Matt Taylor, a former Pompey favourite, has managed to make a comeback to the game.

The 42-year-old was fired as Shrewsbury’s manager in January, and he was named Wealdstone’s new manager in the National League. He takes over as Stones manager from David Noble, who left the position at the beginning of April after just 73 days on the job.

Wealdstone placed 16th overall and four points clear of the relegation zone at the end of the 2023–24 season. Taylor has managed Swindon, Walsall, and the Shrews three times before taking on this position.

League One Shrewsbury fired the former left-sided wing-back in January following a string of seven losses in eight games that left them in 19th place in the standings, exactly where they ended up under Paul Hurst, his successor.

Taylor, who made 203 appearances for Pompey, confirmed his appointment by saying, “I am excited to join Wealdstone.” Here, we have a wonderful chance to create something unique, and I’m excited for the challenge.

Rory Fitzgerald, chairman of the Stones, stated: “We are ecstatic to have Matt join Wealdstone.” His background as a player and coach at the highest levels of football will be extremely helpful to us as we work to grow our club and realise our long-term goals. We are in need of Matt’s vision for the squad, his unwavering standards for how we should play, and his experience grooming young players.

Taylor’s slide at Shrewsbury started in December with a 3-0 loss to Pompey. Nevertheless, the former Blue was serenaded during the game by the travelling Fratton supporters, who obviously still think highly of the player.

“I wasn’t going to go over and applaud them (at the final whistle), but they started singing for me, so I had no choice,” Taylor later stated to The News. That is something I can’t overlook.

I have a strong bond with the football team and always will because of what it meant to me when I first joined, the success, and being a part of what was perhaps the most prosperous period in recent memory. For me, that was really significant.

They are still, in my opinion, fantastic people and supporters. It’s unfortunate that I haven’t gone home feeling as contented as they did on Saturday!

Taylor assisted Harry Redknapp’s club in winning the previous First Division championship, and he was a member of the Pompey squad that was promoted to the Premier League in 2003. After that, he would play in 113 Premier League games for the Blues before being traded to Bolton in 2008 for an undisclosed sum.

Taylor played for Luton, West Ham, Burnley, Northampton and Swindon in addition to Pompey and the Trotters. In 2019, he declared his retirement from competitive play.

GET MORE NEWS HERE