Former Gillingham boss Peter Taylor has taken on a new management position at the age of 72.
Taylor has been manager of the Gills on three occasions and it’s 25 years since the club’s famous win at Wembley in the Division 2 play-off final.
Taylor has taken over as manager of Isthmian Premier Division side Canvey Island – a club he played for as a junior – and will be facing the likes of Folkestone, Ramsgate, Chatham Town and his former club Dartford when the 2025/26 campaign gets under way.
A brief Canvey statement said: “The board are pleased to announce the appointment of Peter Taylor as first team manager.
“Peter returns to the club where he started his career as a youth team player.
“Peter has always kept in contact with Canvey and is delighted to be returning.”
Prior to his time at the Gills, Taylor was manager at Dartford – where he also once played – and Dover Athletic before managing the England under-21s
His first time managing the Gills was a special season, as the club was promoted to the second tier for the first time in their history. He left for Premier League Leicester City shortly after their Wembley triumph.
He had a one-game spell as caretaker England boss before taking Brighton up as Division 2 champions and he went onto win two promotions at Hull City, taking them into the Championship.
He took charge of Crystal Palace, then Stevenage before another promotion, at Wycombe Wanderers.
Jobs at Bradford City and the Bahrain national side followed as well as a stint as England under-20 manager before a return to Gillingham – with his second spell being less of a success.
He managed in India at the Kerala Blasters and was also assistant boss of the New Zealand team before a third period at Gillingham, firstly as director of football before taking over as an interim manager after the sacking of his former player Ady Pennock.
In the last few years he’s had jobs at Dagenham and Maldon & Tiptree before now taking over a Canvey Island side who finished just above the relegation places in the table.
