Phoenix’s new signing

The Wellington Phoenix have signed a former Premier League defender who played against the club on a pre-season tour four years ago. Steven Taylor, who made 215 appearances for Newcastle United between 2003 and 2016, most of them in the Premier League, is on a one-year contract as the first signing of new coach Mark Rudan’s tenure. The 32-year-old centre-back arrives in New Zealand after making 51 appearances for League One club Peterborough. Prior to that he played for Portland Timbers in Major League Soccer and Ipswich Town in the Championship.