'World-class' - Former England international pinpoints major quality of ex-Portsmouth star

Former Pompey star Matt Taylor has been the recipient of exceptional praise from his former England U21 teammate for a particular on-pitch talent.

Taylor, 42, spent six years at Fratton Park from 2002-2008 and made nearly 180 league appearances for the club, scoring 23 goals in the process. During his first season with the club, he featured heavily as left wing-back and his speedy breaks down the left-hand side to help his attackers were a heavy feature of Pompey’s tactics as they went on to win the First Division title in May 2003.

After seeing his spot in the squad being replaced by Niko Kranjcar, Taylor headed to Bolton in the January 2008 transfer window. He has also played for West Ham, Burnley, Northampton Town and Swindon Town before moving into management.

The ex-England youth star was appointed first team manager of National League club Wealdstone in May 2024, but his former Three Lions teammate Bent has remembered Taylor for the quality of his left foot.

Speaking on TalkSport’s podcast The Shortlist with ex-Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy, the former Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur star Bent named Taylor in his top three players with the best ‘left foot wand’ in Premier League history.

“Anywhere in the opposition half, he’s dangerous”, Bent praised. “And that sounds ridiculous. (He could) hit free-kicks, hit volleys, he hit one at Portsmouth from the half-way line - the defender clears it and he just comes in and (hits a) volley.”

Taylor’s 40-yard ‘screamer’ took place in October 2005 with Alain Perrin’s men beating Sunderland 4-1 at the Stadium of Light.

“Someone that could hit the ball that accurately and from that distance (has to be in the Shortlist). And not only that, but I’ve seen him do the slide ones where he goes through the goalkeeper and slides it in; I’ve seen him hit it from 25-yards; I’ve seen him hit them from free-kicks; I’ve seen him score from a corner.

“He’s one of those players where, not necessarily as a player he’s top-drawer because he’s not, but in terms of his left-foot, as an attribute, that left foot for me is world class. His left-foot, to be able to do what he does with that accuracy, (world class)”