Shez appeal

CHRIS TAYLOR

RETURNING star Chris Taylor hopes that demanding manager John Sheridan can get the very best out of the winger a second time around.

The home-grown Springhead star returned to Athletic on loan from Bolton this week with a brief to help get the team's attack firing again.

Leaving the club he grew up at to join Millwall five years ago, the 30-year-old admits that he arrives back a slightly different player to the young tyro whose relentless energy did so much damage to League One defences.

But his desire to pull on the Athletic shirt again, as he did with such distinction in helping the club reach the play-offs a decade ago, remained.

"I don't think you will ever be the same player you were at 22 at the age of 30," said Taylor, a regular watcher of Athletic this season when his Bolton schedule has allowed.

"I have grown up since then and am more mature. I have seen and played in a lot of games.

"I am never going to be as quick as I was in my early days. But I will still be taking on players and hopefully, creating plenty of chances.

"I would have wanted to come back anyway, but John Sheridan being here made it more attractive as an option.

"He got so much more out of me last time around than any other manager ever has.

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"He demands 100-per-cent from you and I can't wait to get started again.

"On coming back, you always like to think that it would happen. From being here from a young lad to the age of 25, you never really think about leaving.

"But looking back, it was the right decision. Now I have got Championship football, an FA Cup semi-final and a play-off final under my belt."

A play-off finalist while on loan at Millwall last term, Taylor helped Blackburn to a draw at Liverpool in the last eight of the FA Cup two seasons ago and was a Championship regular for the Ewood Park club.

This season hasn't gone the way he would have liked, as after making the switch to Bolton under Phil Parkinson he found himself on the fringes.

"I have never really had the chance to get a run going. When you start three games out of 28, it is always going to be difficult to hit top form," Taylor added.

"The gaffer at Bolton has got them going. But I just want to play."

And while holding the belief a side he saw dispatch Scunthorpe earlier this season can get out of trouble, he accepts it won't be easy.

"I am confident we can get out of it, but there is no escaping the fact that there is a lot of work to do," he said.