 51 caps for Northern Ireland, scoring seven goals. He retired from his Northern Ireland and international football career on 18 August 2003.[13]

Taggart spent 21 months out of the team after he was dropped by Lawrie McMenemy in 1998. He was recalled by incoming manager Sammy McIlroy.[14]

International goals

Scores and results list Northern Ireland's goal tally first.

GoalDateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
15 February 1991Belfast, Northern Ireland Poland1–13–1Friendly match
25 February 1991Belfast, Northern Ireland Poland3–13–1Friendly match
313 November 1991Odense, Denmark Denmark1–21–2UEFA Euro 1992 qualifying
428 April 1992Belfast, Northern Ireland Lithuania2–02–21994 FIFA World Cup qualification
52 June 1993Riga, Latvia Latvia2–02–11994 FIFA World Cup qualification
69 November 1996Nuremberg, Germany Germany1–11–11998 FIFA World Cup qualification
73 June 1998Santander, Spain Spain1–21–4Friendly match

Coaching career

Taggart returned to Leicester on 13 September 2007 as first team coach under Gary Megson.[15] He and Frank Burrows became caretaker managers following Megson's departure to Bolton Wanderers on 25 October 2007.[16]

Taggart left Leicester on 10 June 2010, when it was announced he would become the new assistant manager at Oldham Athletic alongside former Leicester teammate Paul Dickov.[1] He was placed on garden leave by the club on 31 December 2012 following a run of poor results.[17]

After football

In July 2014, Taggart was appointed as a match summariser for Leicester City matches on BBC Radio Leicester during the pre-season, replacing the popular Leicester striker, Alan Young.[18] He also appeared on the station's weekly Leicester City Football Forum talk show. Taggart's media career was brief; less than three weeks later he resigned from the role in order to take up the role as chief scout at Doncaster Rovers, but resigned in October 2015, following the sacking of Paul Dickov.[19]

Career statistics

Club

Source:[20]

Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other[A] Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Manchester City 1988–89 Second Division 111000000111
1989–90 First Division 1000001020
Total 121000010131
Barnsley 1989–90 Second Division 212410000253
1990–91 Second Division 302204020382
1991–92 Second Division 383003010423
1992–93 First Division 444301021505
1993–94 First Division 382412010453
1994–95 First Division 413400410494
Total 212161721416124920
Bolton Wanderers 1995–96 Premier League 111202000151
1996–97 First Division 433205100504
1997–98 Premier League 150001000160
Total 694408100815
Leicester City 1998–99 Premier League 150206100231
1999–2000 Premier League 316508100447
2000–01 Premier League 242200021283
2001–02 Premier League 1000000010
2002–03 First Division 371000000371
2003–04 Premier League 9000000090
Total 1179901422114212
Stoke City 2003–04 First Division 212000000212
2004–05 Championship 312100000322
2005–06 Championship 3100000031
Total 555100000565
Career Total 465353123649254143
A. ^ The "Other" column constitutes appearances and goals in the Anglo-Italian Cup, Full Members Cup, UEFA Cup.

International

Source:[21]

National teamYearAppsGoals
Northern Ireland 199050
199153
199261
199381
199470
199540
199621
199770
199811
200040
200110
200210
Total517

Honours

Club
Manchester City
Bolton Wanderers
Leicester City

Individual

References
  1. "Gerry Taggart joins ex-Leicester City team-mate Paul Dickov at Oldham". Leicester Mercury. Local World. 10 June 2010. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  2. Ridley, Ian (13 August 1995). "Club-by-club guide: The prospects, the players to watch, the arrivals and departures". The Independent on Sunday. ESI Media. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  3. "Leicester held at home". BBC Sport. 15 September 2000. Retrieved 23 February 2009.
  4. "Taggart joins Stoke City". BBC News. 26 February 2004.
  5. "Pulis praise for Taggart". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
  6. "Stoke extend Taggart loan". BBC Sport. 6 January 2004. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
  7. "Taggart eyes Stoke return". BBC Sport. 5 February 2004. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
  8. "Taggart joins Stoke". BBC Sport. 9 December 2003.
  9. "Taggart signs new deal". BBC Sport. 4 August 2004. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
  10. "Experienced duo released by Stoke". BBC Sport. 8 June 2006. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
  11. "Tamworth sign up veteran Taggart". BBC Sport. 16 May 2007. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  12. "Gerry's not surprised to see the Lambs flying". This is Tamworth. Trinity Mirror Midlands. Archived from the original on 21 April 2013. Retrieved 31 December 2012.
  13. "Taggart quits big stage". BBC Sport. 18 August 2003.
  14. "Taggart's exile is over". BBC Sport. 17 March 2000. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  15. "Megson excited by Leicester job". BBC Sport. 27 October 2013. Retrieved 13 September 2007.
  16. "Megson appointed Bolton manager". BBC Sport. 27 October 2013. Retrieved 26 October 2007.
  17. "Oldham Athletic coaching trio placed on gardening leave". BBC Sport. 31 December 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2012.
  18. "Gerry Taggart to replace Alan Young as match day commentator for BBC Radio Leicester". Leicester Mercury. Local World. 21 July 2014. Archived from the original on 29 July 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  19. "Leicester City Football Forum". BBC Radio Leicester. 11 August 2014.
  20. Gerry Taggart at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  21. Gerry Taggart at National-Football-Teams.com
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