Andrew Derek Taylor (born 1 August 1986) is an English former professional footballer who last played for Bolton Wanderers. He has previously played for Cardiff City, Middlesbrough, Bradford City, Watford and Wigan Athletic.
Club career
Born in Hartlepool, County Durham, Taylor began his football career at Middlesbrough's youth academy, first joining at age nine. He eventually progressed through the youth ranks as schoolboy, trainee and senior professional before signing his first professional terms upon turning seventeen. Taylor started out as a left midfielder in the successful 2004 FA Youth Cup campaign with the likes of David Wheater and Adam Johnson. On 12 March 2005, he signed his first professional contract with the club.
Middlesbrough Taylor was named as a substitute in several UEFA Cup games during the 2004–05 season but did not leave the bench. However, he was plagued with ankle injury that affected most of the 2004–05 season.
With only Franck Queudrue able to play at left-back, Steve McClaren brought Taylor back from Bradford City the following 2005–06 season, where he had impressed on loan. Taylor made his Middlesbrough debut, starting a match and playing 61 minutes before being substituted, in a 7–0 loss against Arsenal on 14 January 2006. A month later on 23 February 2006. He made his UEFA Cup debut against VfB Stuttgart in the second round of the Round of 32, in a 1–0 loss, but saw the club through to the next round on away goal. Since making his debut for the club, he found himself in and out of the starting line–up for the rest of the 2005–06 season. During the 2005–06 season, Boro reached the FA Cup semi-final and the 2006 UEFA Cup Final. Taylor played in several Premier League matches and the FA Cup semi-final to save Queudrue for the UEFA Cup tie with Sevilla. His impressive form meant he was unlucky to miss out on a starting place against Sevilla. At the end of the 2005–06 season, he made twenty appearances in all competitions.
Ahead of the 2006–07 season, newly appointed Manager Gareth Southgate revealed the club was in talks with Taylor over a new contract. However, the arrival of Julio Arca for the 2006–07 season in replacement of the Fulham-bound Queudrue saw Taylor lose his place. After Arca's injury during the first game of the season against Reading, Taylor made his first appearance of the 2006–07 season, starting the whole game, in a 2–1 win against Chelsea. Taylor started in the next seven matches before being dropped from the squad for the next two matches. However, he returned to the starting line–up against West Ham United on 11 November 2006, helping the side keep a clean sheet, in a 1–0 win. Since returning, Taylor deputised in the left back position and continued to do even Arca returned from injury, which he eventually moved to playing in the central midfielder position and eventually made it his own after impressing Manager Gareth Southgate, as well as, stuck a partnership with fellow Boro academy graduate Stewart Downing on the left wing. His first team run ins earned him praise from Colin Cooper, saying: "He's better than me at the same age." Despite suffering from injuries later the 2006–07 season, Taylor made forty–one appearances in all competitions.
At the start of the 2007–08 season, Taylor continued to establish himself in the starting eleven, playing in the left–back position. He then set up the club's first goal of the game for Wheater, in a 2–0 win against Birmingham City on 1 September 2007. Since the start of the 2007–08 season, Taylor started in every match for the side until he suffered a foot injury during a 0–0 draw against Bolton Wanderers on 11 November 2007 and was sidelined for four months. While on the sidelines, Taylor signed a one-year extension to his contract in January 2008, which would see him remain at the club until June 2011. On 15 March 2008, he made his return from injury against Arsenal, coming on as a 68th-minute substitute, in a 1–1 draw. Taylor then started in a follow–up match, in a 1–0 win against Derby County. At the end of the 2007–08 season, he made twenty–one appearances in all competitions.
Ahead of the 2008–09 season, Taylor switched number shirt from number thirty–three to three. At the start of the 2008–09 season, he appeared in the first six matches, making four starts for the side. During a 2–1 win against Stoke City on 30 August 2008, Taylor suffered an injury in the 19th minute and was substituted as a result. But he made a quick recovery and played in the midfield position after coming on as 70th minute for Didier Digard, in a 2–1 loss against Portsmouth on 13 September 2008. However, Taylor suffered an injury that saw him miss one match. But he made his return to the starting eleven, in a 5–0 loss against Chelsea on 18 October 2008. Since returning from injury, Taylor regained his first team place for the next eight matches. During a 3–1 loss against Bolton Wanderers on 22 November 2008, Taylor found himself in an altercation with a fan and apologised soon after. This lasted until he suffered a knee injury that saw him miss one match. Taylor returned to the first team from injury, coming on as a late substitute, in a 2–0 loss against Fulham on 20 December 2008. Since returning from injury, however, Taylor lost his first team place to Emanuel Pogatetz and spent months on the sidelines, though he appeared in the first team on two occasions. It was not until 4 March 2009, when Taylor returned to the first team, coming on as a second-half substitute, in a 4–0 loss against Tottenham Hotspur. Despite receiving playing time since returning from injury, he ended the season on a low note as Boro were relegated after playing out a draw at home to Aston Villa. The 2008–09 season proved to be a frustrating one for Taylor as he played only 20 league games (28 in all competitions) due to several injuries.
After starting the 2009–10 season on the bench, Taylor reclaimed his spot in the starting eleven for the next four matches. Towards the end of August, he was linked with a move to Blackburn Rovers as a replacement for Stephen Warnock but ended up staying at Middlesbrough. However, on 12 September 2009, Taylor sustained an ankle ligament injury in the 41st minute and was substituted, as home side won 3–1 against Ipswich Town and was out for the rest of the month and October. By early–November, he made his return from injury and started in a number of matches for the reserve side. Taylor made the bench for the 21 November 2009 game against Nottingham Forest but did not leave the bench. He continued to spend the next two months on the substitute bench and the reserve side, as well as, facing his own injury concern. On 26 January 2010, Taylor made his first team appearances in months, coming on as a late substitute, in a 4–1 win against Doncaster Rovers. Despite returning to the first team, he continued to feature in and out of the starting line–up for the rest of the 2009–10 season. At the end of the 2009–10 season, Taylor made thirteen appearances in all competitions.
Despite being included in Middlesbrough's squad in the pre–season ahead of the 2010–11 season, Taylor continued to remain out of the club's starting line–up. By the time he left the club, Taylor made one appearance, coming on a 78th-minute substitute, in a 1–0 win against Sheffield United on 22 August 2010. After returning to Middlesbrough in January, he returned to the starting line–up, in a 4–0 win against Bristol City on 15 January 2011. Under new 'Boro boss, Tony Mowbray, Taylor returned to the first team as a left winger. On 19 March 2011, he scored his first Middlesbrough goal against former side Watford, 'Boro won the game 2–1. Taylor later scored two more goals for Middlesbrough against Ipswich Town and Burnley. Despite missing one match, due to a groin injury, he made twenty appearances and scoring three times in all competitions.
At the end of 2010–11 season, Taylor's contract was due to run out and was linked with a move to Cardiff City, where he could re-join former Watford boss Malky Mackay. Another Championship club, Bristol City were also interested in signing Taylor over the summer.
Loan Spells from Middlesbrough On 6 July 2005, Taylor was sent out on loan to Bradford City, making his full debut at his hometown club Hartlepool United in the opening game of the season. Since making his debut for the club, he quickly established himself in the starting eleven, playing in the left–back position. Despite missing two matches, Taylor made twenty–six appearances in all and returned to his parent club on 4 January 2006.
Taylor joined Watford on loan on 31 August 2010. He made his Watford debut on 10 September 2010 against Doncaster Rovers, starting the whole game, in a 2–2 draw. Since making his Watford debut, Taylor quickly became a first team regular for the side, playing in the left–back position. He scored his first career goal—a stunning left footed volley from outside the penalty area—on 1 January 2011, in a 3–0 win against Portsmouth at Vicarage Road. His loan spell finished on 5 January, and on 17 January, Watford put in a bid for the left back. However, a move failed to materialise. By the time he departed from the club, he made nineteen appearances and scoring once in all competitions.
Cardiff City
On 1 July 2011, Taylor agreed terms with Cardiff City, signing a three-year deal with the Welsh club. Upon joining the club, he said: "Signing for Cardiff City is the right football decision for me. I am from the north east, but, looking in at Cardiff City before I signed, it was clear this is a massive club with a big fan base." Taylor was also given a number three shirt ahead of the 2011–12 season. In doing so, Taylor took a pay cut to join Cardiff City.
Taylor made his debut for Cardiff City, starting the whole game, in 1–0 win over West Ham United on the opening day of the season. He then scored his first goal for Cardiff on 27 August, in a 1–1 draw with Portsmouth at Fratton Park. Since making his debut for Cardiff City, Taylor immediately became the club's first-choice left-back for the next seven matches. However, he suffered a hamstring injury that saw him miss three matches. On 15 October 2011, Taylor returned to the starting line–up against Ipswich Town, in a 2–2 draw. He then set up two goals in the next two matches against Peterborough United and Barnsley. Taylor continued to regain his first team place in the left–back position for the next eight matches before missing one match at the beginning of December. He then made his return to the first team on 10 December 2011, in a 1–1 draw against Millwall. Taylor continued to regain his first team place in the left–back position for the rest of the season. Manager Malky Mackay praised his performance, calling him a "good professional". Taylor played in all eight games in the club's League Cup push, and represented City in the Wembley Final against Liverpool. Cardiff were beaten by the Premier League side after a penalty shootout, the game finishing 2–2 after extra time as Cardiff won many plaudits for their performance against an established Premier League side. However, the club's form in the league dipped following the cup final, and they ultimately finished the season in sixth position. West Ham United, who went on to win promotion, beat City home and away in their Play-off semi-final meetings. At the end of the 2011–12 season, he went on to make fifty–two appearances and scoring once in all competitions.