Bamber Bridge manager Mick Taylor putting down the right foundations

New boss Mick Taylor aims to use all of his expertise in life to create a successful Bamber Bridge team.
Midweek scorer Chris MarlowMidweek scorer Chris Marlow
Midweek scorer Chris Marlow

The Brig manager is just two weeks into his new role at the Sir Tom Finney Stadium after taking over from previous boss Neil Reynolds.

During the day, Taylor is a builder and he believes creating a good team is a bit like building a new house – make sure the foundations are right and then everything else should fall into place.

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Since Taylor took charge he has tried to make the team a little tighter at the back.

After a baptism of fire in his opening game in the FA Trophy at Hyde United, Brig have gone on to concede just twice in the past three games.

On Tuesday, they kept a clean sheet at Chorley to dump the Magpies out of the Lancashire FA Challenge 
Trophy after Chris Marlow’s second-half winner.

“My style of play or philosophy is much the same as Neil Reynolds,” said Taylor, who was the former manager’s assistant over the past year.

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“Renno was very ambitious and liked free-flowing football. I am much the same, but the foundations have got to be right. I like to use building terminolgy and if you put rubbish concrete down when you’re building a house, it’s going to be a bit rocky.

“So my aim is to make Bamber Bridge solid at the back first and then put the building blocks in place 
slowly.

“There is a saying that if it ain’t broke, then don’t fix it and there was not much wrong when Renno was manager. I am just putting my own little twist on things.”

Although the Magpies fielded a second-string side against Brig, they still had some good players in their team and Taylor believes the win will give the players massive confidence boost.

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“Chorley still had some quality players in their team and then they brought on the big guns,” said Taylor.

“But it was more about us and how we did – about how the players taken on board what we have spoken about.

“I thought we played very well.”

This weekend, Brig travel to face Matlock Town and Taylor admits like most away trips this campaign – after promotion last season – they are heading into a little bit of the unknown.

“We are going to Matlock but we don’t know a lot about them.

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“I think they have had a few injuries, so it could be a completely different team they have out on Saturday.”

Taylor has a couple of injury concerns with midfielder Danny Forbes a major doubt after suffering a severe bruise on the bone. Striker Brad Carsley is rated 50/50 due to Achilles tendonitis.

In the squad are new signings Callum Spooner, signed on loan from Bolton, and Matt Barnes, who scored last week in the 1-1 draw at Hednesford.

Defender Phil Doughty has returned from Longridge.