Glasgow Rangers have recruited Brighton and Hove Albion’s athletic development and reconditioning coach Tom Taylor.
The 32-year-old sports scientist is due to join the Scottish legends three weeks from today – on Friday 22 December.
Taylor has been with Brighton for just over four years, having also been the club’s first-team strength and conditioning coach.
He was previously the head of fitness at Hearts and first-team fitness coach with West Ham United.
Taylor graduated with a first-class honours degree in sports science from Swansea University in 2012 and spent a further there carrying out research for a masters degree.
He joins as Rangers bring in Nils Koppen from PSV Eindhoven to head their player recruitment set up after criticism of their summer signings under previous manager Michael Beale.
Koppen, 38, was head of scouting at the Dutch side and is due to move to Ibrox as director of football recruitment in the new year, subject to a work permit.
His arrival should fill the void left when former sporting director Ross Wilson left for Nottingham Forest in April.
Koppen has previously worked with the new Rangers manager Philippe Clement as head of youth recruitment at Genk during Clement’s stint as manager of the Belgian club.
Taylor can expect to work alongside former Brighton defender Connor Goldson, 30, who joined Rangers for £3 million in June 2018, having been signed on a four-year deal by Steven Gerrard.
Goldson joined Brighton in August 2015 – also on a four-year deal – from Shrewsbury Town for almost £700,000 plus more than £400,000 from a sell-on clause giving them 20 per cent of any future profits.
In June last year, Goldson signed on for another four years with Rangers.
David Weir, Albion’s technical director, came the other way, having spent five years as a defender at Rangers from 2007 to 2012. He joined Brighton four and a half years ago.
And 22-year-old Senegal international forward Abdallah Sima is currently with Rangers on loan from Brighton, having signed from Slavia Prague for £7 million in August 2021.
The most famous player with links to both clubs has to be Gordon Smith, 68, signed by Brighton for £440,000 from Rangers in 1980.
He scored in the FA Cup final against Manchester United at Wembley although he is better known for a late shot saved by Gary Bailey.
Few will need reminding that, with the score at 2-2 and not long to play, Smith had only Bailey to beat when BBC radio commentator Peter Jones said: “And Smith must score.”
Alas, Smith and Jones!
