Six years have now passed since Taylor scored a goal for Spennymoor Town that was celebrated more at Edgeley Park than it was the Brewery Field.
That’s because, on the penultimate weekend of the 2018/19 National League North campaign, Taylor’s 94th minute winner against Chorley Town allowed Stockport to leapfrog Spennymoor’s opponents and climb to the top of the table with one game to play.
Such was the impact of the goal, Stockport’s fans still celebrate ‘Glen Taylor Day’ every year, and have since welcomed the striker to Edgeley Park as a special guest on a matchday, with the 35-year-old hailed as a hero when he was introduced on to the pitch.
His legendary status has long been secured at Spennymoor, where he’s scored more than 200 goals for the club.
And today both clubs will celebrate Taylor when they go head to head in the striker’s testimonial game at Brewery Field (3pm).
“As soon as I was offered a testimonial I thought it had to be against Stockport,” Taylor tells the Northern Echo.
“I could have maybe picked a Sunderland, I know they sold out against Shields last week, but it meant more to me to pick a team that I have a bit of a relationship with and are classed as a legend for some reason!”
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Taylor has always been incredibly grateful but slightly embarrassed by the love he’s felt from Stockport fans since that “crazy” day.
“It’s one of those stories that really only sport can produce,” he laughs.
“Little did I know at the time just what that goal meant and the impact it would have.
“Stockport’s last game was away to the team bottom of the league who only had five points, so it was a given they were going to win the league.
“After the Chorley game it was chaos on Twitter with fans thanking me for the goal. I saw footage back from that game and the scenes at Edgeley Park are unbelievable when I scored. It was incredible.
“Every year on that day they have a Glen Taylor Day, so I’ve formed a relationship with the club over the years. How could I not?!
“I have loads of messages from their fans all the time. It’s amazing for me really because I’m just a school teacher, so to have all this attention from such a big football club, it’s incredible.
“I always keep an eye on them and in the years since then they’ve gone on to get back to where they belong.
“I went down a couple of years ago and was a guest of honour and walked on at half-time to a standing ovation.
“It’s crazy. I’m just a normal lad who’s a teacher who plays football on the side.”
Taylor is doing himself a disservice there. He’s a non-league goalscoring legend who has regularly been courted by clubs higher up the football ladder, but for various reasons a move has never felt right.
So have Stockport ever been one of the several clubs to have shown an interest in signing him?
“Not that I really know of,” he said.
“There were whispers and stuff, like there has been with other clubs.
“I’ve never really been out of contract to the point where a club would make contact, so who knows.”
And, as Taylor explained in a recent interview with the Northern Echo ahead of Spennymoor’s FA Trophy final in May, he has no regrets about what might have been.
Today’s testimonial will mean so much to Taylor because Spennymoor mean so much to Taylor.
He says: “For me, I was at an age where when the opportunities could have come [to potentially move to an EFL club], I was already settled in my career and my life. I had responsibilities so it would never have worked for me.
“It’s amazing I’ve been at this club for 10 years. I look back to when I was youngster growing up as a Northern League player and wishing I could play for this type of club.
“To do 10 years, to be the record scorer, is something I could never have believed could happen.
“The club means everything to me now. I feel like I don’t remember playing for anyone else. When I do finally hang them up I’d like to think I’ll still be in and around the club.”
Not that he’s thinking of calling it a day any time soon.
“The biggest thing is I don’t actually feel any different when I’m on the pitch to what I did when I was younger,” he says.
“I’m still getting the numbers, it’s just the days after and recovering and games that are close together become a bit more difficult.
“But it’s on me to do everything right to give myself the best chance.
“I’m really professional with the way I’ve always been, which I think is why I’ve always had success.
“As soon as I stop getting the numbers, maybe that’s time to hang them up.”
And then what?
“I haven’t considered it yet because I still think I have plenty to offer as a player,” he says.
“I’m still delivering what I was delivering when I was 27 or 28.
“I’d imagine I’ll be in and around the club in some capacity. My experience, how well I know the club, my link with the manager and chairman, it would be a shame if I wasn’t around the club after my playing days, but we’ll see when I get to that point.”
Taylor’s 10th year at Spennymoor brought the striker his proudest moment – leading the side out at Wembley in May’s FA Trophy final. It ended in defeat to Aldershot but as time has passed since, the pride has grown.
“I probably didn’t appreciate how much of an achievement it was just to get to the final,” he says.
“Obviously afterwards you’re gutted we maybe didn’t do ourselves justice, but I was on holiday afterwards thinking about it and thought ‘wow, how did we get to the final of that tournament?’
“We were playing against full time clubs, clubs who have a hell of a lot of money and big clubs.
“You can reflect now and think wow what an achievement, I captained my team at Wembley, had my kids as mascots and got to sing the national anthem. Nobody can ever take that away from me.
“Having them moments, it does give you that bit between your teeth to go one better.
“Maybe it will be the FA Cup this year, obviously not the final of that one, but can we get to the first round of that one because we haven’t done it for a while?
“In terms of the league campaign, we’re always there or thereabouts. We always have a strong finish but need to start better this year and be in amongst it earlier in the season.”
Today, though, is not about what this season will bring. It’s about Taylor and the last 10 years and that goal against Chorley. And it’s a day that will mean as much to Taylor’s family as it will the striker himself.
“I’ve had so much support my whole life from my parents,” he says.
“Now, being a parent myself, in the Wembley build-up my kids were on TV and getting interviewed. They think their dad is famous!
“They’ll be walking out again as mascots today and my wife will be in attendance. And it’s nice because my wife has to do a lot because I’m always busy with football.
“It puts a lot on her and it will be nice for her to have that moment as well as me.”
Tickets for today’s game are available on the turnstile and are priced at £10 for adults and £5 for concessions.
