United reject Taylor finally finds his Port of call
LOAN ACE MAKING IMPACT
JAKE TAYLOR was left in tears when released by his boyhood team Manchester United.
But the midfielder is working his way back up after overcoming the initial heartbreak of failing to make the grade five years ago.
None of his peers who also trained with United from nine to 16-years-old remain at Old Trafford either and many have been lost from the professional game.
But midfielder Taylor has persevered after going to Championship Nottingham Forest via trials with Tottenham and Blackburn.
He is now relishing his first taste of senior football on loan at League Two Port Vale, who host Carlisle today.
Taylor has scored four times in all competitions – including his first League goal with a screamer from the edge of the box that would have delighted his United hero Paul Scholes.
Taylor said: “I was at United all my schoolboy years and it was brilliant – the facilities they have and coaches they have. You are living your dream as a schoolboy playing for your boyhood club. But it didn’t turn out the way I wanted it to when it came to the scholarship decision. They have scouts worldwide now, that is how tough it is to get through. But I had a good grounding at United and the aim remains to play at the highest level.
“I remember they had a parents evening and they called my dad in to give the decision. It wasn’t to me personally, but he told me the news in the car after training. I remember breaking down in tears.
“He asked the question,
‘Do you want to carry on’? I was like:
‘Yeah, definitely’ because there is life after United. I thought, ‘I am not giving up on this’.
“I was one of four or five that didn’t get kept on and the rest did the scholarships. But as of this day none of them are still there.” Taylor credits Forest’s youth team chief Gary Brazil with helping him shape up since cannily signing him on a free. Taylor has adjusted well to the pace and physicality of League football since stepping up from Forest’s U23s. This term, Taylor has shone playing on the left in a 4-3-3 formation for John Askey’s Vale, who encourage him to get forward. Taylor is now due to go back to Championship promotion hopefuls Forest in January to reassess his future. He added: “Forest did a lot of work on the other side of my game, the physical side, and it has stood me in good stead. I wasn’t as fit as I am now.
“As a schoolboy at United, we trained Tuesday, Thursday and played on a Saturday and trained Sunday.
“But it was all ball work and, before the age of 16, I had never set foot in a gym, so going to Forest was a wake-up call.
“They installed that work-rate and work ethic. It has helped me get ready for first-team football at Vale, which I am enjoying a lot. “Goal-scoring is important and, as a midfielder, I try to chip in with goals to help the forwards out. “Paul Scholes was probably one of the best there was at it and it was an honour to watch him live while I was at United.”