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Matt Taylor is open to a future Pompey homecoming.

But the huge Blues favourite admitted a return to Fratton Park is not something he’s currently considering.

Taylor is weighing up his next move in football, after being dismissed as Walsall's head coach in February following a run of seven consecutive defeats.

His appointment as Saddlers chief represented his first full-time gig after retiring in 2019 and coaching spells at Swindon and then with Spurs under-18s.

The left-sided flying machine was back in the area last Friday for the Lee Rigby Memorial Cup at AFC Portchester.

Taylor spoke of his affinity for Pompey as he weighs up what’s next for him.

However, the 40-year-old refused to put a timeline on the prospect of a return to the club he served with such distinction.

Taylor told The News: ‘Football moves in strange ways. It’s not a job where you can make predictions about anything.

‘Football is a strange game, it’s not a career where you can plan. For me to stand here and say “is it something I’m looking at?”, I would say not at the moment, no.

‘I just don’t know what the next chapter is for me and I don't know where that lies.

‘All I know is that next season, like I’ve done for the past 10 to 12 years, I’ll be looking out for Pompey’s results on a Saturday.’

In his six-and-a-half years at Pompey between 2002 and 2008, Taylor totaled 203 appearances – while producing a number of memorable moments and spectacular strikes.

Following his departure to Bolton, the Blues reached the heights of an FA Cup triumph four-months-later and a subsequent UEFA Cup campaign in 2008-09.

But Pompey, of course, then also endured a fall to League Two by 2013 amid financial turmoil off the field.

Now, with boardroom difficulties in the past, he explained how he’s glad to see the club back on its feet and stable behind the scenes.

And Taylor challenged the current crop of players to give the Fratton faithful success next term.

He added: ‘All I can say is Pompey means a lot to me because of the supporters and how loyal they are to their football club.

‘What I hope next season is that they really have something to shout about and have a good chance of getting out of the league.

‘I hope they can achieve promotion. I like the way the football club is now stable after going through a period after I left where it was extremely difficult.

‘The one thing the club has is a fantastic network of supporters. The stadium is now being developed.

‘Are Pompey a League One club? I would say, due to the fanbase, no. The job for the players next season is they give the fantastic supporters something to shout about.’

What ex-West Ham, Bolton Wanderers, Luton Town and Swindon Town defender Matt Taylor has to say about a potential Portsmouth return