Luton manager Rob Edwards believes striker Joe Taylor, who won two EFL awards in March, is a key player for next season.
The 21-year-old started the season on loan at League Two Colchester United, where he scored 12 goals in 27 games, a total that still leads the U’s scoring records three months later, though former Hatter Cameron McGeehan is chasing it down. He was subsequently recalled by Town in January and transferred to the Imps to try himself at a higher level, quickly adjusting to third-tier English football.
Taylor took five games to get going, but he scored two in his first nine before a spectacular March in which he scored six goals in five games, including a hat-trick against Bristol Rovers and two in a 6-0 thumping of Cambridge United. The forward was named not only the Sky Bet League One Player of the Month, but also the finest Young Player in the EFL for the month, bringing his total to nine in 17 games for his new side.
His eye for goal is evident in his total stats, as he has 21 goals in 44 appearances this season, and he is having a fantastic first full season, which could be extended as Lincoln won 1-0 at Oxford United last night to sit only two points behind the play-off spots with two games in hand. Although Town have yet to decide which league they will play in next season, Edwards has the former Peterborough youngster in mind for the 2024-25 season, saying: “We’ll see what the best thing is for Joe moving ahead.
“He did well in League Two, crossed that off, and then did well in League One, so we’ll have to see what happens next for him. It’s too early at the moment; we have a lot of decisions to make between now and the summer, but he’s definitely on our radar for next season. I want him to focus on what he’s doing right now, which is performing for Lincoln. That’s why he’s been spoken about.
Regarding the honour, Edwards stated, “It’s terrific acknowledgment for someone who’s doing really, really well, so I’m very pleased of him. He had a terrific year,Hopefully he can finish it now that they’re in the mix. He’s been a significant part of their extremely outstanding form; we’re proud of Joe since he’s done so well.”
Speaking to Lincoln’s official website, Taylor, who scored for Luton in their penalty shoot-out play-off final win over Coventry City at Wembley, said: “It’s a massive achievement for myself. I’ve had a really successful month, both personally and with the team. I’m just hoping now that we can carry it on going into the latter stages of the season and earn ourselves that last play-off spot. It’s been brilliant to get ourselves to where we are now, given where we were. There’s no good in doing what we’ve done now and not seeing the job out. For us, the aim is the play-offs – it has to be.
