21-year-old defender Taylor Regan has joined the Jets’ Hyundai A-League side.
The Newcastle Jets have signed talented Novocastrian Taylor Regan on a one-year deal. The 21-year-old defender has been the Jets- captain in the National Youth League (NYL) competition for the past two seasons and will now have the opportunity to display his talent in the Hyundai A-League.
Born-and-bred in Newcastle, Regan began playing football with Dudley-Redhead Junior Soccer Club before joining Azzurri FC as a teenager. His talent was obvious as a youngster, and he was therefore invited to train with the Jets during their Hyundai A-League championship winning season in 2007/08.
From there he stayed on as the driving force and on-field leader of the Jets- NYL side before signing his first professional contract today.
Club CEO John Tsatsimas took great delight in officially welcoming the local boy to the Hyundai A-League side this afternoon.
“It-s always a great and a pleasure when we are able to announce a signing, particularly one that-s from the Newcastle area,” said Mr. Tsatsimas.
“Taylor has been with us for the past couple of years, he-s been our National Youth League captain and has done an exceptional job,” he said.
A composed central defender with a an eye for a quality early ball out of defence, Regan explained that putting pen to paper for his hometown club is a dream come true.
“Ten or eleven years ago I was actually a ballboy for the Newcastle Breakers, back when they played at Birmingham Gardens, and growing up then that-s always what I wanted to do,” he said. “I-ve always wanted to be a professional footballer and to finally get a chance to perform and have a go at finally reaching my dream is something that I-ve always wanted.”
Regan has been on the Jets- bench twice during the past two Hyundai A-League seasons but is eager to take to the pitch for his debut at some point this season.
“Essentially I-m a central defender, and obviously we already have Ljubo Milicevic and Nikolai Topor-Stanley in my position, who are seasoned campaigners and blokes who I really look up to. I aspire to be like them one day, I-ve got a year contract to prove that I can do a job, so if an injury occurs and I get a shot then I-ll take it with two hands.”
The 21-year-old also took time out to acknowledge the contribution that the Jets- coaching staff have made to his elevation to the Hyundai A-League.
“Branko Culina, Mark Jones and Craig Deans all know what you-ve got to do to get through and I-ve been trying to do that. It-s been a good transition for me and I-m enjoying it at the moment.”
