Guildford City Football Club have formally announced the appointment of Carl Taylor as the club’s new first-team manager.

The hugely-experienced Taylor joins Guildford City with immediate effect. Taylor has spent a year away from management but is excited to be back in the game.

Taylor will be known to many for his time at Banstead Athletic, but he also has plenty of experience at higher levels of the game. In his formative years he played for Brentford, Kingstonian and Staines Town before moving into management at Feltham. He subsequently spent seven years at Maidenhead United in the Isthmian Premier and Conference South as manager or assistant, before 12 months at Hornchurch in Conference South.

After a break Taylor returned to manage Burnham in the Southern League Premier, before spells at Chertsey Town and Banstead Athletic.

Taylor said: “This is an exciting project and I am keen to get started. I have a lot of experience coaching players all the way from park football to professional. I manage sides not just for the club, but for the players.

“Guildford City should be more successful and they have underachieved. To rectify that will take hard work on the pitch and I am looking forward to the challenge. I want to create a family culture for players, supporters and committee members.”

Guildford City secretary Barry Underwood said: “We are delighted that Carl has agreed to join us as our new first-team manager. After a frustrating time last season we are looking to reset, and make some progress under our new management team.

“I have known Carl for some years and I don’t think I’ve met anybody who knows as much about non-league football. Coaching wise I know that Carl has excellent man-management skills, and he has always enjoyed the respect of his players. He is also tactically bold and not wedded to the same formations and line-ups.

“I am really optimistic that if we all work together then we will see better times.”

An announcement regarding 2024-25 season tickets will shortly be available on Guildford City’s club website.

Taylor replaces Tristan Rees in the Guildford City hot seat.

Following the conclusion of the 2023-24 season, Guildford City Football Club and manager Tristan Rees mutually decided to part company.

While the results did not match up to the initial promise that the young squad showed at the start of the season, the original intention of both the club and the manager was to focus on the development of young, mostly local, talent. In that respect, Rees fulfilled the club’s wishes, giving a host of young players valuable experience – many of whom were playing their first season in adult football.

Rees and the club agreed the end of the season was an appropriate time for Rees to step aside and enjoy spending more time with his young family. However, Rees will remain with Guildford City FC in a different capacity. The club thanked Rees for the hard work he and his backroom staff put in.