Matty Taylor (footballer, born 1990)

Matthew James Taylor (born 30 March 1990) is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for League One club Oxford United.[3]

For the defender, see Matt Taylor (footballer, born 1982). For the Swindon Town player, see Matthew Taylor (footballer).
For other people named Matthew Taylor, see Matthew Taylor (disambiguation).

Matty Taylor
Taylor warming up for Bristol Rovers in 2015
Personal information
Full name Matthew James Taylor[1]
Date of birth (1990-03-30) 30 March 1990[2]
Place of birth Oxford, England
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.76 m)[2]
Position(s) Striker
Club information
Current team
 Oxford United
Number 9
Youth career
Oxford United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2009 Oxford United 7 (0)
2008 → Abingdon United (loan)
2009 Didcot Town
2009–2011 North Leigh
2011–2014 Forest Green Rovers 96 (22)
2014 → Chester (loan) 7 (6)
2014–2017 Bristol Rovers 118 (61)
2017–2020 Bristol City 67 (7)
2019–2020 → Oxford United (loan) 26 (13)
2020– Oxford United 23 (11)
National team
2014 England C 2 (3)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 09:25, 31 January 2021 (UTC)

Career

Early career

Taylor was born in Oxford, Oxfordshire.[2] His football career started at Oxford United where he made seven substitute appearances in two seasons. In 2008, he had a loan spell at Southern League Division One South & West club Abingdon United.[4] In June 2009, he signed for newly promoted Southern League Premier Division club Didcot Town on a free transfer, following his release from Oxford days after helping the team lift the Oxfordshire Senior Cup. In 2009, he moved on to Southern League South & West Division club 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,[5] having rejected a move to Newport County.[6]

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.[7] He went on to score a further seven goals as Forest Green finished 10th in the Conference Premier.

In his second season at the club he scored 11 times in league and cup competitions, earning himself a contract extension to summer 2014.[6] He struggled for form in his third season and was loaned out to fellow Conference Premier club Chester in January 2014 until the end of the season.[8] Having scored six times in seven matches, he was recalled by his parent club,[9] but failed to score again in his remaining 12 appearances.

Bristol Rovers

In June 2014, Taylor signed for recently relegated Conference Premier club Bristol Rovers, reportedly rejecting offers from former club Oxford United and Chester as well as Mansfield Town and Kidderminster Harriers.[10] His Bristol Rovers career got off to a difficult start as he scored just three times in his first 18 matches. He finished the season with 20 goals, including one in each of the play-off semi-final matches 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.[11]

Taylor scored his first Football League goal in a 3–1 win against Barnet. A successful start to his season resulted in Taylor scoring eight goals in all competitions before mid November, including two goals against Carlisle United. Taylor reached 14 goals in all competitions before Christmas, including hat-tricks in a 3–0 victory against Wycombe Wanderers and a 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.[12] Taylor finished the season with 27 goals and five assists, outscoring every player in the Football League.[13]

Taylor proceeded to score on his League One debut against Scunthorpe United in a 3–1 loss.[14]

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.[15]

Bristol City

On 31 January 2017, Taylor left Bristol Rovers to join rivals Bristol City, activating the release clause reported to be £300,000.[16][17] Taylor became the first player to move directly from Bristol Rovers to Bristol City since Trevor Morgan in 1987.[18] In October 2017, as part of an interview for the BBC Points West programme, Bristol City manager Lee Johnson described how he received a death threat during the 2016–17 season after signing Taylor. During this episode Johnson moved house after his family's home address was put online.[19]

On 11 February 2017, Taylor made his first start for Bristol City, in a league match away to Derby County. He scored his first goal for the club in the 14th minute, firing home from close range after teammate Aden Flint saw his header cleared off the line. Taylor would go on to play a key role in City's next two goals, the match eventually ending 3–3.[20]

During the 2017–18 season Bristol City reached the semi finals of the EFL Cup and Taylor scored in the victories against Premier League opponents Stoke City and Crystal Palace,[21][22] as well as setting up the 93rd-minute winner in the quarter-final victory over cup holders Manchester United.[23]

Oxford United (loan)

On 19 August 2019, Taylor joined Oxford United on loan till the end of the season.[24] He made his debut in a 4–2 League One defeat to Burton Albion on 20 August 2019,[25] and scored his first goal in a 6–0 away victory over Lincoln City on 21 September.[26] He finished the COVID-affected 2019–20 season as top scorer for the club, scoring 17 goals (13 in League games).

Oxford United

On 31 July 2020, he signed a three-year permanent deal with Oxford.[3]

Career statistics
As of match played 13 July 2020
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Oxford United 2007–08[27] Conference Premier 3000—1[lower-alpha 1]040
2008–09[28] Conference Premier 4020—1[lower-alpha 1]070
Total 7020—20110
Forest Green Rovers 2011–12[29] Conference Premier 291010—2[lower-alpha 2]03210
2012–13[30] Conference Premier 42931—2[lower-alpha 2]14711
2013–14[30] Conference Premier 25300—2[lower-alpha 2]0273
Total 962241—6110624
Chester (loan) 2013–14[30] Conference Premier 76———76
Bristol Rovers 2014–15[30] Conference Premier 451821—4[lower-alpha 3]25121
2015–16[31] League Two 462710102[lower-alpha 4]15028
2016–17[32] League One 271622202[lower-alpha 5]13319
Total 1186153308413468
Bristol City 2016–17[32] Championship 152———152
2017–18[33] Championship 1811042—233
2018–19[34] Championship 3342010—364
2019–20[26] Championship 100000—10
Total 6773052—759
Oxford United (loan) 2019–20[26] League One 261341324[lower-alpha 6]13717
Career total 321109181114206370124
  1. Appearance in Conference League Cup
  2. Appearances in FA Trophy
  3. One appearance in FA Trophy, three appearances and two goals in Conference Premier play-offs
  4. Appearances in Football League Trophy
  5. Appearances in EFL Trophy
  6. One appearance and one goal in EFL Trophy, three appearances in League One play-offs

Honours

Bristol Rovers

Individual

References
  1. "EFL: Club retained and released lists published". English Football League. 23 June 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  2. "Matty Taylor". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
  3. Pritchard, David (31 July 2020). "Matty Taylor signs three-year deal at Oxford United". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  4. "FOOTBALL; Didcot snap up young United striker". Herald Series. 2 June 2009. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
  5. "Bristol Rovers FC Player Profiles". Bristol Rovers F.C. Archived from the original on 20 January 2015. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  6. "Forest Green Rovers FC Player Profiles". Forest Green Rovers F.C. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  7. "Forest Green Rovers 4–1 Alfreton Town". Forest Green Rovers F.C. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  8. "Transfer window: Matty Taylor joins Chester from Forest Green". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  9. "Forest Green: Matty Taylor recalled from Chester loan spell". Gloucester Citizen. Archived from the original on 14 March 2014. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  10. "MATT TAYLOR SIGNS FOR BRISTOL ROVERS". Bristol Rovers F.C. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  11. Mitchell, Brendon (17 May 2015). "Bristol Rovers 1–1 Grimsby Town". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
  12. "Bristol Rovers 2–0 Carlisle United". BBC Sport. 14 November 2016. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  13. "League Two Top Scorers". BBC Sport. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  14. "Scunthorpe United 3–1 Bristol Rovers". BBC Sport. 6 August 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  15. "Milton Keynes Dons 3–3 Bristol Rovers". BBC Sports. 18 October 2016.
  16. James, Stuart (2 February 2017). "Matty Taylor pays price for passion in Bristol with leap to City from Rovers". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
  17. "Matty Taylor: Bristol City sign striker from local rivals Bristol Rovers". BBC Sport. 31 January 2017. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  18. "Taylor joins Bristol City to become first Rovers turncoat in 30 years". The Times. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  19. "A death threat and having to move house – it was tough". BBC News. 13 October 2017. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  20. "Derby County 3–3 Bristol City". BBC Sport. 11 February 2017. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
  21. "Bristol City 4–1 Crystal Palace". BBC Sport. 24 October 2017.
  22. "Bristol City 2–0 Stoke City". BBC Sport. 19 September 2017.
  23. Baker, Max (20 December 2019). "'Greatest night of my life': Bristol City fans celebrate 'Korey Smith Day' two years on from Manchester United win". Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  24. "Taylor joins Oxford United On Loan". Oxford United F.C. 19 August 2019. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  25. Pritchard, David (20 August 2019). "Oxford United 2 (Brannagan 47, Forde 56), Burton Albion 4 (Buxton 30, Fraser 61, 70 & 84)". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  26. "Games played by Matty Taylor in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  27. Williams, Mike; Williams, Tony, eds. (2008). Non-League Club Directory 2009. Tony Williams Publications. pp. 118–119. ISBN 978-1-869833-59-6.
  28. Williams, Tony; Wright, James, eds. (2009). Non-League Club Directory 2010. Tony Williams Publications. pp. 126–127. ISBN 978-1-869833-66-4.
  29. Williams, Mike; Williams, Tony, eds. (2012). Non-League Club Directory 2013. Tony Williams Publications. pp. 64–65. ISBN 978-1-869833-77-0.
  30. "M. Taylor: Summary". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  31. "Games played by Matty Taylor in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
  32. "Games played by Matty Taylor in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
  33. "Games played by Matty Taylor in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  34. "Games played by Matty Taylor in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  35. Anderson, John, ed. (2016). Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2016–2017. London: Headline Publishing Group. pp. 90–91. ISBN 978-1-4722-3395-0.
  36. "PFA awards: Leicester and Spurs dominate Premier League team". BBC Sport. 21 April 2016. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.