INTERVIEW- Gloucester City chairman Colin Taylor reflects on Tigers 2024/25 season so far

Gloucester City chairman Colin Taylor sat down to cast back on City's season so far with a two week break from the Tigers last fixture against Poole Town and forthcoming encounter against Chertsey Town.

After a disappointing season that culminated in relegation from the National League North, Taylor has been pleased with how the side has recovered in the Southern Premier Division South.

"It’s gone well, it’s been hard work, the recruitment has been right, Cookie (Mike Cook) and I had targets we really wanted and we managed to get them across the line really quickly.

"Kev Dawson and I chatted mid summer, he wanted to come back and prove his worth to the club and apart from his injury that he’s got now, which hopefully he will be back for the game against Chertsey we’re on track with him.

"We’ve been so unlucky with injuries, like Pinch (Harry Pinchard), Kieran (Kieran Phillips), you can keep naming and naming how many injuries we’ve had but it’s just one of those things, Stan (Stanley Anaebonam) coming in has been a great addition the fans loved him on his debut, i’m sure they will be getting a song ready for his next home game. The week off has hopefully helped get those injuries right."

After the Tigers' relegation, pressure was placed externally from supporters on boss Mike Cook and whether he was the right man to lead City to the regional National Leagues but Taylor hopes that the sides results have proved his faith.

"Mike and I have got a great relationship, with Macca (Marc McGregor) and Broghy (John Brough) coming in, they are a great coaching team, they all bring something different to the game with different ideas. 

"I trust them, at the end of last season I know fans weren’t sure, but two defeats in 18 games, it’s massive. Only one at home where we just didn’t perform and Dorchester away early on in the season.

"With all the injuries we’ve done exceptionally well, it’s great to see so many fans coming to the TigerTurf Stadium to come and support the boys. I hope that they back Cooky in the job for us to get promotion, hopefully straight up this season but you never know in football."

After the difficult past years financially, Colin admitted that there has been issues but hopes that the club can move onto a settled footing that helps the club in the long term.

"I don’t really want to talk about the past, I only want to talk about the future. We were hit by some monetary issues but again as a club we are managing to stablise ourselves and I think we have talked about that the whole way through. 

"Can we be sustainable as a club in the next year or so which we are really hoping we can be, we would like to get more sponsorship in, we would like to get people down the club as we really want to hit that magic 1000 which we hope we can do over the Christmas period, it was always going to be difficult getting relegated monetary wise."

With City being decimated by injuries the club have been looking for further additions with Stanley Anaebonam and Jadyn Crosbie being two recent arrivals, City's chairman divulged that he has been in constant conversation with the boss.

"Mike has been ringing me daily pretty much from September to the Christmas period saying I've got a bargain, can you take it to the board I believe. There’s been a couple training that we are going to be having a look at. I can always say to Mike keep in your budget but I don’t think he ever has done!

"We have a constant battle but as I’ve said previously I back Mike 100%, he knows that and we talk about it constantly."

When asked about his hopes, with still over half the season left remaining Taylor shared his thoughts on what he hopes the rest of 2024/25 can bring to Gloucester City.

"I believe, and I hope and I pray and I say it every week that I feel the same as any fan. I watched the game two weeks ago when we drew 4-4 to Walton and Hersham when we were 4-0 down at half time and as a chairman it’s no different to being a fan as you feel every kick, every goal, every substitution we just want Mike and his boys to do well.

"Our target was that we would be in the playoffs around Christmas so we are above where we want to be and we really are going to give everything and I know the players are and I know the coaching staff are and I know with the fans behind us we can hopefully really push for promotion."