Back-up Southampton goalkeeper was signed by Mark Hughes for Manchester City.
New Southampton manager Mark Hughes will have got a blast from the past when he assesses his new squad.
A familiar face to him will be Southampton’s forgotten man, Stuart Taylor.
Taylor, 37, is famous for being a back-up goalkeeper, and has never played for Southampton in his two years at the club.
Stuck behind Fraser Forster and Alex McCarthy in the pecking order, Taylor frequently does not even make the matchday squad unless one is injured, but his familiarity with Hughes’ methods could be important for the Saints squad.
Hughes signed him in 2009 for Manchester City, as a back-up for Shay Given.
He told The Guardian: “We are delighted to be able to add a goalkeeper of Stuart’s undoubted calibre to the squad. Stuart is still a fairly young goalkeeper at 28 but he provides a wealth of experience and reliability.”
Taylor too made clear that Hughes was a manager he admired, quoted by Wales Online: “This is a fantastic club to be joining, a club that is going places with a great new owner and a manager I have a lot of respect for.”
If there were doubters about Hughes’ managerial record in the Southampton squad, then Taylor could help the Welshman get them onside.
The Saints need fresh impetus after Mauricio Pellegrino’s disastrous spell as manager which finally ended this week.
It is unlikely Taylor will play a part on the pitch for Hughes, but he could play a key role in getting his message across behind the scenes.
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