The new Steve Brown
Matt Taylor this afternoon became Chris Powell’s 10th signing of the summer on the 2nd day of pre-season training. Taylor was out of contract at Exeter and has signed a 2-year deal. This is a player that I did see last year and at 29 Taylor has taken the long road in his career.
As recently as the middle of the last decade Taylor was a goalkeeper and wore the gloves again recently in the sad testimonial for Adam Stansfield. Like Bradley Pritchard, Taylor played for the England Universities team and was then converted to a centre half. Paul Tisdale signed him as a centre-half for Team Bath and then took Taylor with him to Exeter City where he had four very successful years, twice winning the player of the year award, two promotions and captaining the side for the last two seasons including when my son lined up alongside him on the halfway line when he was mascot in February at The Valley.
Taylor, despite being older, can probably be counted as another hungry player coming to the club not just to pick up his wage, but to make his mark and desperate for success.
You can feel the excitement coming out of SE7 and this summer’s activity is very reminiscent of Lennie’s transfer dealings in 1985 when he bought in a host of impressive signings that completely changed the look of the side such as John Pender, John Pearson, John Humphrey, Mark Reid and George Shipley.
I’ve been searching the loft for an old copy of the south east London mercury that carried a picture of Lennie along with those players throwing a ball about along with John Pearson. Things certainly do have the feel of 86! I really hope Sir Chris has the same about him as Lennie this term. I recall a big turning point that time round was a big two nil home win against Sheffield Utd, who back then were a well supported ‘bigger club’ than us. Am looking forward to history repeating itself.
Interesting that you should draw the comparison with the mid-80’s and the arrival of Pearson, Pender, Humphrey, Reid and Shipley because that was precisely what I was thinking yesterday. I am feeling much happier about our prospects next season than I was at the end of the season but I think some people are getting carried away a bit. Assembling a new side during the season for a couple of million pounds (fees and salaries) is one thing but expecting a procession towards the Championship is quite another. Safer to say that we can expect to be playing much better football than that which the old squad managed as we slid from fifth to thirteenth. I’ll settle now for six of the new players establishing themselves and playing better than those they replace, a top ten finish and a promotion push in 2012-13.
Dave, looking at the ages of the players that Powell has brought in and the length of contract, he (and the owners) are attempting to build for the long term. This, although crijkey we can only hope, is not necessarily a ‘one season go for it team’ but one that can get better.
If Matt Taylor even nearly measures up to Steve Brown then our backline this season will be unrecognisable from the leaky mess of the last couple. SB made the absolute maximum of his abilities and gave his all for every minute of every appearance – the once in a blue moon long range goals will live long in my memory. SB would have been a total star amongst the 3rd division dross we’ve witnessed for the last 2 years.
Praise indeed for MT, CA – let’s hope you’re right.
I hope so too, but it’s quite a tag. According to Exeter fans MT is a no-nonsense defender and is a ready made sub goalie so let’s hope he won’t let us down.