Former Portsmouth, West Ham and Bolton favourite lands new manager's job after recent sacking

Former Pompey favourite Matt Taylor has found a route back into the game.

After being sacked as boss of Shrewsbury in January, the 42-year-old has been appointed the new manager of National League side Wealdstone. He replaces David Noble as Stones boss following his departure at the start of April after just 73 days in the job.

Wealdstone finished the 2023-24 season in 16th place and four points above the relegation zone. The job is Taylor’s fourth in management after previous spells in charge at Swindon, Walsall and the Shrews.

The former left-sided wing-back was dismissed by League One Shrewsbury in January after a run of seven defeats in eight games left them 19th in the table - the same position they finished under his successor, Paul Hurst.

Confirming his appointment, Taylor - who featured 203 times for Pompey - said: ‘I am excited to join Wealdstone. We have a great opportunity to build something special here, and I'm looking forward to the challenge.’

Stones chairman Rory Fitzgerald said: ‘We are thrilled to welcome Matt to Wealdstone. His experience at the top levels of football, both as a player and a coach, will be invaluable as we strive to develop our club to achieve our long-term ambitions. Matt's vision for the team, his clear principles for how he wants us to play and his track record of developing young talent are exactly what we need.’

A 3-0 defeat at the hands of Pompey in December began Taylor’s downfall at Shrewsbury. Yet it was a game that saw the former Blue serenaded by the travelling Fratton faithful, who clearly still hold the player in high regard.

Afterwards, Taylor told The News: ‘I wasn’t going to go over and applaud them (at the final whistle), but they started singing for me, so I had no choice! I cannot ignore that.

‘I’ve a huge connection with the football club, always have done, always will do because of what it meant to me at the age I joined, the success, to be part of arguably the most successful time in recent times. That was massive for me.

‘I still think they are wonderful people, wonderful supporters. It’s just a shame on Saturday they’ve gone home really happy - and I haven’t!

Taylor was part of the Pompey team that secured promotion to the Premier League in 2003, after helping Harry Redknapp’s side secure the old First Division title. He would go on to make 113 top-flight appearances for the Blues before being sold to Bolton for an undisclosed fee in 2008.

As well as Pompey and the Trotters, Taylor also played for Luton, West Ham, Burnley, Northampton and Swindon. He announced his retirement from playing in 2019.