Taylor rues injury after first fall from top flight

Midfielder Matt Taylor confessed that his first ever relegation from the Premier League hurt ‘immensely’.
Matt TaylorMatt Taylor
Matt Taylor

However the 33-year-old admitted that the debilitating Achilles injury, which severely hindered his campaign, proved even more painful and frustrating.

In his 10 previous seasons as a professional in the top flight, where he made 341 appearances during spells with Portsmouth, Bolton and West Ham, scoring a total of 40 goals, Taylor had never culminated a term in the bottom three.

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After trading the Boleyn Ground with Turf Moor in the summer, the former Hammer went on to make 10 appearances with the Clarets having been sidelined for seven-and-a-half months following the 0-0 draw with Manchester United.

“It does hurt, it’s been tough,” he said. “But I think more so than the relegation, for me personally, what’s been the most disappointing factor this season has been my injury and not being available for selection. That’s been the big disappointment.

“Obviously being relegated hurts immensely, but I just wish that I had been available more times this season to be able to try to help the team out.”

Taylor insists that he’s looking ahead now and, with another year remaining on his contract at the club, is fully focussed on making an impact in the Championship.

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“I’m just happy to be fit to be brutally honest with you. My body is in good shape at the moment. I’m obviously very much looking forward to next season.

“Next season is another fantastic challenge for everyone that’s here.

“The club is extremely stable and we’ve probably won a lot of fans over outside of Burnley this season for the way we play and the way we approach games.

“The fixtures will be announced and we’ve got an opportunity to play well next season.”