LYLE Taylor admits AFC Wimbledon will always have a special place in his heart.

However, the Colchester United striker insists winning will be his sole focus when he returns to Plough Lane on Saturday.

Taylor spent three years with the Dons, making 150 league and cup appearances for them and scoring 55 times during a successful spell, between 2015 and 2018.

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The 34-year-old played a big part in Wimbledon’s promotion to League One and is the club’s highest scorer during their Football League era but ahead of his likely U’s debut this weekend, the experienced striker has set his sights on winning.

Taylor said: “Wimbledon will always hold a special place in my heart.

“It’ll be the first time I’ve played at Plough Lane and I was part of the journey back to Plough Lane, so that’s going to be interesting, with the emotions that will throw up.

“Ultimately, it’s three points on the table, so we’ll focus on that.”

(Image: PA WIRE)

Taylor is preparing to make his Colchester debut tomorrow, having joined them on a one-year deal from Cambridge United earlier this summer.

The former Premier League striker has been encouraged by what he has seen so far, at his new club.

“It feels like things are being put in place to try and move the club forward,” said the former Nottingham Forest and AFC Bournemouth striker.

“Obviously I haven’t been part of the last four years and I’m not well versed on what’s happened in the last four years, if I’m being completely honest – I’d be lying if I said I was.

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“But what I’m seeing is a willingness from a group of players and staff to push the club forward and to put it in a better place and why wouldn’t I want to be a part of that?

“I want to be a part of this club’s future success.

“We’ve got to be ready to try and take the manager’s ideas forward and this club forward, so that we can have a proud set of fans and an owner who is proud calling this his football club and obviously a proud group of players in that dressing room who want success for themselves and for each other.

“I had a meeting with the manager and Simon Bassey, in London.

“They showed me the training facilities on a slide show.

(Image: CLINT HUGHES/PA WIRE)

“At this level, to have this facility is uncommon.

“It’s another thing where we have to say we’re trying to move forward and we already have something that’s as good as this, how can we make this better to drive the players.

“It’s another reason to drive and want more because imagine we could have this even better, at the level above and imagine how much better it can get, if you have the success on the pitch.

“That’s where we have to take it, as a group of players.

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“This club has a path for growth and that’s important, because it’s not just a dead-end club looking to try and survive in League Two.

“The manager’s not here for that, I’ve not come here for that and none of the players in the dressing room are here for that.

“We want success, whatever success looks like and we will be pushing as hard as we can on the pitch and I’m sure the fans will be pushing as hard as they can off the pitch, to bring us success.”