Neil Taylor (footballer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Neil Taylor

Taylor playing for Wales in 2016
Personal information
Full name	Neil John Taylor
Date of birth	(1989-02-07) 7 February 1989 (age 36)
Place of birth	St Asaph, Wales
Height	5 feet 9 inches (1.76 m)
Playing position	Left-back
Youth career
1998–2005	Manchester City
2005–2007	Wrexham
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2007–2010	Wrexham	75	(3)
2010–2017	Swansea City	160	(0)
2017–2021	Aston Villa	89	(0)
2021–2022	Middlesbrough	14	(0)
Total		338	(3)
National team
2005–2006	Wales U17	10	(0)
2006–2007	Wales U19	5	(0)
2007–2010	Wales U21	13	(0)
2009	Wales Semi-Pro	1	(0)
2010–2019	Wales	43	(1)
2012	Great Britain Olympic	5	(0)
Teams managed
2023–2024	Gulf United
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Neil John Taylor (born 7 February 1989) is a Welsh former professional footballer. He played as a left-back. After retiring from playing, he became an assistant manager for the Wales national under-21 football team.

Neil Taylor started his football journey at Manchester City as a young player. He then joined Wrexham in 2007. In 2010, he moved to Swansea City and played 179 games for them. Later, he joined Aston Villa in 2017 and played 103 games. Before ending his playing career, he played for Middlesbrough in 2021.

Taylor also played for his country, Wales. He made his first appearance in 2010 and played 43 games until 2019. He was part of the Welsh team that reached the semi-finals of UEFA Euro 2016. He also played for Great Britain at the 2012 Olympics in London. Neil's mother is from Kolkata, India, making him one of the few British Asian players in professional football.

Club Career Highlights

Starting at Wrexham

Neil Taylor began his football career at Manchester City. He left at age 15 and joined Wrexham when he was 16. He signed his first professional contract in July 2007. His first game as a professional was on 28 August 2007 in the League Cup. He played 27 games in his first season. Wrexham was moved out of The Football League that year.

On 7 October 2008, Neil scored his first goal for Wrexham in a 3–1 win against York City. He was even the team's captain in that game! He scored another goal later that year. His last goal for Wrexham was in his final game on 10 April 2010.

Time at Swansea City

Taylor playing for Swansea City in 2011

After the 2009–10 season, Taylor moved to Football League Championship team Swansea City. He joined them for free, but a fee of £150,000 was later agreed. He played his first game for Swansea on 21 August. He played 15 league games before getting an ankle injury in January 2011.

In May 2011, during a play-off game, Taylor was sent off very early in the match. Despite this, he continued to play well. Newcastle United tried to buy him for £1 million, but he chose to stay with Swansea. He signed a new contract and helped Swansea finish 11th in their first Premier League season.

On 1 September 2012, Neil broke his ankle during a game against Sunderland. This injury kept him out of action for the rest of the season. In December 2012, he signed a new contract with Swansea until 2016. He returned to training in February and played his first game back in April 2013.

After his return, Neil competed for the left-back position. When another player, Ben Davies, moved to a different club, Neil became the main left-back again. In June 2015, he signed another four-year contract with Swansea.

Playing for Aston Villa

On 31 January 2017, Neil Taylor moved to Championship team Aston Villa. This move was part of a player swap with Jordan Ayew. He played his first game for Aston Villa eleven days later, wearing a protective mask because of a cheekbone injury. His manager, Steve Bruce, said he played well despite his injury.

In September 2017, Taylor was sent off in a game against Bolton Wanderers. He was not in the team that lost the 2018 EFL Championship play-off final. However, he played when Aston Villa won the play-off final the next year, helping them get promoted.

Injuries meant Neil played only 14 Premier League games in the 2019–20 season. Aston Villa managed to stay in the league. The next season, he played only one league game. He left the club when his contract ended.

Final Season at Middlesbrough

On 18 November 2021, Taylor joined Middlesbrough on a short contract. He played his first game a month later. His contract was extended for the rest of the season. Neil was released by the club at the end of the season.

On 7 November 2022, Neil Taylor announced that he was retiring from playing football at age 33.

International Career

Representing Wales

Taylor with Wales in 2011

Neil Taylor could also have played for India because of his mother. However, he chose to play for Wales. He played his first game for Wales on 23 May 2010 in a friendly match. In May 2011, he played two games in the Nations Cup.

On 9 September 2014, in a game against Andorra, Neil gave away a penalty early in the match. But Wales still won the game 2–1. At the Euro 2016 tournament in France, he played every minute as Wales reached the semi-finals for the first time. He scored his first goal for Wales in a 3–0 win against Russia. This was his first goal in a senior game since 2010.

On 24 March 2017, Neil was involved in an incident during a game against the Republic of Ireland. An opponent player, Seamus Coleman, was injured and needed surgery. Neil was given a two-match ban by FIFA for the incident. He later withdrew from the Welsh squad in November 2019 for personal reasons.

Playing for Great Britain Olympics Team

Stuart Pearce chose Neil Taylor to be in the 18-player squad for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Neil was one of three Swansea City players in the team. He played his first game for Great Britain in a friendly match on 20 July. He then played in all of the team's group games, helping them move forward in the tournament.

Coaching Career

In March 2023, Neil Taylor was named assistant manager for the Wales under-21 team. He works with manager Matt Jones.

On 1 September 2023, Neil became the First Team Manager of UAE First Division team Gulf United FC. This team had been promoted twice in the previous two seasons. The club confirmed that Neil would also continue his role as assistant coach for the Wales U21 team during international breaks. Neil Taylor left Gulf United after one season on 25 August 2024.

Personal Life

Neil Taylor was born in St Asaph, Wales, and grew up in Ruthin. His mother, Shibani Chakraborty, is from Kolkata, India, and his father, John Taylor, is Welsh. This means Neil has both Welsh and Indian heritage. While playing for Swansea, he lived with his wife Genna and their two children. In 2016, they donated furniture to the British Heart Foundation to help raise money. Neil also travels to India to help promote football there. People are often surprised to learn about his Indian background because of his name. In 2016, Neil became the president of Ruthin Town F.C..

Career Statistics

Club Appearances and Goals

International Appearances and Goals

International Goals Scored

As of match played 20 June 2016. Wales score listed first, score column indicates score after each Taylor goal.

International goals by date, venue, cap, opponent, score, result and competition

No.	Date	Venue	Cap	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	20 June 2016	Stadium Municipal, Toulouse, France	31	Russia	2–0	3–0	UEFA Euro 2016

Managerial Statistics

Honours and Achievements

Aston Villa

• EFL Championship play-offs: 2019
• EFL Cup runner-up: 2019–20

See also

In Spanish: Neil Taylor para niños