Matty Taylor

Forest Green Rovers In September 2011, Taylor had a trial with Cheltenham Town but went on to sign for Forest Green Rovers. Taylor was scouted by the club's academy boss Scott Bartlett, and manager Dave Hockaday said he could become a "big asset" for the club. He signed a new contract in March 2012. He went on to score ten goals from 32 games as Forest Green finished tenth in the Conference Premier at the end of the 2011–12 season. He continued to train with Rovers in the week as Chester were a part-time club, returning to the Deva Stadium for Chester's weekly training session and for matches. Having scored six times in seven matches for Steve Burr's side, he was recalled by Adrian Pennock at his parent club. He failed to add to his goal tally from another 14 games for Forest Green as the club finished tenth for a third consecutive season.

Bristol Rovers On 16 June 2014, Taylor signed a pre-contract agreement with recently relegated Conference Premier club Bristol Rovers, reportedly rejecting offers from former clubs Oxford United and Chester, as well as Mansfield Town and Kidderminster Harriers. He finished the 2014–15 season with 21 goals in 51 games, including one in each of the play-off semi-final matches against former club Forest Green Rovers. He played the full 120 minutes of the play-off final and scored Rovers' second penalty of the shoot-out victory as they secured an immediate return to the Football League.

Taylor scored his first Football League goal in a 3–1 win over Barnet at the Memorial Stadium on 22 August 2015. He was nominated for the League Two Player of the Month award for October after scoring four goals. On 1 December, he scored a 12-minute second-half hat-trick in a 3–0 win over Wycombe Wanderers. He earned another Player of the Month nomination after scoring four goals and providing two assists in December. He scored another hat-trick on 1 March, in a 4–1 win over Hartlepool United. He finally won the Player of the Month award for March after scoring eight goals in seven games. Taylor finished the season with 28 goals and nine assists in 50 appearances. He proceeded to score on his League One debut in a 3–1 defeat at Scunthorpe United on 6 August. On 18 October, he scored a second-half hat-trick to earn a point for Rovers in a 3–3 draw with Milton Keynes Dons. He made 33 appearances in the 2016–17 campaign, scoring 19 goals, before his departure in January. Taylor became the first player to move directly from Bristol Rovers to Bristol City since Trevor Morgan in 1987. In October 2017, as part of an interview for the BBC Points West programme, Bristol City manager Lee Johnson described how he received a death threat during the 2016–17 season after signing Taylor. During this episode, Johnson moved house after his family's home address was put online. On 11 February 2017, Taylor made his first start for Bristol City, in a league match away to Derby County. He scored his first goal for the club in the 14th minute, firing home from close range after teammate Aden Flint saw his header cleared off the line. Taylor would go on to play a key role in City's next two goals, the match eventually ending 3–3. On-loan youngster Tammy Abraham was the club's main striker, whilst Lee Tomlin and Aaron Wilbraham provided strong competition up front, which limited Taylor to nine starts and six substitute appearances as the 2016–17 campaign drew to a close; he nevertheless scored two goals and provided five assists.

During the 2017–18 season, Bristol City reached the semi-finals of the EFL Cup and Taylor scored in the victories against Premier League opponents Stoke City and Crystal Palace, as well as setting up the 93rd-minute winner in the quarter-final victory over cup holders Manchester United. However, he was limited to just four starts in the Championship as Johnson preferred to use Famara Diédhiou and Bobby Decordova-Reid.

Oxford United On 19 August 2019, Taylor joined Oxford United – by now in League One – on loan until the end of the 2019–20 season. He made his debut the following day in a 4–2 defeat to Burton Albion, and scored his first goal in a 6–0 win at Lincoln City on 21 September. Oxford were eliminated at the quarter-finals by eventual winners Manchester City, with Taylor scoring Oxford's goal in a 3–1 home defeat. He was named as the EFL League One Player of the Month for February, having scored seven goals in as many games, helping Oxford to make a late push for the play-offs. He finished the COVID-affected 2019–20 season as top scorer for the club, scoring 17 goals in 37 games.

On 31 July 2020, he signed a three-year permanent deal with Oxford. He was again the club's top scorer in the 2020–21 season with a total of 19 goals in 52 appearances, including a strike against Blackpool in the play-off semi-final, which ended in a 6–3 aggregate defeat. He scored 22 goals in 46 games in the 2021–22 campaign, though this time Oxford missed out on the play-offs after an eighth-place finish.

He was deemed surplus to requirements by head coach Karl Robinson after Ateef Konaté and Tyler Smith were signed in the January 2023 transfer window to compete with Gatlin O'Donkor, Kyle Joseph, Billy Bodin, Sam Baldock and Marcus Browne for a starting place. On 31 January, Taylor joined League One rivals Port Vale on loan until the end of the 2022–23 season. He had scored six goals in 29 games during the first half of the campaign, including a brace in a 4–0 win over the Vale. The move reunited him with Darrell Clarke, his former manager at Bristol Rovers, who needed reinforcements up front following injury concerns to James Wilson, Ellis Harrison and Jamie Proctor; as well as previously under Clarke, Taylor had been good friends with Harrison for many years and was pleased to finally become a teammate. He made his debut at Vale Park two weeks later as a substitute, after having recovered from an impact injury picked up at Rovers. It took him six games to score his first goal at Port Vale, though he was praised for his "clear know-how and understanding of the level". Taylor's contract with Oxford was not renewed at the end of the 2022–23 season; head coach Liam Manning stated that "Matty Taylor is a club legend and has been here in two spells since he was just a kid, so I am sure the fans will join us in thanking him for everything he has done for the club".

Return to Forest Green Rovers On 17 July 2023, Taylor rejoined Forest Green Rovers, now in League Two. He scored two goals in 18 games in his second spell for the club.

Cheltenham Town On 1 February 2024, Taylor returned to League One on a two-and-a-half-year contract with Cheltenham Town in a move that again reunited him with manager Darrell Clarke, who had reportedly made him his number one priority for the transfer window. He scored on his debut at Whaddon Road, a 3–1 defeat to Wycombe Wanderers, and also scored in the following game to secure a 1–0 victory at Cambridge United. He scored four goals in eight games before being sidelined with a hamstring injury. He recovered to finish the campaign with seven goals, though this was not enough to prevent the club from being relegated into League Two. On 15 February 2025, he came off the bench to score a brace at Whaddon Road, securing a 3–2 home win over Barrow. He ended the 2024–25 campaign with seven goals in 45 appearances. He left the club by mutual consent in February 2026 after four goal contributions in 20 appearances, shortly afterwards taking up a coaching role at Oxford United and joining the playing staff of Oxford City. He scored five goals in 12 games for City during the 2025–26 campaign. He scored in a 4–2 defeat to Hungary U19 seven days later.

Coaching career After leaving Salisbury in February 2026, Taylor returned to Oxford United to take up a role as an academy coach.

Career statistics + Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals

2007–08 Conference Premier

2008–09 Conference Premier

2011–12 Conference Premier

2012–13 Conference Premier

2015–16 League Two

2016–17 Championship

2017–18 Championship

2018–19 Championship

2019–20 Championship

Oxford United (loan) 2019–20 League One

2021–22 League One

2022–23 League One

Port Vale (loan) 2022–23 League Two

2023–24 League Two

Salisbury 2025–26 National League South

Oxford City 2025–26 Conference Premier play-offs: 2015 Bristol Rovers Player of the Year: 2015–16 PFA Team of the Year: 2015–16 League Two EFL League One Player of the Month: February 2020