Rochdale vs Spennymoor Town: Glen is Taylor made for a fairytale

Isuzu FA Trophy semi-final preview

By Mark Carruthers

Spennymoor Town legend Glen Taylor is dreaming of Wembley – and he isn’t scared to admit it!

Almost 12 years after their previous Wembley appearance when club icon Jason Ainsley led his side to a 2-1 FA Vase Final win against Tunbridge Wells, Moors are now eyeing another famous day under the Wembley arch.

National League Rochdale sit in their way as the two sides prepare for next weekend’s FA Trophy semi-final, and that will provide another sizeable test for Graeme Lee’s men.

However, even facing a side from the top tier for a third time in their run won’t prevent Taylor from thinking of what could be if they claim a win at the Crown Oil Arena.

Dream

“It’s one game, it’s 90 minutes to get to the home of football, as they say,” he told The NLP.

“It’s my tenth year at the club, my testimonial year, and if I can get there, on my birthday, to play in the final, it would be a dream come true.

“But we have to get through a massive game first.”

Arriving from Ashington in the summer of 2015, Taylor helped his side earn promotion from the Step 4 Northern Premier League North Division in his first season, having won promotion from the Northern League two years earlier.

Since then, Spenny have racked up an FA Cup first round appearance and secured their highest ever finish when they ended the 2018/19 season sat in fourth place in the National League North.

A run to the quarter-final of the Trophy in 2018 was their previous best in the competition, but any thoughts of a second Wembley appearance were ended by Bromley.

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Earned

After seeing off the likes of South Shields, Boston United and Sutton United so far, Taylor reckons his side will have earned their place at the home of football if they can see off Rochdale next weekend.

He said: “No disrespect to the Vase, but winning the Trophy is the next level and obviously that would show the progression the club has made on and off the pitch.

“We’ve had a good run this year, and if we do get there, we have earned it because we have beaten some top opposition.

“It would be nice, but that semi-final has to be dealt with first.”

Opportunity

The meeting with Rochdale will offer Taylor an opportunity to prove himself against higher-level opposition once again.

With over 200 Moors goals to his name, the former Ashington striker is well known as one of the most feared strikers in the Non-League game, from Step 2.

Some have suggested a move into the National League and beyond could have been on the agenda earlier in his career – and the 34-year-old is confident he would have thrived had he made the leap into the full-time game.

“There are some top players in their league – but there are some top players in our league too,” explained the Moors legend.

“Some players choose to stay part-time because they don’t want to go full-time, like myself.

“I believe, if I was at that level, I could hold my own.

“I think there is a difference in level, but I don’t think it’s massive.”