Salisbury and Matlock Town confirm the surprise signings of experienced EFL players, as they prepare for the 2025/26 season.
Ambitious Salisbury, who are in the National League South, have announced Matty Taylor is joining having been released from his contract by Cheltenham Town.
The seasoned striker says he was attracted by the club’s new project under owner Alli, the decision to join took a few weeks, and Taylor is eager to contribute both as a player and in a coaching role to kickstart his coaching career while playing part-time.
He expressed excitement about scoring goals and helping the team, and highlighted his long-standing relationship with manager Daryl, who signed him three times and significantly influenced his career by trusting his abilities, leading to many goals.
He values Daryl’s understanding of him as a player, which has been a key factor in his success, and aims to pass on his knowledge to Salisbury’s young squad, particularly the forwards, while still aiming to score goals himself.
Matlock Town meanwhile, in the Northern Premier League – East Division, have confirmed that Conor Washington has signed for them.
SIGNING | Matty Taylor
We are delighted to announce the signing of Matty Taylor.
More on the website – https://t.co/RsLhgQYWWr #COYW pic.twitter.com/EiW9uwVRD7
— Salisbury FC (@SalisburyFC) July 18, 2025
SALISBURY STATEMENT:
Salisbury FC are delighted to announce the signing of Matty Taylor after he was released from his contract by Cheltenham Town, subject to league and FA approval.
Taylor, 35, has made over 572 career appearances, scoring 188 goals in all competitions, with 121 of those goals coming in the EFL from League Two through to the Championship.
The striker began his career with Oxford United in the National League, where he made limited appearances for the first team. He spent time on loan with a range of local clubs after dropping down the leagues to play for Didcot. From there, he moved to Forest Green Rovers, back in the National League, where he made over 100 appearances for the side.
Following a loan spell at Chester, Taylor signed for Bristol Rovers under former Salisbury player/manager Darrell Clarke. He helped Rovers back to the Football League through the playoffs, scoring 21 goals in his debut season.
Promotion followed the following season as well, and it was a fruitful one for Taylor, who scored 28 goals in all competitions as Rovers progressed through League Two.
The following season, Taylor scored 16 goals in 27 league starts before he became one of the rare players to move directly across the city to local rivals Bristol City.
Taylor made 75 appearances for City, contributing eight goals and 13 assists for the Ashton Gate-based club before returning to Oxford United on loan, scoring 13 goals in 26 appearances.
The move back to Oxford was made permanent in 2020, where Taylor made a further 112 appearances, scoring 41 goals over two and a half seasons.
Darrell Clarke came calling again in January 2023 when he once again joined up with Taylor for a loan period at Port Vale before Taylor rejoined Forest Green Rovers for a season in 2023/24.
Clarke signed Taylor for the third time when he arrived at Cheltenham Town in 2024, where the forward has made 50 appearances, scoring 12 goals.
𝐆𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐠𝐨 𝐭𝐨 𝐖𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧…
Matlock Town are pleased to announce the signing of Northern Ireland International forward Conor Washington, formerly of Derby County.
Kent-born Washington netted seven times in League Two for Newport County in the first… pic.twitter.com/n2gquLTU8W
— 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝗧𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗙𝗖 | Est 1878 (@Matlock_TownFC) July 18, 2025
MATLOCK STATEMENT:
Matlock Town are pleased to announce the signing of Northern Ireland International forward Conor Washington, formerly of Derby County.
Kent-born Washington netted seven times in League Two for Newport County in the first half of the 2013/14 campaign before sealing a move to League One with Peterborough United. He went on to score on a further five occasions during a campaign that ultimately ended in play-off defeat. Tallies of 13 and 15 followed over the next two seasons, including a first-ever career hat-trick during 2015/16, taking the striker to 33 goals in 94 games for the Posh.
His fine form saw him earn a seven-figure switch to Queens Park Rangers of the Championship in January 2016 and Washington scored 14 times in 98 appearances before joining Sheffield United for the 2018/19 campaign where he played a part in the Blades earning promotion to the Premier League.
The 2019/20 season was spent with Heart of Midlothian in Scotland. However, the COVID-19 outbreak ended the campaign prematurely.
Washington returned to England with League One outfit Charlton Athletic in the summer of 2020 and scored 11 times in each of the 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons for the Addicks. This form earned him a move back to the Championship with Rotherham, where he found the net six times.
Washington would make the move to Derby County for an undisclosed fee in the summer of 2023, where he would spend two seasons before departing at the end of his deal this summer.
On the international stage, Washington has been a regular in the Northern Ireland squad for many years, scoring six times in 43 appearances.
Now back fully fit and hungry to get back in the goals, we are excited to welcome Conor to the Gladiators and look forward to seeing him at the Proctor Cars Stadium.
Here’s how fans reacted after Salisbury and Matlock confirm the signings of experienced former EFL players…
@TFSConsultancy: What a signing for that level 👏 ⚽️
@blakedcfc: What a signing 😂
@dcfcmatty05: Nothing like a 6 division drop down 🤣 fair play #dcfc #dcfcfans
@thomasutrI: Wash is back on the grass
@FinnleyWest: Said it once and I’ll say it again. Up the Kuwaiti Whites! 🐼 🇰🇼
@mayhem357_mark: That’s the best striker at the level by some way, a great finisher and knows the dark arts too. A shame to see him leave #ctfc but he was on big wages and unlikely to starting many games this season.
@alfieg787: Idk what’s going on, but I LOVE IT 🐼🐼
@DomerSavage: Huge signing!! Welcome to the club 🐼
@hambling_ollie: One hell of a signing for the level 🙌🏻
@CTFC_Fans: Best of luck Matty. The length of the contract was not ideal but would have kept us up in League 1 if it wasn’t for his injury. Hope he does great there
