General
- Tuesday January 9th, 2024 @ 15:45
Saints Sign Taylor On Loan From Hull City
St Patrick's Athletic made their 7th new signing ahead of the 2024 League of Ireland season with the addition of defender Alfie Taylor on loan from Hull City, pending international clearance.
Taylor has been with The Tigers since the age of 9 and signed his first professional contract at the MKM Stadium in May 2021.
The Hull-born centre-back featured regularly for the club's U18s and U21s and has been on the bench for the First Team on a number of occasions.
The 19-year-old joined up with his new St Patrick's Athletic team-mates on Monday and could make his first appearance for the club in the opening pre-season friendly against Athlone Town this weekend.
He is the 7th new recruit so far, following the signings of Brandon Kavanagh and Cian Kavanagh from Derry City, Aaron Bolger and Ruari Keating from Cork City, Conor Keeley from Drogheda United and Marcelo Pitaluga, who joined on loan from Liverpool earlier this week.
Manager Jon Daly has been telling us more about his new defender:
"Alfie is another excellent addition to our squad and we're happy to welcome him to the group.
As a left-footer, he'll give us good balance in that position and will add to and strengthen our options along with our other centre-backs.
Alfie has been in with us for the last couple of days and has done well, he is already settling into the group.
He's developed in the Hull City Academy for the last ten years, and has been around their First Team squad too so he's got good experience for a 19-year-old.
It's a good challenge for him coming into the League of Ireland and we're looking forward to seeing him continuing his development with us."
Taylor is delighted to be a Saint:
"I'm really happy to be here, the gaffer (Jon Daly) rang me last week and we had a good conversation about the club and the League of Ireland, I can't wait to start to new season.
I've been at Hull City since I'm 9 and really enjoyed my time there so far, coming up through the ranks in the Academy, the U21s, training with the first team and being on the bench a few times.
Now I want to play senior football and move away from home, I've been living a home for my whole life so I thought moving away would be good for me to help me mature and improve as a player.
The first couple of sessions here have been really tough to be honest with lots of running because the boys are in pre-season but it's been good, I've been training at Hull City so I'm fit and ready to go.
It's a big step in my career, hopefully I can push on and do well."
Alfie will wear the number 18 shirt at Richmond Park, you can watch his full signing interview on our Youtube channel above.
The first photos of Taylor as a St Patrick's Athletic player are available via Inpho Sports.
