Daryl Taylor

This article is about the English footballer. For the Australian wheelchair basketballer, see Daryl Taylor (basketball).

Daryl Taylor

Taylor at Vale Park in May 2022
Personal information
Full name	Daryl Shea Taylor [1]
Date of birth	(1984-11-14) 14 November 1984 (age 40) [1]
Place of birth	Birmingham, England [1]
Height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) [2]
Position(s)	Winger
Youth career
1999–2004	Aston Villa
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2004–2006	Walsall	30	(3)
2005	→ Hereford United (loan)	5	(0)
2006	→ Hereford United (loan)	10	(0)
2006	AFC Bournemouth	0	(0)
2006	→ Bury (loan)	4	(0)
2006–2007	Tamworth	23	(4)
2007–2008	Halifax Town	21	(1)
2008	Kettering Town	2	(0)
2008	Halesowen Town
2008–2009	Hinckley United
2009–2010	Halesowen Town	10	(1)
2010	Chippenham Town
201?–2015	Sutton Coldfield Town
Total		108	(9)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Daryl Shea Taylor (born 14 November 1984) is an English former professional footballer who played as a winger who is now a fitness coach at EFL League One club Shrewsbury Town.

A former Aston Villa trainee, he made his senior debut with Walsall in August 2004. He scored in each of his first three appearances. However, he suffered a serious knee ligament injury on loan at Hereford United towards the end of the 2004–05 season. He spent seven months in recovery and rejoined Hereford United on loan in January 2006 but was released by Walsall following the club's relegation from League One at the end of the 2005–06 season. He signed with AFC Bournemouth and was loaned out to Bury, before dropping out of the English Football League. He spent the 2006–07 season with Tamworth in the Conference and was then with Halifax Town for the following campaign. He spent the remainder of his career with Kettering Town, Halesowen Town, Hinckley United, Chippenham Town and Sutton Coldfield Town. He later became a fitness coach with Mansfield Town, Port Vale and Shrewsbury Town.

Playing career

Walsall

Taylor made his first-team debut for Walsall on 7 August 2004, scoring a goal in a 3–2 win over Port Vale at the Bescot Stadium. ^[3] He started the next game three days later and scored the opening goal as the "Saddlers" recorded a 2–2 draw at AFC Bournemouth. He also scored in his third appearance, a 5–3 defeat at Oldham Athletic. Despite this start, he never scored again in the English Football League. Manager Paul Merson gave him a one-year contract extension in September 2004. ^{[4] [5]} Taylor joined Conference National club Hereford United on a one-month loan on 24 March 2005, which was later extended into a three-month loan. ^[6] However, his loan spell at Edgar Street was curtailed due to a knee ligament injury. ^[7] The knee injury required two operations and left him sidelined for seven months. ^[8]

He rejoined Hereford United on loan on 12 January 2006. ^[9] He featured 11 times for Graham Turner's "Bulls", before returning to end the season with Walsall. He played 13 games for Walsall in the 2005–06 season, who were relegated out of League One. He was released by manager Richard Money in May 2006. ^[10]

Later career

Taylor joined Bournemouth on a month-to-month deal on 6 June 2006. ^[11] Assistant manager Richard O'Kelly had previously tried to sign Taylor whilst he was coaching at West Bromwich Albion. This time he succeeded in bringing in Taylor, who turned down an opportunity in New Zealand and offers from Conference and League Two clubs. ^[12] He was loaned out to Bury and had a goal ruled out for offside on his debut in a 1–0 defeat to Torquay United at Gigg Lane on 9 September 2006. ^[13] He started two games and made three substitute appearances for the "Shakers", but manager Chris Casper decided not to extend his loan deal. ^[14]

Taylor signed with Conference side Tamworth after an unsuccessful trial with Burton Albion in October 2006. ^[15] He scored four goals in 23 league games for Tamworth in the 2006–07 season. ^[16] On 7 June 2007, it was reported that Taylor had moved on from the "Lambs" and joined Halifax Town, with manager Chris Wilder looking to add pace to his team. ^[17] However, Tamworth confirmed that Taylor had in fact not signed for Halifax Town, who had been misinformed by an agent. ^[18] However, the transfer would eventually go through and Taylor spent the 2007–08 season at The Shay, scoring one goal in 23 games for the "Shaymen". ^[19]

He played nine games for Southern League Premier Division club Halesowen Town, but also received "seven-day approaches" from Hinckley United manager Dean Thomas and Hednesford Town in September 2008. ^{[20] [21]} Two months later he tore his hamstring playing in the Conference North for Hinckley United and was ruled out of action for three months. ^[22] He returned to Halesowen Town in March 2009, with manager Morell Maison stating that "Daryl has fallen out of the pro game and that left him disillusioned but he is still only 23". ^[23] He scored one goal in ten games for the "Yeltz" during the 2010–11 season. ^[24] He made his debut for Chippenham Town in the FA Trophy on 16 October 2010. ^[25]

Style of play

Taylor was a pacey right-sided winger who struggled to fully recover from a knee injury sustained early in his career. ^[26]

Coaching career

Taylor was promoted to assistant manager at Sutton Coldfield Town by manager Neil Tooth following Ross Thorpe's departure in September 2013. ^[27] He joined Mansfield Town as the club's new strength and conditioning coach in 2015, where he remained until a backroom reshuffle in September 2019. ^[28] He joined Port Vale as a sports science and fitness coach in March 2021. ^[29] He left the club following a backroom restructure under new manager Darren Moore in May 2024. ^[30] In July 2024, he was appointed as the fitness coach at Shrewsbury Town. ^[31]

Personal life

His younger brother, Corey Blackett-Taylor, turned professional at Aston Villa in 2016. ^[32]

Career statistics

Club	Season	League			FA Cup		EFL Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Walsall	2004–05 [33]	League One	19	3	1	0	0	0	2 [a]	0	22	3
	2005–06 [34]	League One	11	0	1	0	0	0	1 [a]	0	13	0
	Total		30	3	2	0	0	0	3	0	35	3
Hereford United (loan)	2004–05 [33]	Conference National	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	0
	2005–06 [34]	Conference National	10	0	0	0	0	0	1 [b]	0	11	0
	Total		15	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	16	0
AFC Bournemouth	2006–07 [16]	League One	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Bury (loan)	2006–07 [16]	League Two	4	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	5	0
Tamworth	2006–07 [16]	Conference National	23	4	3	0	0	0	0	0	26	4
Halifax Town	2007–08 [19]	Conference Premier	21	1	1	0	0	0	1 [c]	0	23	1
Kettering Town	2008–09 [35]	Conference Premier	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
Halesowen Town	2010–11 [24]	Southern League Premier Division	10	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	10	1
Career total			105	9	6	0	1	0	5	0	117	9

1. Appearance/s in the Football League Trophy.
2. Appearance/s in the FA Trophy.
3. Appearance/s in the Conference League Cup.

References

1. "Aston Villa Player Database". www.astonvillaplayerdatabase.com. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
2. Daryl Taylor at Soccerbase
3. "Walsall 3-2 Port Vale". BBC Sport. 7 August 2004. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
4. "Walsallfans.co.uk - Daryl Taylor Signs Up". thefootballnetwork.net. 2 September 2004. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
5. Fudge, Simon. "Saddlers pair pen deals". Sky Sports. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
6. "Bulls extend Taylor's loan spell". BBC Sport. 8 March 2006. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
7. "Cherries sign Daryl Taylor". Vital Bournemouth. 6 June 2006. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
8. Halford, Brian (9 December 2005). "Taylor aiming to be a Saddlers success". BirminghamLive. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
9. "Taylor back as Brady moves on". Hereford Times. 12 January 2006. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
10. "Daryl Taylor to depart". Vital Walsall. 12 May 2006. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
11. "Bournemouth pick up winger Taylor". BBC Sport. 6 June 2006. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
12. Perrett, Neil (8 July 2006). "Football - Taylor's Top Test". Bournemouth Echo. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
13. "Wrong calls prove costly". Manchester Evening News. 14 September 2006. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
14. "Shakers release Taylor". Manchester Evening News. 15 February 2007. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
15. "Lambs' double deal in bid to hit jackpot". Business Live. 27 October 2006. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
16. "Games played by Daryl Taylor in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
17. "Halifax boss Wilder signs winger". BBC Sport. 7 June 2007. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
18. "Misleading reports". Tamworth Football Club. 11 June 2007. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
19. "Games played by Daryl Taylor in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
20. Live, Birmingham (5 March 2009). "Daryl Taylor boosts Halesowen Town's promotion chase". BirminghamLive. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
21. Shelton, Greg (25 September 2008). "Plenty to gain from tough cup tie". Halesowen News. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
22. "Knitters striker Daryl Taylor facing 12 weeks out". Hinckley Times. 20 November 2008. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
23. "Halesowen Town hope to put spark back into Taylor". BirminghamLive. 7 March 2009. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
24. "Daryl Taylor Profile | Aylesbury United FC". www.aylesburyunitedfc.co.uk. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
25. "Trophy replay for Rebels and Bluebirds". Slough Town FC. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
26. "Daryl Taylor Profile". Vital Bournemouth. 12 July 2006. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
27. Watters, David (18 September 2013). "Tooth turns to Taylor - The Pitching In Northern Premier League". www.thenpl.co.uk. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
28. "Three backroom staff depart". www.mansfieldtown.net. 19 September 2019. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
29. Baggaley, Michael (12 March 2021). "Ten major questions and answers in full from Port Vale fans' forum". StokeonTrentLive. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
30. Baggaley, Mike (13 May 2024). "Trying to keep season-ticket holders in a huge summer". Valiant's Substack. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
31. "Shrewsbury Town appoint fitness coach for new season". Shropshire Star. 24 July 2024. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
32. "Former Saddlers Brother Joins Walsall On Loan From Aston Villa". Vital Walsall. 31 January 2019. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
33. "Games played by Daryl Taylor in 2004/2005". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
34. "Games played by Daryl Taylor in 2005/2006". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
35. "Games played by Daryl Taylor in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 July 2019.