TOWN’S NEW goalkeeping coach Ben Taylor has come indirectly from the handling code of amateur rugby league after a hand injury curtailed that sporting career.

It was while playing on the wing and then later at hooker for Drighlington ARLFC that he took up studying for his goalkeeping coaching grades having also had a keen interest in football.

The 29-year-old now has his own business (Taylor Made Goalkeeping LTD) and he is also the head goalkeeper coach at Leeds Beckett University where he has spent the last two years. He also spent two seasons with Huddersfield Town Ladies on a semi-professional level.

Taylor is also an ambassador for a goalkeeper glove company by the trade name of Keepz GK.

Very much a bachelor right now, he is dedicating his time to work and football with ambitions to be in the professional game in one form or another down the line.

He will be working with Town’s new experienced keep Brett Souter and any cover manager Vill Powell brings in before the season kicks off on Saturday, August 14 with a home game against Gateshead club Dunston.

His contract also sees him coaching the goalkeepers with the youth and junior sides at the Yorkshire Payments Stadium.

Dave Parker

A SECOND senior player has departed ranks at Brighouse Town AFC and joined the former Orange Army boss Paul Quinn at Tadcaster Albion.

Wide player Eddie Church has opted to leave the Yorkshire Payments Stadium to join teammate Joe Wilkinson who signed for Taddy two weeks ago.

While supporters query the lack of names to replace these players, manager Vill Powell says he has quality and quantity waiting in the wings and all will be revealed over the next couple of weeks. He is a renowned manager for keeping names close to his chest and not revealing until all, as he adds, is across the important line and the forms have been received at the League HQ.

“They have made their choice and we move on,” countered Powell.

Saturday’s home pre-season game with Matlock Town is off, to save wear and tear on the pitch, and was going to be switched to the County FA HQ at Fleet Lane but the Derbyshire side do not want to play on a 3G pitch so Town will train there instead. Next Tuesday’s game with Eccleshill United (7.30) is also being moved to Fleet Lane but Friday, July 30’s game at home to Bradford Park Avenue will be at the Yorkshire Payments Stadium.

Town’s chairman James Howard has in the meantime struck a two-year deal with Halifax-based Heffernan Utilities Ltd. The company’s MD, Luke Heffernan’s father James was a prominent player at Brighouse Town until his premature death in his fifties. The club’s clubhouse bar is named after Luke’s father, and the company employs 50 and works right across the country.

The club’s physio for the past three seasons Sinead Bowers has left the club to take up a post at Chapel Allerton Hospital, Leeds, which she described as too good to turn down. Her replacement is Emily Harnden, who Powell says is very experienced and will do a good job.

Town have lost a Saturday home game with Stocksbridge Park Steels before a ball is kicked with having to go to Widnes on September 25 for the first round of the FA Trophy.