Despite only just leaving his role at the New York Stadium, Matt Taylor could be the perfect fit for the Gas
It has been nearly three weeks now since Bristol Rovers decided to part company with manager Joey Barton, who spent 32 months in charge at the Memorial Stadium.
The Gas were relegated to League Two in Barton’s first few months as boss, but they won immediate promotion back to League One automatically in 2021-22, before consolidating themselves in the third tier last season.
It was perhaps one outburst too many for the Rovers hierarchy to handle though when he was dismissed in late October, or perhaps results weren’t to the board’s liking after three matches without a win.
Barton’s former assistant Andy Mangan has been in interim chargesince, and in four matches in all competitions he is unbeaten, with two league wins and a draw lifting the club to 10th in the League One standings
Whilst Mangan is doing a good job right now, the chances are strong that there will be an outside hire by Rovers, with the likes of Dean Holden, Callum Davidson, Garry Monk and Ian Holloway all of interest
However, a new potential candidate may have just come on the market in the form of Matt Taylor, who may very well be the ideal man to lead Bristol Rovers‘ new era.
Taylor enjoyed a modest playing career as a centre-back, with his big breakout coming with Exeter in 2007 having moved from Team Bath.
He also went on to play for Charlton Athletic, Bradford City and Cheltenham Town before moving into coaching in 2016 as a player-coach with Bath City, and then he was primed to replace Paul Tisdale as manager of Exeter in 2018.
Taylor spent four years in the dugout at St. James’ Park, missing out on promotion to League One with the Grecians in 2020 after losing in the play-off final to Northampton Town, but that wrong was righted two years later, and there was no need for the play-offs for the Devon outfit as they won promotion automatically.
Rotherham United noticed Taylor’s good work at City, and they headhunted him to replace Paul Warne last year, and they were successful in doing so – Taylor then led the Millers to Championship safety despite a down-turn in results after their former boss left for Derby County.
Results were not so good in the first third of the current campaign though, with just two wins from 16 matches leading to Taylor’s dismissal on Monday morning, with a 5-0 hammering by Watford on Saturday being the final nail in the coffin