EXPERIENCED forward Lyle Taylor insists he wants to be Colchester United's main man.
But the U’s new boy will also be striving to help the club’s talented young forwards like Samson Tovide and Bradley Ihionvien, during his time at the club.
Taylor has joined Colchester on a one-year contract, tasked with making an impact both on and off the pitch.
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The 34-year-old says he is relishing the new challenge ahead of him – but insists he has his sights set on making the number nine shirt his own for the U’s.
Taylor said: “My job is to have an impact, whether that’s by scoring goals, setting goals up, helping in the dressing room, bringing young players along, that’s my job.
“That’s what I’ve been tasked to do by the manager and by the assistant manager.
“I have to now do my job and we will come up with a plan to help the young boys develop, because that is such an important part of the game.
(Image: PA WIRE)
“They are the future of the club, the future of the game in this country, at whatever level they can get to.
“Brad and Samson have got a chance of having really good careers, two young boys that are obviously hungry, good athletes, well built – they just have to learn the nuances of being a horrible centre-forward.
“Anything that I’ve picked up along my journey of 16, 17 years in men’s first-team football, I’ll be trying to pass down to them.
“They know that I’m here for their development as well as the team anyway.
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“It’s going to be about helping them in any way I can but at the same time, I want the shirt.
“I want to play, I want to score goals, I want to be the main man because that’s what any nine would want.
“My job is to take the shirt, keep the shirt but help the young lads in any which way I can and that’s what I want to do.”
Taylor signed for Colchester last week, after being released by League One side Cambridge United at the end of last season.
✍️ 𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐋𝐘𝐋𝐄 𝐓𝐀𝐘𝐋𝐎𝐑!
— Colchester United FC (@ColU_Official) July 2, 2024
Lyle is singing a contract until the end of the 2024/25 season.#ColU | #WeAreUnited
The Montserrat international admits he is glad the U’s deal was completed in time for the start of pre-season.
“One of the biggest things I said to my agent at the beginning of June, maybe at the end of May, was to get this done in time for the start of pre-season,” added Taylor, who has made nearly 500 league and cup appearances during his long professional career.
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“I wanted a full pre-season – it makes such a difference, in terms of your capacity throughout the season and as horrible as it is, it’s very important to have a baseline and I wanted that especially at my age.
“You need a baseline of aerobic fitness so I’m really glad to get it over the line, really glad it’s with the people it’s with and in this part of the world as well – it’s almost full circle.”
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