Looking to the future
By Chris Thompson
October 12 2005
The future's bright, the future's Taylor - Chester have moved to appoint former Tranmere Rovers and Preston North End Youth Development Officer Ronnie Taylor as head of their junior scouting system.
'The future's bright' - it most certainly is! Stephen Vaughan will have been so happy to have announced that Ronnie Taylor will be joining the club on Wednesday 12th.
"I spoke to Stephen Vaughan (Chester City chairman) and the plans he has for the club and the youth development are extremely exciting. It is an opportunity that I couldn't refuse.
Taylor has unearthed a mass of talent; as many as 30 have successfully taken their talent into the Football League or the Premiership.
"My job entails finding youngsters from the ages of seven up to 19 and I can't wait to get started and find the next (Jason) Koumas [Cardiff City - on loan from West Bromich], (Steve) Simonsen [Stoke], Ian Hume [Leicester], Alan Mahon [Wigan] or Gregg Blundell [Chester!], who I also brought to Prenton Park in my time there."
Taylor has already looked to introduce a couple of scouts across the country. If he can find anything of the talent of Jason Koumas, who brought about a gigantic cash windfall to Tranmere - £2.25 million in 2002 - then his contributions will be much appreciated!
"I intend to put a scouting system into place at the Deva (Saunders Honda!) Stadium, as well as utilising our contacts in the Irish football scene.