For exclusive stories and all the detailed Non-League news you need, subscribe to The Non-League Paper website, digital edition, or newspaper from as little as 14p a day.
There was once a well-worn phrase in North East football that suggested clubs would ‘whistle down the mine’ to find a new striker.
Of course, the mining industry that the region was built upon is long gone after being decimated during the 80s and 90s – but the move that sparked Glen Taylor’s history-making service at Spennymoor Town has conjured up memories of the good old days.
After impressing for Northern League club Ashington, a Northumberland town well known for its coal mining past, the Moors ‘whistled down the mine’ as Taylor joined the club for a second time during the summer of 2015 and embarked on goal-laden path to becoming a true Brewery Field legend.
Unprecedented Run
Since marking the first game of his second spell with Spenny by scoring against another of his old clubs West Allotment Celtic, Taylor has enjoyed an almost unprecedented run that has taken him from promising Northern League striker to a non-league great.
Just as the Moors have progressed from step five to step two over the last decade and enjoyed remarkable FA Cup and FA Trophy runs, so too has Taylor has he has plundered his way to a double century of goals.
Records have been broken with regularity as the powerful frontman became the Moors all-time record goalscorer by racking up his 140th goal for the club in a 2-1 win against Kettering Town in March 2022, taking him beyond the tally racked up by former team-mate Gavin Cogdon.
A double century was reached last month with a stunning effort in a 2-0 win at Hereford last month and Taylor will now set his sights a first FA Trophy Final appearance at Wembley in May as the Moors prepare for next weekend’s semi-final clash at Rochdale.
Complete Striker
Taylor is, in many ways, the complete striker.
Power, pace, strong in the air, impressive movement and anticipation, an ability to hold the ball up under serious pressure and the capability to lead the line in a way that must make him a manager’s dream.
So the question remains – just how have the Moors retained the services of the most prolific frontman in their history?
After plundering his way to a lethal hat-trick in their midweek win against a Radcliffe side managed by former Spenny bosses Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley, Taylor admitted he had been accused of lacking ambition after interest from clubs higher up the football food-chain was snubbed.
As a part-time player, many would expect a move into the full-time, professional game to be a dream – and in some ways, they are correct.
Anyone involved in the game would want to be a professional, but what if that move and the risks that come with it are not beneficial?
This is perhaps the most misunderstood aspect of the Non-League game. Yes, every player would dream of becoming a full-time pro and living out that career they envisaged in the EFL and beyond.
Full-Time Work
But many players also have a secure, full-time job.
Taylor, for example, is a teacher, a career that will provide solid foundations and financial security for the rest of his working life.
Add in the weekly wage he receives from the Moors, whatever that may be, and it seems highly unlikely any EFL club would surpass his combined income to secure a deal for one of Non-League football’s greatest strikers, no matter how talented he may be.
On Taylor’s side, there is a likelihood he would be offered an initial one or two-year deal at a professional club – and that hardly provides the long-term security anyone would require before making such a leap.
Instead of criticising any perceived ‘lack of ambition’, perhaps we should marvel at the achievements of one of the very best strikers North East Non-League football has witnessed and appreciate his development from a promising Northern League frontman to a true all-time great.
The folks at Brewery Field certainly appreciate Taylor’s staggering contribution over a truly remarkable – and perhaps his greatest achievement still lies in wait as Wembley creeps on to the horizon.
There will be a full FA Trophy semi-final preview with Glen Taylor in this weekend’s NLP.
