| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Christopher David Taylor[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1986-12-20)20 December 1986 (age 38) | ||
| Place of birth | Oldham, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[2] | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | FC United of Manchester (Under-18s coach) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1998–2005 | Oldham Athletic | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2005–2012 | Oldham Athletic | 254 | (33) |
| 2012–2013 | Millwall | 22 | (3) |
| 2013–2016 | Blackburn Rovers | 62 | (1) |
| 2016 | →Millwall (loan) | 9 | (3) |
| 2016–2018 | Bolton Wanderers | 16 | (0) |
| 2017 | →Oldham Athletic (loan) | 16 | (0) |
| 2018–2019 | Blackpool | 12 | (1) |
| 2019–2020 | Bradford City | 14 | (0) |
| 2020–2021 | Barrow | 16 | (1) |
| 2021–2022 | Radcliffe | 5 | (1) |
| 2022–2023 | FC United of Manchester | 5 | (0) |
| Total | 431 | (43) | |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Christopher David Taylor (born 20 December 1986) is an English former professionalfootballer who played as amidfielder. He is currently Under 18s coach atFC United of Manchester.
Taylor, who is a lifelong Oldham fan, signed a professional contract with his hometown club, where a scout, Colin Shaw, scouted him and where he had been a trainee, on 1 August 2005.[3] He made his debut for the club in a 3–0 home win overNottingham Forest in the2005–06 season, during which he made a further thirteen league appearances. In the2006–07 season he made 51 appearances.[4]
On 3 March 2007, Taylor scored his first professional goal in a 1–1 draw withCarlisle United.[5] After waiting 51 games for his first goal, Taylor then scored twice in a 4–0 demolition ofDoncaster Rovers in his next game.[6] He then made it four goals from three games with a goal againstLeyton Orient in his next game.[7] In April 2007 he signed a new three-year contract until summer 2010.[4]
On 2 June 2008, theOldham Chronicle reported that Oldham had, the week before, rejected a bid for Taylor by Championship clubBlackpool. Newly promotedDoncaster Rovers were also linked with a possible offer[3] and it was claimed that Oldham had placed a £500,000 price tag on Taylor.[8]
Early in Oldham's2008–09 campaign, Taylor scored a double in a 2–0 victory overLeeds United.[9] Several weeks later on 20 September, he scored another double in a 3–3 draw withHartlepool United.[10] On 18 March 2009, he signed a new contract for Oldham, extending his contract with the club until 2012. After signing the deal Taylor told the club website: "Everyone knows Oldham is where I want to be, I love playing for this club."There has always been speculation but all I want is to play for Oldham."[11] His season was cut short, however, when he picked up an ankle injury during a morning training session on 21 April.[12] On 26 April, Taylor was named to League One's Team of the Year, along with teammateNeal Eardley.[13]
On 8 June 2009, both theOldham Chronicle[14] andYorkshire Evening Post[15] reported thatLeeds United were preparing to make a bid of over £500,000 for Taylor.
On 31 May 2012, Taylor signed a one-year contract for Millwall on a Bosman free transfer from Oldham.[16]
On 16 May 2013, it was revealed that Taylor would be signing forBlackburn Rovers at the end of his contract with Millwall. He signed on 1 July 2013.[17] He made his debut in a 1–1 draw againstDerby County coming as a 63-minute substitute forJoshua King, putting in a superb cross forLeon Best's equaliser.[18] He scored his first goal for the club three days later in theLeague Cup againstCarlisle United.[19] Taylor scored both of Blackburn's goals in the FA Cup third round againstCharlton Athletic, in a game that Blackburn went on to win 2–1.[20] He also scored in the next round as Blackburn knocked outPremier League teamSwansea City.[21] Taylor's first league goal for Blackburn came in a 3–2 defeat toBrentford on 17 March 2015.[22]
On 1 July 2016, upon the expiry of his Blackburn contract, he made the short move to joinBolton Wanderers on a Free Transfer, becomingPhil Parkinson's first signing since taking over as manager of the Wanderers.[23] In January 2017, he rejoinedOldham Athletic on loan for the rest of the season, making 16 appearances before returning to his parent club. On 24 May 2018, Bolton confirmed that Taylor would leave the club on 30 June when his contract came to an end.[24]
On 13 June 2018 Taylor signed a one-year contract withBlackpool.[25]
In July 2019 Taylor went on trial withBradford City.[26] On 14 October he signed a short-term deal with Bradford City which would keep him at the club until the middle of January 2020.[27] Bradford City managerGary Bowyer admitted he was shocked that nobody had signed Taylor in the intervening period.[28]
However on 23 October, the deal fell through due to a registration problem stemming from Taylor playing in a FA Lancashire Cup match as a trialist forBarrow after the closure of the transfer window, which could result in a points deduction should he play for Bradford.[29][30] Bowyer criticised the Football Association and English Football League for the mix-up.[31]
The deal was resurrected and completed on 11 November after Bradford were finally given full assurances that they would not face any sanctions for signing him, with Taylor signing an initial 2-month contract.[32][33] Bowyer praised Taylor's versatility in November 2019.[34] In December 2019 Taylor said he was keen to make up for the lost time.[35]
In January 2020 Taylor signed a contract extension with the club.[36] Taylor left Bradford City on 13 May 2020 after his contract ended.[37]
On 5 October 2020, nearly a year after they almost cost him a contract atBradford City, Taylor signed forBarrow on a short-term contract.[38]
On 29 October 2021, aged 34, he dropped into non-league football for the first time when he signed forNorthern Premier League Premier Division sideRadcliffe.[39]
On 10 February 2022, Taylor signed forNorthern Premier League Premier Division sideFC United of Manchester.[40]
On 24 April 2023, Taylor announced his retirement from football and he will coach the Under 18s atFC United of Manchester.[41]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Oldham Athletic | 2005–06[42] | League One | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 14 | 0 | |
| 2006–07[43] | League One | 44 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3[a] | 0 | 50 | 4 | |
| 2007–08[44] | League One | 42 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | 50 | 5 | |
| 2008–09[45] | League One | 42 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 46 | 11 | ||
| 2009–10[46] | League One | 32 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 34 | 1 | ||
| 2010–11[47] | League One | 42 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 45 | 11 | |
| 2011–12[48] | League One | 38 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4[b] | 0 | 46 | 3 | |
| Total | 254 | 33 | 14 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 285 | 35 | ||
| Millwall | 2012–13[49] | Championship | 22 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 26 | 3 | |
| Blackburn Rovers | 2013–14[49] | Championship | 34 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 37 | 1 | |
| 2014–15[49] | Championship | 16 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | 21 | 4 | ||
| 2015–16[50] | Championship | 12 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | |
| Total | 62 | 1 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | 73 | 5 | |||
| Millwall (loan) | 2015–16[50] | League One | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3[c] | 0 | 13 | 3 |
| Bolton Wanderers | 2016–17[51] | League One | 16 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | 23 | 0 |
| 2017–18 | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 16 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 23 | 0 | ||
| Oldham Athletic (loan) | 2016–17[51] | League One | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| Blackpool | 2018–19[52] | League One | 12 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3[b] | 0 | 18 | 1 |
| Bradford City | 2019–20[53] | League Two | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Barrow | 2020–21[54] | League Two | 31 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | 34 | 1 |
| Radcliffe | 2021–22[55] | Northern Premier League | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 3[d] | 0 | 8 | 1 | |
| FC United of Manchester | 2021–22[56] | Northern Premier League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2022–23[56] | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |||
| Career total | 433 | 43 | 33 | 5 | 12 | 1 | 25 | 0 | 503 | 48 | ||
Individual
