Shrewsbury Town appoints former Premier League player Matt Taylor as new head coach

Shrewsbury Town has announced the appointment of former Premier League player, Matt Taylor, as its new head coach. 

Taylor, 41, brings a wealth of experience to Shrewsbury, having made over 300 appearances in the Premier League with Portsmouth, Bolton, West Ham, and Burnley.

His career in the English Football League was marked by successful spells at Luton, Northampton, and Swindon.

Taylor’s managerial journey began at Luton's Under-16s, during his tenure as a player at West Ham.

Upon his retirement, he transitioned to a full-time coaching role, spending two years with Tottenham Hotspur before a stint as the head coach at Walsall in 2021.

Taylor expressed his eagerness for the challenge ahead at Shrewsbury Town, stating, "I think when you come to the stadium, when you look at the infrastructure behind the football club – there is nothing (I feel) other than a burning desire and excitement."

The new head coach emphasised the importance of hard work and commitment from his players. He said, "The things that are non-negotiable for me will be that the players have to give everything whenever they put the shirt on. That’s the least the fans deserve."

Director of Football Micky Moore stated that Taylor stood out among the candidates they interviewed. "We interviewed five and then we got down to the last two, and Matt fit the criteria we set out right at the very beginning," said Moore.

"I think from the moment I walked in, from what I've said our head coach will look like, Matty fitted that script and I'm very excited to have him on board."