FOOTBALL-Colchester signs experienced Montserrat international.

LONDON, CMC—Colchester United boosted its attacking options by signing Montserrat international striker Lyle Taylor.

The 34-year-old has penned a deal that takes him to the end of the 2024-25 English League 2 season, and he becomes the third signing of the week for Danny and Nicky Cowley while the US begins pre-season training at Florence Park.

Taylor said the one-year deal was completed so that he could not only play for the club but also help their talented young strikers, such as Samson Tovide and Bradley Ihionvien.

“They, Danny and Nicky, have said, ‘We don’t want you to come in just for you; we want you to come in for what you know and what you can pass onto the younger players,’” Taylor said in an interview on the club’s website.

“They said, ‘There’s especially two young center forwards at the club who have got a really good chance,’ and they said, ‘what you have learned and how you’ve built yourself from non-league, we can give these boys a better chance than they’ve already got.’”

The move to Colchester United will be a reunion for Taylor and the Cowleys. They worked together at non-league side Concord Rangers 15 years ago when Nicky was captain, and Danny was the joint manager of the Beach Boys, as the club is known.

Colchester will be the 18th club that Taylor signed after first emerging with Millwall as a youth player.

In between, he has played for several clubs, including Nottingham Forest, Birmingham, and Sheffield United.

Taylor was released by League 1 side Cambridge United at the end of last season after signing for them on a short-term deal this past January and scoring three goals in 14 appearances during his four months there.

He had started last season with Wycombe Wanderers. Still, the former Sheffield United, Bournemouth, and AFC Wimbledon striker failed to score in nine appearances before his short-term contract with the Chairboys ended.

Colchester United narrowly avoided relegation to the National League after they finished last season 22nd in the 24-team League 2 table, on 45 points, having won 11 matches, lost 23, and drawn 12.