Despite relegation, there’s no regrets about move for Taylor

07 August 2009 10:54
RYAN TAYLOR performed a double-take when he checked this seasons Premier League fixtures. Newcastle supporters know how he feels.[LNB] Burnleys ascension to the top flight resulted in a club with a 22,000 ground capacity replacing one with the fourth biggest stadium in the country.[LNB] var so = new SWFObject('/resources/flash/flashplayer_sm.swf/','pic','313','268','9'); so.useExpressInstall('/resources/flash/expressInstall.swf/'); so.addParam('allowscriptaccess','always'); so.addParam('allowfullscreen','true'); so.addVariable('width','313'); so.addVariable('height','268'); so.addVariable('image','/resources/images/1001742/'); so.addVariable('file','/resources/flashplaylist/88355/'); so.addVariable('javascriptid','pic'); so.addVariable('enablejs','true'); so.addVariable('shuffle','false'); so.write('flashPlayer2082766535'); Press conference with Newcastle United interim manager Chris Hughton[LNB] But their size and reputation will just make Newcastle a bigger target in the Championship which has emerged as arguably the most competitive league in the world. Every team in the second tier starts the season fancying their chances of securing at least a play-off spot.[LNB] Taylor spent some of his summer break in Las Vegas as he reflected on a season when he gambled on a move from Wigan to Tyneside that he still feels will come up trumps.[LNB] Im playing in the Championship but I dont regret making the move and Im looking forward to the next four years here. I needed a fresh start, he confirmed.[LNB] His three seasons with Tranmere means he is one of the few Newcastle players with significant Football League experience and he warned his team-mates they must adapt quickly to life outside the Premier League or suffer a prolonged hangover from Mays relegation.[LNB] When you see the sides that are in the Premier this season you think hold on a minute, wheres Newcastle It is weird when you look at the talent here to think were no longer in the Premier League. But it doesnt work like that and it will be tough this season because everyones going to want to beat us, noted the right back who swapped the DW Stadium for St James Park when Joe Kinnear came calling last January.[LNB] But Kinnears withdrawal from duties and subsequent heart surgery prevented Taylor from playing under the manager whod convinced him to relaunch his career.[LNB] He believes that his failure to secure a settled role under either Chris Hughton or Alan Shearer was the reason why Newcastle fans saw little evidence of a player once tipped for England honours by his former Wigan boss Steve Bruce.[LNB] This season he intends to ignore rumours that hell be sent on loan as he aims to become first choice right back.[LNB] Im nearly 25 years old and I want to settle down in one position. Ive played in numerous roles in the past left midfield, right midfield.[LNB] Ill do it, but I want one position only, and that is right back, and Ill do everything I can to force my way into the team.[LNB] Newcastles desire and grittiness will be tested this month when they face many of the sides tipped to be their main rivals for promotion.[LNB] Their tempestuous preseason campaign offered a taste of the roughhouse treatment they can expect from teams wholl be inspired rather than awed by the Magpies reputation and history.[LNB] Taylor cites last months brutal encounter with Huddersfield as being a potential watershed moment when the Newcastle players closed ranks and fought for one another.[LNB] He believes they will need to invoke that spirit throughout the season to prevent Plymouth, Scunthorpe and Blackpool from taking the most prized scalp in the division.[LNB] The game at Huddersfield turned a bit ugly and maybe that is a sign of how things could be in the Championship week in week out, he said.[LNB] But we showed were up for the fight. With Newcastle old boys Lee Clark and Terry Mac being there they wanted to get wired into the lads even though it was a friendly.[LNB] If theyd have beaten us it would have been a big scalp but we did our job in the correct way.[LNB] Going to places like Huddersfield in pre-season is all about getting back to reality and see the type of teams were going to be up against and the kind of grounds were going to be playing in over the next ten months.[LNB] He believes that a winning start will galvanise the supporters and prove his claim that the players cant wait prove themselves.[LNB] He added: You can see with Derby last season how damaging a bad start can be so its vital we hit the ground running. We need to do the opposite, get a flying start.[LNB] There was hurt in the dressing room after what happened last year because it was very disappointing but the lads have recovered. The fans cant see it but standards in training show how much everyone is up for this season.[LNB] We hope everything gets sorted with the (sale of the) club and Im sure we can help that by getting results on the pitch.[LNB] I cant wait to see the reaction of the fans once we start winning games. The fans are like no other and things can really take off if we start winning games.[LNB] Theyll follow the team through thick and thin, getting 3,000 away fans preseason just tells you what theyre like. They were hurt last season but I know everyone will be there for us again this year.[LNB] INS AND OUTS[LNB] IN: None OUT: Michael Owen (Manchester United, out of contract), Mark Viduka (out of contract), David Edgar (Burnley, free), Claudio Cacapa (released), Peter Lovenkrands (released), Obafemi Martins (Wolfsburg £9m)[LNB]

Source: Northern_Echo