Welcome back to another episode of Sutton United Talk Time on Podcast, in association with Lucky Star Gin. Regular listeners will already know what to expect, while anyone joining us for the first time has picked an excellent moment to get involved as excitement builds ahead of the new season.
For the latest instalment of the Summer Series, Mike sits down with Sutton United’s new club captain and current holder of the prestigious shoebox trophy, Jake Taylor.
Across a career that began in Reading’s academy at the age of eight, Jake has experienced almost every side of professional football. He has come through the academy system, spent time away on loan, played in Scotland, represented clubs across the Football League and National League, and occupied nearly every position on the pitch.
Now, as Sutton’s captain, he finds himself helping to lead a rebuilt and more experienced squad into a season carrying far greater expectations.
The conversation covers his footballing education, the importance of playing men’s football, his evolving position, the difficulties of last season, leadership, the new arrivals and one of the toughest pre-seasons he has experienced.
The Foundation: Growing Up in the Academy System
Jake Taylor’s footballing journey began earlier than most. He joined Reading’s academy at just eight years old and progressed through every age group before earning a scholarship and eventually making his first-team debut.
Spending so much of his childhood in a professional academy gave him an excellent footballing education, but Jake believes some of his most valuable development happened when he stepped outside that familiar environment.
Loan spells took him away from home and exposed him to different managers, different styles of football and different dressing rooms. He even spent time in Scotland, an experience he believes helped him develop personally as much as professionally.
Moving away forced him to become more independent and comfortable in unfamiliar surroundings. It also taught him how to adapt quickly, something that would prove valuable throughout a career involving several clubs and numerous different roles.
Those experiences helped turn an academy footballer into a senior professional. They also gave Jake lessons he can now pass on to Sutton’s younger players as they begin their own journeys in the game.
The Value of “Men’s Football”
There is an ongoing debate in football about the best route for young players. Is it better to remain within a highly technical academy environment, or leave that comfort behind and experience senior football as early as possible?
Jake remains a firm believer in the value of going out on loan.
Academies can provide excellent coaching and facilities, but they cannot entirely recreate the pressure of first-team football. In the senior game, results matter to supporters, managers, players and the people whose jobs can depend on what happens on the pitch.
Young players must learn how to handle physical opponents, difficult conditions, demanding crowds and the emotional consequences of winning and losing. Jake believes those experiences are vital, not only for football development but for personal growth.
He also praised the work being done within Sutton United’s academy. The young players stepping into the first-team environment are not simply there to increase training numbers. They are arriving prepared to contribute.
Recent examples include Jack Taylor and Junior, who both developed at Sutton before earning moves higher up the pyramid. Their progress demonstrates the importance of producing young footballers who are ready for the demands of senior football, whether their long-term future is at Sutton or elsewhere.
The Evolution of a Player: From Striker to Defensive Anchor
One of the most interesting parts of Jake’s career is the number of different positions he has occupied.
His professional debut for Reading came at right-back, but that was only the beginning of the journey. During a loan spell with Exeter City he played as a striker, while much of his career was spent as a winger. He later moved into an attacking midfield role at Exeter, Stevenage and Eastleigh before eventually becoming the deeper midfielder Sutton supporters see today.
Jake joked that he is following the familiar footballing trajectory of gradually moving backwards down the pitch as the years pass. The younger players can now do some of the running while he uses his experience to read the game, protect the defence and bring the best out of those around him.
The humour does not disguise the value of his versatility. Understanding several positions gives a player a broader view of the game and makes it easier to recognise what teammates need around them.
His current defensive midfield role appears to suit both Jake and the team. It places him at the centre of the action, allowing him to communicate with the defence, guide younger players and influence the tempo of matches.
Footballing Idols and Leadership
Growing up as a Chelsea supporter, Jake’s footballing idol was Gianfranco Zola. He even wore the number 25 shirt last season as a tribute to the Italian forward.
The only problem is that several of Sutton’s younger players barely know who Zola is, something Jake finds equally amusing and depressing.
His leadership influences, however, came from much closer to home.
During his time at Reading, Jake watched experienced players such as Graham Murty and Jobi McAnuff set standards both on and off the pitch. McAnuff, in particular, showed what it meant to be available to teammates and carry yourself properly as a club captain.
Later in his career, Jake encountered other strong leaders in different dressing rooms. He highlighted Carl Piergianni at Stevenage as one of the best captains he has played alongside. Piergianni helped create a successful changing room by demanding high standards every day, rather than only raising expectations on matchdays.
That is the type of leadership Jake now wants to bring to Sutton.
He describes his own style as leading by example. He wants to train properly, behave professionally and ensure teammates know they can approach him when they need help. Leadership is not simply about shouting or delivering speeches. It is often found in everyday actions and the standards a player refuses to let slip.
Joining Sutton United: A New Lease of Life
Jake joined Sutton in November with the club at the bottom of the National League table.
From the outside, leaving Eastleigh to join a team in difficulty may have appeared a strange decision. For Jake, however, it offered the opportunity to rediscover his enjoyment of football and work with a manager he already knew and trusted.
He had previously worked with Agi during their time at Stevenage and had remained in contact with him. Jake had always followed his managerial journey and knew what to expect from his methods.
There was also a personal connection to the area, with Jake’s wife being from Sutton. The club had been on his radar for several years, but the right opportunity had never previously appeared.
When that opportunity finally arrived, Jake saw a young squad with plenty of potential rather than simply a team sitting at the bottom of the league.
“As soon as I signed, there was sort of a new lease of life about me,” he explained.
He enjoyed coming into training, working with the staff and being part of the environment at Sutton. Despite the difficult league position, those inside the building believed the squad had enough ability to move away from danger.
The season remained uncomfortable for far longer than anyone would have liked, but Sutton eventually secured their safety. Jake believes that achievement should not be underestimated, particularly given the pressure relegation can place on players’ careers and the jobs of people throughout a football club.
Mentoring the Next Generation
Last season was an eye-opening experience for Jake because of the age profile of the squad.
Sutton had talented young players with clear potential, but many were learning how to deal with the pressures of senior football while experiencing a difficult run of results. When several players are learning those lessons at the same time, it can become harder for the group to find its way through challenging moments.
Jake was careful not to criticise what happened before his arrival, but he felt the squad sometimes needed more experience, guidance and voices on the pitch.
Young footballers can easily lose confidence when results turn against them. A couple of defeats become three or four, criticism increases and players begin questioning decisions that previously came naturally.
Experienced players have usually lived through those situations before. They understand that poor runs eventually end and can help others remain calm when matches become chaotic.
That lesson appears to have influenced Sutton’s recruitment this summer.
Players such as Will Nightingale and Jordan Moore-Taylor provide experience behind Jake, while Emmanuel Osadebe, Charlie Carter and others add different leadership qualities across the pitch. That means responsibility does not rest entirely with the captain.
Jake sees himself as a bridge between the manager and the players, helping reinforce messages and maintain the standards expected within the group. However, he also recognises that leadership takes many forms. Some players are loud and vocal, while others lead through how they train, prepare and perform.
The rebuilt squad appears to have bonded quickly. Jake believes that is because Sutton recruited good people as well as good footballers. There are no disruptive personalities and no players capable of damaging the atmosphere around the group.
There are, however, several wind-up merchants.
That balance matters. The squad must know when it is time to work seriously, but players also need characters who make training enjoyable and help lift the group when results do not go their way.
Key Takeaways
Embrace the loan system: Leaving the security of an academy can be intimidating, but experiencing senior football teaches independence, resilience and adaptability.
Versatility can extend a career: Jake’s journey from right-back and striker to winger, attacking midfielder and defensive anchor has allowed him to remain valuable to different managers throughout his career.
Experience matters during difficult moments: Talent and potential are important, but young players often need guidance when confidence drops or results begin to turn against them.
Recruit the person as well as the player: A successful dressing room depends on character, professionalism and players who contribute positively to the environment.
Leadership comes in different forms: Captains do not need to shout constantly. Standards can be established through preparation, behaviour, communication and consistent effort.
Togetherness must be built deliberately: Sutton’s demanding pre-season has not only improved fitness. Working through difficult sessions together has helped strengthen relationships throughout the squad.
Winning must become a habit: Even in friendlies, training matches or five-yard races, Jake believes professional footballers should want to win. Finding ways to win when performances are imperfect will be crucial during the season.
Conclusion
Jake Taylor’s journey is a reminder that professional football development is rarely straightforward.
His career has taken him from Reading’s academy to loan spells, new positions, different managers and dressing rooms across the country. Each experience has contributed to the captain Sutton United now have.
Last season required him to help guide a young squad through a difficult battle near the bottom of the National League. This season presents a very different challenge.
The club has recruited experience, leadership and quality. The dressing room has bonded quickly, standards have been set and expectations are no longer being hidden. Jake made it clear that the players have not joined Sutton to settle for a comfortable mid-table campaign or another year of rebuilding.
They want to compete at the top of the National League and return the club to the Football League.
The scale of that ambition is reflected in the work taking place behind the scenes. Jake described pre-season as one of the toughest he has experienced, with enormous distances covered and every session designed with a clear purpose.
When asked to describe the manager, Jake chose two words: ruthless and relentless.
Aggie is obsessed with success, demands professionalism and refuses to allow a training day to be wasted. Nothing is left to chance and no stone is left unturned.
Those words also provide an appropriate theme for the season ahead.
Sutton United want to become one of the fittest teams in the division, a side capable of producing quality football when conditions allow it and grinding out results when they do not. The squad contains experience, pace, technical ability and players capable of producing the moments that decide close matches.
There will inevitably be difficult afternoons, but Jake’s message to supporters is to enjoy the ride and remain together through every part of it.
With a captain determined to drive standards, a dressing room filled with experienced leaders and a manager described as ruthless and relentless, Sutton United appear ready to attack the new campaign.