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. On 29 October 2005, he scored from 40 yards at Sunderland's Stadium of Light, winning the BBC Goal of the Month. New manager Alain Perrin utilised Taylor as a left midfielder during the 2005–06 season. The summer signing of David Unsworth from Everton meant Taylor only became a regular in the side in the second half of the season. Taylor's first Premiership goal came against Middlesbrough on 1 February 2005. 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 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.
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. As well as being a regular in the team during the season, he also scored seven goals in the League.Īn 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. 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. 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". 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.
The 2001–02 season saw Luton win promotion as Third Division runners-up, with Taylor scoring 11 league goals and being named in the PFA Third Division Team of the Year. However, despite having an excellent season, he couldn't prevent Luton being relegated to the Third Division. He soon made the left wing-back slot his own and won the Luton Young Player of the Season award in his first ever season as a professional, before he won the Player of the Season award in 2000–01. He began his career at Second Division Luton Town, making his debut as a 17-year-old at the beginning of the 1999–2000 season.
He landed his first Football League management job in May 2021, taking over as head coach of Walsall. Taylor began his coaching career while still a player at Swindon Town and, upon retiring from playing in 2019, he moved to Tottenham Hotspur to coach their U18s. He scored 84 goals in 658 league games in a 20-year career in English football.
Matthew Simon Taylor (born 27 November 1981) is an English professional football coach, manager and former player who is currently head coach of League Two club Walsall.Īs a player, Taylor was a full-back, wing-back and midfielder in the Premier League for Portsmouth, Bolton Wanderers, West Ham United and Burnley and in the Football League for Luton Town, Northampton Town and Swindon Town.
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only