LIMERICK FC have this week confirmed Stuart Taylor as the club’s new manager. It brings to an end a two-month search for a replacement for Pat Scully, who was sacked by the club in November despite leading them to promotion to the Premier Division just weeks earlier.
The Blues had identified former Hull City manager Phil Brown as their first choice in December, but he turned down the role after meeting with officials from Limerick FC.
Brian Kerr, Johnny McDonnell, Mick Cooke and Kevin Kilbane had also been mentioned as potential successors to Scully, who this week leads an Ireland squad consisting of out-of-contract players at the FIFPRO Tournament in Norway.
Taylor (38) is from Scotland and he has experience of the League of Ireland with Drogheda United, having played with the Boynesiders in 2002-03.
He played as a midfielder and spent the bulk of his career with St Mirren, his first senior club, and the now-defunct Airdrieonians. It was when Airdrieonians went bust in 2002 that Taylor made the move to Ireland, although he was back in his native country a year later. He finished his playing career with Hamilton Academical and he was also assistant manager at the club. He has worked as youth coach with Al Khor in Qatar since August.
With the managerial situation put to bed, the club can now focus on building their squad for the new season, which begins in two months’ time.
It is understood that only five players are currently contracted to the club – Dominic Foley, Shaun Kelly, Joe Gamble, Stephen Bradley and Garbhan Coughlan.
A number of key players in the promotion-winning campaign of 2012 has yet to renew their contracts with Limerick FC, including Pat Purcell, Denis Behan, Shane Tracy and Rory Gaffney. Gaffney, last season’s First Division Player of the Year, was reportedly linked with reigning champions Sligo Rovers. One man definitely on the way out of Limerick is Corrie Treacy who transferred to Longford Town earlier this week.
However the Blues have been linked with some high-profile players as they seek to finalise their squad ahead of the new season.
The in-demand Evan McMillan, who was with Bohemians in 2012, has been touted as a potential signing, with former Ireland under-21 international Eamonn Zayed also mentioned in some quarters.
