Football / Bristol Rovers
Rovers star striker moves to City
Matty Taylor has become the first player in 30 years to swap the blue and white half of Bristol for the red after being signed by Bristol City from Bristol Rovers for a transfer fee believed to be £300,000.
The two-and-a-half year deal was conformed on Tuesday afternoon after several days of speculation.
“It will hurt more than any other transfer you witness on deadline day” wrote The Independent, while the Bristol Post called the move “one of the most sensational transfer deadline day moves in the history of Bristol football”.
IMAGE: #TaylorSigns #MakingBristolProud #WelcomeToBristol pic.twitter.com/0EcCtRBJNX
— Bristol City FC (@bcfctweets) January 31, 2017
Should that read, ‘welcome to the other side of Bristol’?
Even First joined in the banter on Twitter:
Spotted Matty Taylor buying a single on the 71 from Filton Ave towards Ashton Gate today to complete his transfer to #BCFC! #DeadlineDay
— First WestofEngland (@FirstBSA) January 31, 2017
“I think we’ve got ourselves a natural goalscorer,” Bristol City manager Lee Johnson told the club’s official website.
“It’s been interesting to watch his progress. He’s scored goals at every level he’s played at and his next challenge is to do that in the Championship.
“Having seen other goalscorers make that step up, Sam Winnall as an example, if you can put the ball in the right areas then they’ll inevitably stick it in the net.
“It’ll be a big step up in standard for him, but he’s been able to deal with every challenge that’s been thrown at him so far in his career.”
The striker scored 68 times in 132 appearances for Rovers, and is this season’s fourth most prolific scorer in League One with 19 goals.
Taylor is the first player to swap Rovers for City since striker Trevor Morgan in 1987.
The last player to swap sides in a permanent deal was former Scotland international David Clarkson, who joined Rovers from City in 2012.
Twenty-six-year-old Taylor, who started his career at Oxford United, may be leaping from League One to the Championship, but with Rovers fighting for a play-off position and City fighting to ensure their Championship survival, Bristol’s two clubs could well be playing in the same league next season.
Main photo courtesy of Bristol City FC
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