Gareth Taylor

Gareth Keith Taylor (born 25 February 1973) is a Welsh former footballer who is now working as a coach at Premier League club Manchester City. He began his career as a defender at Bristol Rovers, having left the Southampton youth team in 1991. After loan spells with non-league sides Gloucester City and Weymouth, he was converted into a striker. He then spent the 1995–96 season with Crystal Palace (who paid £1.25 million for his services), before a two-year spell with Sheffield United. He transferred to Manchester City in 1998 for a £400,000 fee, and was loaned out to Port Vale, Queens Park Rangers, and Burnley. He moved permanently to Burnley in 2001, and joined Nottingham Forest for a £500,000 fee two years later. In 2006, he was loaned out to Crewe Alexandra, before signing with Tranmere Rovers. In 2008, he switched to Doncaster Rovers, and joined Conference club Wrexham a year later, following a brief spell on loan at Carlisle United. He retired as a player in September 2011, and went on to coach at Manchester City. In addition to an eighteen-year career in the Football League (consisting of 494 league games), he also enjoyed a nine-year international career. He won a total of fifteen Welsh caps, and scored once, in a friendly against Scotland. He was eligible for the national side thanks to his Welsh father.