Robert Taylor (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Robert Anthony Taylor is an English
retired association football player turned manager. He was appointed as manager of Diss Town
of the Eastern Counties Football League
on 25 April 2008.
after being spotted playing for non-league Watton United
but although he was a high-scoring regular for the reserves, he never managed to break into the Canaries' first team. A three-month loan move to Birmingham City
failed to materialise, but he finally made the grade with Leyton Orient
. He had first played at Brisbane Road on loan from Norwich and the London club signed him permanently after he left Birmingham. A successful spell at Orient led to a move to Brentford
.
While at Brentford Taylor formed prolific strike partnerships with Nicky Forster
, Marcus Bent
and Carl Asaba
and became a keenly-sought transfer target. After being linked with a host of clubs he finally signed with Gillingham
in 1998. The Kent club paid a club record fee to secure his services but he initially failed to perform, with the fans complaining that he was overweight, not match fit, and overpriced. When he did hit form, however, he became one of the Gillingham fans' greatest ever heroes, his exploits including scoring five goals in a match away at Burnley
, the first time a player had ever hit five away from home for the Gills and the first time any player had achieved the feat in Division Two
. He also scored a goal in the 1999 play-off final at Wembley Stadium
against Manchester City
. Six months later, after an impressive run of 18 goals in just 19 games, it was City who swooped to sign Taylor for £1.5 million.
After City's promotion to the Premiership
in 2000 Taylor was allowed to move on to Wolverhampton Wanderers
, despite a promising pre-season, due to his family being unable to settle in the area. Again the fee was in excess of £1.5 million. His time at Molineux was blighted by circulatory problems in his calves. Taylor listed his favourite food in a Wolves matchday magazine as Jaffa Cakes. He soon fell out of favour, making his final appearance in Colin Lee's final game in charge of the club, and was loaned out no less than three times, including a surprise return to Gillingham where he appeared to be a shadow of his former self and failed to score a single goal in eleven appearances. Taylor eventually terminated his own contract in 2002 and he had short spells with Grimsby Town
and Scunthorpe United
over the next year trying to get back from his operations on both of his calves which took 6 months to diagnose. He then went to Cheltenham Town
and Chester City
before retiring from the professional game due to injuries in 2003.
to manage the club where he had started his career, Watton United. He led them to the championship of the Anglian Combination
but then moved to become reserve team manager at King's Lynn
, then became caretaker manager in 2004. He left the club as he thought the club wasn't going anywhere and that prove to be the case as the club dispanded, however. After leaving Lynn, he played one game for Gorleston
before being appointed as the new manager of Dereham Town
in December 2004. In 2008 he moved to Diss Town
where he is still First Team Manager.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
retired association football player turned manager. He was appointed as manager of Diss Town
Diss Town F.C.
Diss Town F.C. are an English football club based in Diss, Norfolk. The club are currently members of the Eastern Counties League Premier Division and play at Brewers Green Lane.The club is affiliated to the Norfolk County FA.-History:...
of the Eastern Counties Football League
Eastern Counties Football League
The Eastern Counties Football League is an English football league at levels 9 and 10 of the English football league system. It currently contains clubs from Norfolk, Suffolk, northern Essex and eastern Cambridgeshire, and is a feeder to the regional divisions of the Isthmian League and Southern...
on 25 April 2008.
Playing career
Taylor was signed by his home town club Norwich CityNorwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
after being spotted playing for non-league Watton United
Watton United F.C.
Watton United F.C. is an English football club based in Watton, Norfolk. The club are currently members of the Anglian Combination Division One and play at Watton Sports Centre.-History:...
but although he was a high-scoring regular for the reserves, he never managed to break into the Canaries' first team. A three-month loan move to Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
failed to materialise, but he finally made the grade with Leyton Orient
Leyton Orient F.C.
Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63...
. He had first played at Brisbane Road on loan from Norwich and the London club signed him permanently after he left Birmingham. A successful spell at Orient led to a move to Brentford
Brentford F.C.
Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One....
.
While at Brentford Taylor formed prolific strike partnerships with Nicky Forster
Nicky Forster
Nicholas Michael "Nicky" Forster is a former professional footballer who has also been player-manager at Brentford, and is now manager of Dover Athletic...
, Marcus Bent
Marcus Bent
Marcus Nathan Bent is an English football striker who plays for Indonesian club Mitra Kukar. A former England under-21 international, the journeyman striker has played for fourteen different clubs, playing over 570 games and scoring 110 goals in the process.A England under-21 international, he...
and Carl Asaba
Carl Asaba
Carl Edward Asaba is a former English professional football player who played as a striker.-Career:Asaba first came to prominence at Brentford, debuting in 1994 after joining the club from Dulwich Hamlet. His goalscoring soon attracted attention and Reading signed him for a club record £800,000...
and became a keenly-sought transfer target. After being linked with a host of clubs he finally signed with Gillingham
Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
in 1998. The Kent club paid a club record fee to secure his services but he initially failed to perform, with the fans complaining that he was overweight, not match fit, and overpriced. When he did hit form, however, he became one of the Gillingham fans' greatest ever heroes, his exploits including scoring five goals in a match away at Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
, the first time a player had ever hit five away from home for the Gills and the first time any player had achieved the feat in Division Two
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
. He also scored a goal in the 1999 play-off final at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
against Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
. Six months later, after an impressive run of 18 goals in just 19 games, it was City who swooped to sign Taylor for £1.5 million.
After City's promotion to the Premiership
FA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
in 2000 Taylor was allowed to move on to Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
, despite a promising pre-season, due to his family being unable to settle in the area. Again the fee was in excess of £1.5 million. His time at Molineux was blighted by circulatory problems in his calves. Taylor listed his favourite food in a Wolves matchday magazine as Jaffa Cakes. He soon fell out of favour, making his final appearance in Colin Lee's final game in charge of the club, and was loaned out no less than three times, including a surprise return to Gillingham where he appeared to be a shadow of his former self and failed to score a single goal in eleven appearances. Taylor eventually terminated his own contract in 2002 and he had short spells with Grimsby Town
Grimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
and Scunthorpe United
Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
over the next year trying to get back from his operations on both of his calves which took 6 months to diagnose. He then went to Cheltenham Town
Cheltenham Town F.C.
Cheltenham Town Football Club is an English football club playing in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. Founded in 1887, the team has played at four different grounds, namely Agg-Gardner's Recreation Ground, Carter's Field and now the Abbey Business Stadium, although it is more...
and Chester City
Chester City F.C.
Chester City Football Club was an English football team from Chester. The club was founded as Chester F.C., and joined the Football League in 1931, spending most of their time in the lower divisions. They changed their name to Chester City in 1983. Chester won their first league title in 2004, the...
before retiring from the professional game due to injuries in 2003.
Managerial career
Taylor returned to East AngliaEast Anglia
East Anglia is a traditional name for a region of eastern England, named after an ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdom, the Kingdom of the East Angles. The Angles took their name from their homeland Angeln, in northern Germany. East Anglia initially consisted of Norfolk and Suffolk, but upon the marriage of...
to manage the club where he had started his career, Watton United. He led them to the championship of the Anglian Combination
Anglian Combination
The Anglian Combination Football League is an English football league that operates in the East Anglia area. The league specifically covers Norfolk and northern Suffolk and is also known as the Dolphin Autos Anglian Combination Football League after its principal sponsor...
but then moved to become reserve team manager at King's Lynn
King's Lynn F.C.
King's Lynn F.C. was an English football club based in King's Lynn, Norfolk. Established in 1879, they were wound up at the High Court on 25 November 2009 with debts of £77,000 and went out of business in December after a failed appeal...
, then became caretaker manager in 2004. He left the club as he thought the club wasn't going anywhere and that prove to be the case as the club dispanded, however. After leaving Lynn, he played one game for Gorleston
Gorleston F.C.
Gorleston F.C. is an English football club based in Gorleston, Norfolk. They are currently members of the Eastern Counties League Premier Division and play at Emerald Park.The club is affiliated to the Norfolk County FA.-History:...
before being appointed as the new manager of Dereham Town
Dereham Town F.C.
Dereham Town F.C. is an English football club based in Dereham, Norfolk. The club are currently members of the Eastern Counties League Premier Division and play at Aldiss Park.-History:...
in December 2004. In 2008 he moved to Diss Town
Diss Town F.C.
Diss Town F.C. are an English football club based in Diss, Norfolk. The club are currently members of the Eastern Counties League Premier Division and play at Brewers Green Lane.The club is affiliated to the Norfolk County FA.-History:...
where he is still First Team Manager.