Taylorian

)227%$//

1st XI

P: 23 / W: 16 / D: 2 / L: 5 / F-A: 75-36 / GD: 39 The 2023/24 season saw the Taylors’ first team surpass all expectations. Playing with the stigma that private schools are not able to ‘kick ball’, Taylors’ silenced the critics with notable performances against Claremont School (9-1) and Avanti House (5-2). Taylors’, led by man-management specialist ‘Jürgen’ Fothergill and the Bradford reincarnation of Pep Guardiola, saw great success December. Opposition teams were left dumbfounded by the ‘perfect chaos’ style of football that Taylors’ employed. Notable individual performances within this period were Shaan Popat’s brace against Monk’s Walk School, which saw Taylors’ progress to the next round of the cup, and Noah Softleigh Moore’s four goal special against Bishop Ramsey. Within this period of euphoria, one thing that stood out was how terrified the team was before every game. I remember looking at the fixture list in the Quarter with the team and discussing the best method to handle defeat. In some ways this was the fuel behind our success – this underdog mentality kept the team grounded. Unfortunately, this invincible period ended in the final week of the Autumn Term when Taylors’ fell to defeat in two of the three cup competitions. Although not the best way to end the term, we with an 18-game unbeaten streak that stretched from September to

Donning the infamous away kit, Taylors’ were completely outclassed in the first half, conceding three before the break. There were looks of despair and shakes of the head amongst the Taylors’ players. However, Mr Fothergill reminded us of what we were playing for, and a surge of adrenaline carried us to an unlikely 4-3 victory with goals from Shaan Popat, Arran Dhillon, Rohan Dhawan and Henry Walker. Taylors’ subsequently got right back in the groove, cutting through teams like a knife through butter, and waited desperately for the next cup game to roll around. Taylors’ were faced with Simon Balle School in the next round, a team whose infamous reputation preceded them. Unfortunately, the opposition had twelve men on the field, the twelfth being the referee. Minor incidents such as fly kicks to the chest, rugby tackles and UFC takedowns were waved away as inconsequential. Despite being the better team for much of the contest, Taylors’ fell to defeat. This was a sad way to end such a beautiful cup run. Taylors’ managed to bounce back quickly and resumed normal service by edging out John Lyon in the return fixture of the northwest London derby (we had also beaten them 3-0 earlier in the season). Taylors’ won the game 1-0 after withstanding some intense periods of pressure to crown off what has been the greatest season of Taylors’ Football Squad: A. Mistry, A. Dewji, A. Dhillon, D. Reddy, E. Vercesi, F. Ahmed, G. Dalton, G. Monticelli, H. Walker, I. Nabbaro, J. Grant, K. Somaia, K. Weiler, K. Raghvani, L. Wallis, L. Turner, M. Harding, M. Frankic Ruppen, N. Softleigh-Moore, R. Sidhu, R. Dhawan, R. Zanette, S. Pagnini, S. Popat, T. Varsani, Y. Shah. in the school’s history. Kush Raghvani (U6th)

must reflect on the positives, such as the fact that the Football 1st XI was the most successful team in the whole school. Although getting knocked out of two cups was not the ideal conclusion to the term, Taylors’ Football was put on the map. The Spring Term saw the departure of familiar faces and the arrival of hungry new recruits. Established first team players such as Dilan Reddy, Akshay Mistry and Faaris Ahmed were bound to the overlords of Taylors’ Hockey. Although we missed their technical prowess, Taylors’ received an injection of athleticism in the form of Ivan Nabarro and Skye Pagnini. There was, naturally, an adjustment period. Changing the team’s dynamic from patient and structured build up to to a more rock and-roll style of football meant a rocky transition period. We were, therefore, wary heading into the next cup game against Beaumont School. Fortunately, Akshay Mistry, Dilan Reddy and Faaris Ahmed were able to relinquish their hockey duties for long enough to lend their feet in what was to be the greatest Taylors’ game of all time.