Stuart Taylor
Encyclopedia
Stuart James Taylor is an English
footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Manchester City
.
(September 23 – October 23, 1999), Crystal Palace
(August 9 – October 1, 2000), Peterborough United
(February 15 – March 15, 2001) and Leicester City
(November 18, 2004 – January 23, 2005). He played only 30 times in eight years for Arsenal's first team, as he was often the club's second or third-choice keeper. However, this included ten League appearances in Arsenal's 2001–02
Premiership
-winning season, thus qualifying him for a winner's medal, although this was only achieved in the final match,with the title already won. Taylor and Richard Wright
were on 9 appearances so manager Arsène Wenger
picked Wright from the start but substituted him for Taylor on 85 minutes so that both were entitled to a winner's medal.
During his time at Arsenal he was tipped to become David Seaman
's successor. However, although he saw off competition from Alex Manninger
and Richard Wright
, the signings of Jens Lehmann
and Manuel Almunia
in 2003 and 2004 respectively led to his decision to seek opportunities elsewhere. Taylor missed the whole of the 2003–04 season due to a persistent shoulder problem.
. During the 2005–06
season he made just two appearances for the club. He blocked Wayne Rooney
's penalty in a match against Manchester United
on 20 October 2007 during a match in which first-choice goalkeeper Scott Carson
was sent off. Aston Villa signed Brad Friedel
and Brad Guzan
at the start of the 2008–09 season, and Friedel became the first choice goalkeeper. Second choice was Guzan with Taylor slipping down to third. This despite generally putting in good performances, when called upon. Taylor's final game for Villa was the game against Odense BK in the 2008 UEFA Intertoto Cup.
side, entering into talks with League One
side Leeds United
. However, on 13 March 2009, a last minute offer from Cardiff City
prompted Taylor to instead opt for the Championship
side on a one-month loan deal, becoming the third goalkeeper to sign on loan at the club during the season, after Tom Heaton and Dimitrios Konstantopoulos. He made his debut for the side two days later in a 1–1 draw with Bristol City
.
Taylor continued as first choice for Cardiff throughout his first month at the club, despite the return of Tom Heaton from injury, and his loan deal was extended to the end of the season. However, following a 6–0 defeat to Preston North End
, Taylor was dropped from the side for the final three games of the season. At the end of the campaign, he returned to Villa Park.
regarding a free transfer on 23 June 2009, following the expiration of his contract at the end of the 2008–09 season. He officially became a Manchester City player on July 1, 2009. Taylor admitted taking advice from Brad Friedel
, who had previously worked with manager Mark Hughes
and goalkeeping coach Kevin Hitchcock
at Blackburn Rovers
. On 18 July 2009, when Manchester City played the South Africa
n team Orlando Pirates, Taylor conceded his first two goals for Manchester City.
He made his first-team debut in the FA Cup fourth-round tie against Scunthorpe United
on 24 January 2010. On 10 July, he signed a new two year deal with the club, despite being officially released by City nine days earlier. Taylor also played against New York Red Bulls on 25 July 2010 in the second half in Manchester City's US Tour, and conceded one goal in a 2–1 defeat. He was then seen as third choice goalkeeper for Manchester City after he was benched with Costel Pantilimon
starting in front of him at the Carling Cup tie against Arsenal
, which City won 1-0.
team at the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship alongside Ashley Cole
, Peter Crouch
and Andy Johnson. He was capped three times for the England U21
team.
Manchester City
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...
footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for 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...
.
Arsenal
Taylor had been at since joining the club in 1997 as a youth player, though he was loaned out several times – to Bristol RoversBristol Rovers F.C.
Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....
(September 23 – October 23, 1999), Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
(August 9 – October 1, 2000), Peterborough United
Peterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
(February 15 – March 15, 2001) and Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
(November 18, 2004 – January 23, 2005). He played only 30 times in eight years for Arsenal's first team, as he was often the club's second or third-choice keeper. However, this included ten League appearances in Arsenal's 2001–02
2001-02 in English football
The 2001-02 season was the 122nd season of competitive football in England.-Arsenal cruise to title glory:In what had earlier been one of the most closely fought Premiership title races for years, Arsenal won the championship by seven points. Their crown was won in the penultimate game of 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...
-winning season, thus qualifying him for a winner's medal, although this was only achieved in the final match,with the title already won. Taylor and Richard Wright
Richard Wright (footballer)
Richard Ian Wright is an English professional goalkeeper, currently playing for Ipswich Town, now his third spell with the club having played earlier in the season for the reserves...
were on 9 appearances so manager Arsène Wenger
Arsène Wenger
Arsène Wenger, OBE is a French association football manager and former player, who has managed English Premier League side Arsenal since 1996...
picked Wright from the start but substituted him for Taylor on 85 minutes so that both were entitled to a winner's medal.
During his time at Arsenal he was tipped to become David Seaman
David Seaman
David Andrew Seaman MBE is a former English football goalkeeper who played for several clubs, most notably Arsenal. He retired from the game on 13 January 2004, following a recurring shoulder injury...
's successor. However, although he saw off competition from Alex Manninger
Alex Manninger
Alexander "Alex" Manninger is an Austrian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Juventus F.C. in the Italian Serie A. He has played for a variety of high-profile clubs, almost always as a substitute....
and Richard Wright
Richard Wright (footballer)
Richard Ian Wright is an English professional goalkeeper, currently playing for Ipswich Town, now his third spell with the club having played earlier in the season for the reserves...
, the signings of Jens Lehmann
Jens Lehmann
Jens Gerhard Lehmann is a German former football goalkeeper. He was voted UEFA Club Goalkeeper of the Year for the 1996–97 and 2005–06 seasons, and he has been selected for three World Cup squads. He was a member of Arsenal's Invincibles, playing every match of their famous unbeaten title winning...
and Manuel Almunia
Manuel Almunia
Manuel Almunia Rivero is a professional footballer. He plays as a goalkeeper for Arsenal.-Early career:Born in Pamplona, Navarre, Almunia started his senior career with Osasuna's reserve team in 1997, playing two seasons with the team in Segunda División B...
in 2003 and 2004 respectively led to his decision to seek opportunities elsewhere. Taylor missed the whole of the 2003–04 season due to a persistent shoulder problem.
Aston Villa
In June 2005 Taylor moved to Aston Villa, signing on a four-year deal. He became Villa's second-choice goalkeeper, behind Thomas SørensenThomas Sørensen
Thomas Løvendahl Sørensen is a Danish professional football goalkeeper, who plays for Premier League club Stoke City. He has previously represented Premiership teams Sunderland and Aston Villa....
. During the 2005–06
2005-06 in English football
The 2005–06 season was the 126th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*The rebuilt Wembley Stadium was due to open in time for the FA Cup final in May. However, in August 2005, The Football Association reserved the Millennium Stadium as a backup, as there was some doubt whether...
season he made just two appearances for the club. He blocked Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney
Wayne Mark Rooney is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Manchester United and the England national team...
's penalty in a match against Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
on 20 October 2007 during a match in which first-choice goalkeeper Scott Carson
Scott Carson
Scott Paul Carson is an English footballer who plays for Bursaspor as a goalkeeper.He joined the Leeds United football academy in 2002, making his full first team debut for Leeds against Manchester United in February 2004...
was sent off. Aston Villa signed Brad Friedel
Brad Friedel
Bradley Howard Friedel is an American soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League....
and Brad Guzan
Brad Guzan
Bradley Edwin "Brad" Guzan is an American soccer player who plays for Aston Villa of the Premier League.-Early Career:...
at the start of the 2008–09 season, and Friedel became the first choice goalkeeper. Second choice was Guzan with Taylor slipping down to third. This despite generally putting in good performances, when called upon. Taylor's final game for Villa was the game against Odense BK in the 2008 UEFA Intertoto Cup.
Cardiff City (loan)
In a bid to find first team football, Taylor began to search for a short term loan deal at a Football LeagueThe Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
side, entering into talks with League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
side Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
. However, on 13 March 2009, a last minute offer from Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
prompted Taylor to instead opt for the Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
side on a one-month loan deal, becoming the third goalkeeper to sign on loan at the club during the season, after Tom Heaton and Dimitrios Konstantopoulos. He made his debut for the side two days later in a 1–1 draw with Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
.
Taylor continued as first choice for Cardiff throughout his first month at the club, despite the return of Tom Heaton from injury, and his loan deal was extended to the end of the season. However, following a 6–0 defeat to Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
, Taylor was dropped from the side for the final three games of the season. At the end of the campaign, he returned to Villa Park.
Manchester City
Taylor agreed terms with Manchester CityManchester 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...
regarding a free transfer on 23 June 2009, following the expiration of his contract at the end of the 2008–09 season. He officially became a Manchester City player on July 1, 2009. Taylor admitted taking advice from Brad Friedel
Brad Friedel
Bradley Howard Friedel is an American soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League....
, who had previously worked with manager Mark Hughes
Mark Hughes
Leslie Mark Hughes, OBE , is a former Welsh international footballer. As an international footballer, he made 72 appearances and scored 16 goals....
and goalkeeping coach Kevin Hitchcock
Kevin Hitchcock
Kevin Hitchcock is an English former football goalkeeper who made nearly 300 appearances in the Football League and Premier League playing for Mansfield Town, Chelsea and Northampton Town.-Career:...
at Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
. On 18 July 2009, when Manchester City played the South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n team Orlando Pirates, Taylor conceded his first two goals for Manchester City.
He made his first-team debut in the FA Cup fourth-round tie against 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....
on 24 January 2010. On 10 July, he signed a new two year deal with the club, despite being officially released by City nine days earlier. Taylor also played against New York Red Bulls on 25 July 2010 in the second half in Manchester City's US Tour, and conceded one goal in a 2–1 defeat. He was then seen as third choice goalkeeper for Manchester City after he was benched with Costel Pantilimon
Costel Pantilimon
Costel Pantilimon is a Romanian footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for the Premier League club Manchester City, on loan from Politehnica Timişoara.-Early career:...
starting in front of him at the Carling Cup tie against Arsenal
Arsenal
An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, issued to authorized users, or any combination of those...
, which City won 1-0.
International career
Taylor played for the England U20England national under-20 football team
- Round of 16 :-Friendlies:-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup running from 29 July to the 20 August 2011.-Recent call-ups:...
team at the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship alongside Ashley Cole
Ashley Cole
Ashley Cole is an Barbadian-English professional footballer who plays for Chelsea and the England national team. He plays as a left-back and has been named one of the best in the world....
, Peter Crouch
Peter Crouch
Peter James Crouch is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Stoke City and the England national team.Crouch started his career as a trainee with Tottenham Hotspur...
and Andy Johnson. He was capped three times for the England U21
England national under-21 football team
England's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21, is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team....
team.
Honours
ArsenalArsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
- FA Premier League: 2001–02FA Premier League 2001-02The 2001–02 FA Premier League season was the tenth season of the competition. It began with a new sponsor, Barclaycard, and was titled the FA Barclaycard Premiership, replacing the previous sponsor, Carling...
- FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
: 2003 - FA Community ShieldFA Community ShieldThe Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition...
: 19991999 FA Charity ShieldThe 1999 FA Charity Shield was a football match held on 1 August 1999 at Wembley Stadium. The teams involved were Manchester United, who had won the Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League the previous season, and Arsenal, who had finished as runners-up to United in the league. Arsenal won...
, 2002
Manchester City
- FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
: 2010–112010–11 FA CupThe 2010–11 FA Cup was the 130th season of the world's oldest association football knock-out competition; The Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup for short...