Why Taylor snubbed the Cats to join the Addicks

Charlton Athletic’s Lyle Taylor has revealed why he snubbed a summer switch to Sunderland as the pair prepare to do battle in the League One playoff final.

The Black Cats were in the market for a new striker following their relegation to the third tier, with manager Jack Ross having highlighted Taylor as a key target after an impressive season at AFC Wimbledon.

But the free agent ultimately decided to make the move to the Addicks - with whom he has enjoyed a stellar campaign having netted 25 times en route to the playoff final.

And t h e 29-year-old has now revealed the key rea- sons behind his decision to snub a move to Wearside, with Charlton boss Lee Bowyer a key contributing factor.

The impact of the former Newcastle United man, coupled with location and his desire to achieve promotion, saw Taylor decide that Sunderland weren’t the correct fit.

“With what I did at Wimbledon, I didn’t think – and I still don’t think – people sat up and took enough notice of what I’d done,” he said.

“It’s because of the stage you do it on – it’s not deemed to be big enough. So I was in a place where I was frustrated that people didn’t seem to rate the things I had done there.

“I thought for me to get to the Championship that I could go up to Sunderland, who are expected to win the league because of the size of their budget, or I could try and do something under somebody [Lee Bowyer] who I knew would back me to the hilt.

“And I knew any word he would have to say about me, as long as I did my job, would change peoples’ perception about me.

“So I knew playing under Bow was the right thing to do. It was simply about him meeting me and whether he liked me – because of what he’d heard.

“Ultimately I’m not the person a lot of people think I am and say I am. So I decided the best thing for me to do was come here. I’m already here (London). I’m already settled. This is home for me, added to the fact it was Lee Bowyer as the manager. So it was kind of a concoction of things.”