Club captain Jake Taylor joins Mike for an inside look at Sutton United as the club prepares for a new National League season.
From joining Reading’s academy at just eight years old to leading Sutton’s rebuilt squad, Jake discusses the experiences that shaped him as both a player and a captain. He explains the importance of leaving the academy environment to play men’s football, how loan spells helped him grow up and why his career has taken him from right-back and striker to his current role anchoring the midfield.
Jake also reveals why he chose to join Sutton while the club was bottom of the table last season, what the young squad lacked during that difficult campaign and how the arrival of more experienced players has changed the balance of the group.
The conversation covers the responsibilities that come with being club captain, mentoring younger teammates, dealing with criticism on social media and creating a dressing room where players genuinely enjoy working together.
Jake describes a brutal but carefully planned pre-season, including the enormous distances covered by the squad, and explains why every session has been designed to make Sutton one of the fittest teams in the National League.
He also discusses the ruthless and relentless standards demanded by manager Chris Agutter, the squad’s ambition to challenge for promotion and why nobody has joined Sutton simply to settle for a comfortable mid-table season.
There is also time for some dressing-room quickfire questions, including the loudest player, the funniest teammate, the squad’s questionable fashion choices and who might make the best manager after retiring.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and the shoebox trophy
03:15 Early career at Reading Academy
07:40 Developing through the loan system
11:20 Footballing influences and Gianfranco Zola
14:50 Mentoring the next generation
18:15 Why Jake joined Sutton United
22:30 Reflecting on a difficult first season
26:45 Handling social media and pressure
30:10 The role of the club captain
34:25 Building squad unity
38:10 Working with Agi
41:50 Quickfire questions and dressing-room chat
45:30 Surviving a brutal pre-season
48:45 Promotion ambitions and a message to supporters
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Sutton United Talk Time on Podcast is produced in association with Lucky Star Gin.
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