FORMER Swindon Town defender Matt Taylor has joined the coaching staff at Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur following his retirement as a player.

Taylor ended a 20-year playing career at Town when he hung up his boots at the end of last season and has now been appointed coach of Spurs’ U18s side.

The 37-year-old served as a player-coach during his final season at the Energy Check County Ground, having been handed a role on former manager Phil Brown’s backroom staff 12 months ago.

Former Portsmouth and West Ham United player Taylor continued in the role following Richie Wellens’ appointment as Town boss last November.

Another former Town player, Ryan Mason, has also joined Tottenham’s coaching set-up, with the former England international midfielder having spent a loan spell at SN1 during the 2013-14 season.

A statement on Tottenham’s website read: “We are pleased to announce the appointments of Matt Taylor, Ryan Mason and Nigel Gibbs to our Academy coaching team, with existing members of staff Chris Riley and Troy Archibald-Henville assuming revised roles to support the older players in the Academy.

“An experienced former midfielder, Matt has enjoyed an extensive playing career that has taken him across the Premier League and Football League structure, representing Luton Town, Portsmouth, Bolton Wanderers, West Ham United, Burnley, Northampton Town and, most recently, Swindon Town, where he served as a player-coach.

"The 37-year-old joins us full-time as our new U18s coach.”

Taylor first joined Town in the summer of 2017 and served as player-manager for one game during the period between David Flitcroft’s departure and Brown’s appointment in March 2018.

In total, he made 76 appearances for the club, scoring 10 goals, and was voted player of the season by readers of the Swindon Advertiser at the end of the 2017-18 campaign.