Jack Taylor

Sutton academy product Jack Taylor has broken into the first team at a superb rate in recent months, and has nailed down his spot in the heart of the U’s backline, while quickly establishing himself as one of the most promising defenders in all of lower league football.

Jack became an important member of the Academy team during 2022/23, when he also played in the Surrey Senior Cup and scored in the 3-0 win at Merstham, and after continuing in that vein at the start of this season he impressed in loan spells at Isthmian League South East Division Burgess Hill Town, and more recently in the Premier Division at Hornchurch, before earning his first professional contract with Sutton in February 2023.

He then made his senior debut for the club a month later when he came on away at Tranmere Rovers in League Two, and became a testament to the quality of the U’s academy team.

The 2024/25 campaign was where Taylor really began to flourish though, moving on loan to National League South side Hampton & Richmond Borough, having featured frequently under Steve Morison during pre-season.

He went on to enjoy an incredibly fruitful spell in the sixth tier, playing every minute of his 23 appearances at the heart of former U Alan Julian’s defence, as well as earning a place in the division’s Team of the Half-Season. He also scored a crucial equaliser in an eventual 3-1 victory over Eastbourne Borough – his third goal of his professional career so far – and had proven enough to the club to recall him before the end of his loan spell.

Taylor subsequently appeared 16 times for Sutton in all competitions during 2024/25, becoming a regular fixture in the centre of defence and establishing his qualities with a superb string of performances in the fifth tier.