Paul Taylor (footballer, born 1987)

Paul Taylor
Personal information
Full namePaul Thomas Taylor[1]
Date of birth4 October 1987[2]
Place of birthLiverpool, England
Height1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Playing positionStriker
Club information
Current team
Blackburn Rovers
(on loan from Ipswich Town)
Number21
Youth career
2005–2006Manchester City
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2007–2008Vauxhall Motors32(17)
2008→ Chester City (loan)9(0)
2009Montegnée18(13)
2010–2011Anderlecht0(0)
2010→ Charleroi (loan)10(0)
2011–2012Peterborough United48(12)
2012–Ipswich Town16(1)
2013→ Peterborough United (loan)6(0)
2014→ Rotherham United (loan)17(0)
2015-→ Blackburn Rovers (loan)5(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19:53, 28 April 2015 (UTC).
† Appearances (Goals).

Paul Thomas Taylor (born 4 October 1987) is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Blackburn Rovers having had his contract with Ipswich Town terminated by mutual consent. He has previously played for Vauxhall Motors, Chester City, Montegnée, Anderlecht and Peterborough United.

Career

Apprenticeship and Vauxhall Motors

Born in Liverpool,[3] Taylor is a former youth player of both Liverpool & Everton who then moved onto Manchester City from 2005 to 2006.[4][5] Taylor joined non–league side Vauxhall Motors in 2007 and scored 17 goals in the Conference North in 2007–08.[4]

During the season, Chester City had a bid for the player rejected and Taylor spent time on trial with Nottingham Forest.[4] After several weeks of talks in the summer of 2008, Taylor joined Chester on 1 July on a six-month loan deal with a view to a permanent signing.[4] On 27 October 2008, he was released from his loan contract with Chester City, he moved back to Vauxhall Motors.[6]

Chester City and controversy

Taylor made his Chester debut as a substitute in a 6–0 defeat at Dagenham & Redbridge on 9 August 2008, which was also his first Football League appearance. He went on to play nine league games (seven as substitute) and one cup match before the club announced his loan was being terminated on 24 October 2008.[7] This followed a "third breach of club discipline". Due to chester city not paying Paul Taylor full wages he was unable to travel to 3 away matches.[7] Despite Chester not wanting his services, Vauxhall Motors insisted City were legally bound to pay for his transfer in January 2009.[8]

On 31 October 2008, it was reported that Taylor had tested positive in a random drugs test when at Chester, after traces of cocaine were found in his sample.[9] As a result, he faced a six-month playing ban,[9] before joining Belgian fifth division Montegnée.

Belgium

After becoming the lead scorer in the first half of the 2008–09 season and clearly standing out from the rest of the players, he was soon noticed by the bigger clubs in Belgium. In December 2009, Belgian media reported that both Standard Liège and Anderlecht from the first division had tested him and that Anderlecht was about to sign the player.[10] On 16 December 2009, he signed for Anderlecht,[11] but on 26 January 2010 was loaned to Charleroi.[12]

Peterborough United

Taylor signed for Peterborough United on an 18-month deal on 28 February 2011. He scored his first goal in the 2–2 draw at Millwall on 17 August 2011. He went on to make his first start on 20 August against Ipswich Town and scored two goals in a 7–1 victory. On 26 November, he scored a volley in the 1–1 draw against Middlesbrough. On 17 December 2011, Peterborough faced Coventry City at home, and with 20 minutes remaining Taylor picked up the ball and played it into the path of Emile Sinclair who finished off the move nicely, the game finished 1–0 to the Posh. He then continued his fine form in 2012, helping Peterborough avoid relegation to secure another year in the Championship. In April 2012, Taylor rejected a four-year deal at London Road Stadium, a chance to become the highest paid player at the club, as a result he was put on the Summer transfer list as part of the club's new policy.[13]

On 28 August 2012, Taylor, along with team-mate George Boyd, were the subject of an undisclosed bid from fellow Championship side, Ipswich Town, which was accepted by the club. The following day, both players travelled to discuss personal terms and both also passed medicals. However, later that night the deals fell through as neither player could agree personal terms.

Ipswich Town

On 30 August 2012, Ipswich returned with a second undisclosed bid of an initial £1.5 million, this time for Taylor only, which was also accepted by Peterborough. Taylor agreed personal terms the same day. On 14 June 2013, Taylor pleaded guilty to a charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.[14] In April 2014, Ipswich manager Mick McCarthy confirmed that Taylor had been placed on the transfer list along with out of favour Goalkeeper Scott Loach.

Loan to Peterborough

On 26 September 2013, Taylor rejoined former club Peterborough United on a short-term loan deal running until 2 November 2013, as a replacement for the injured Lee Tomlin and to help gain first team football after a season long injury in his debut season at Ipswich Town.[15]

Loan to Rotherham United

In August 2014, it was announced Taylor had joined Rotherham United on loan until January 2015.[16]

References

  1. ↑ "List of Players under Written Contract Registered Between 01/03/2011 and 31/03/2011" (PDF). The Football Association. Retrieved 22 October 2011.
  2. ↑ Chester City v. Leeds United matchday programme, 12/8/08, p.41
  3. ↑ "Rookie Paul Taylor tipped to star". Chester Chronicle. 7 July 2008. Retrieved 14 August 2008.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "Taylor made for Chester as Paul signs". Chester Evening Leader. 1 July 2008. Retrieved 14 August 2008.
  5. ↑ "Career History". UpThePosh!. Retrieved 17 February 2012.
  6. ↑ Blues cancel Taylor deal
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Problems force Chester to cancel Taylor's loan deal". Liverpool Daily Post. 25 October 2008. Retrieved 25 October 2008.
  8. ↑ "Taylor made problem for Chester as Motors stand firm on transfer deal". Ellesmere Port Pioneer. 29 October 2008. Retrieved 30 October 2008.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Motormen forward fails drugs test". BBC Sport. 31 October 2008. Retrieved 31 October 2008.
  10. ↑ "Player from first provincial division to Anderlecht?". Sporza.be. 8 December 2009. Retrieved 9 December 2009.
  11. ↑ Taylor: "Heel speciale dag voor mij"
  12. ↑ Taylor, d'Anderlecht à Charleroi
  13. ↑ "Peterborough United resigned to Paul Taylor departure". BBC Sport. 2 April 2012. Retrieved 2 April 2012.
  14. ↑ http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/ipswich_footballer_paul_taylor_admits_assaulting_doorman_1_2236568
  15. ↑ "Ipswich striker Paul Taylor rejoins Peterborough on loan". BBC Sport. 26 September 2013. Retrieved 17 August 2014.
  16. ↑ "Rotherham United sign Ipswich Town forward Paul Taylor". BBC Sport. 14 August 2014. Retrieved 17 August 2014.

External links