Big Interview: Ex-Rotherham United boss Matt Taylor ready for management again after family tragedy

Now the former Rotherham United chief finally feels ready.

Family tragedy late last year meant that football understandably took a backseat.

December 2024 was a harrowing period for Taylor and his loved ones. He lost his job at Bristol Rovers, but more profound events happened in his life.

Prior to his exit from Rovers, Taylor had taken some leave of absence. It came after his sister Hannah, who was staying with him and his family at their Bristol home, had complications during childbirth.

Her newborn daughter Elsie had been placed on life support after suffering oxygen deprivation. Hannah also required life-saving surgery and was in ICU.

She recovered gradually, but Elsie's condition remained critical and following consultation with doctors, the heartbreaking decision was made to turn off her life support. She passed away peacefully in the arms of Hannah and husband Steve.

Amid the grief, Taylor's wife Sarah later discovered she was pregnant with their third child. It was a time of complex emotions in the Taylor family.

Professionally, it was also a tough period for Taylor, but that paled into insignificance. Even when he was sacked by Rovers following a difficult run of form. Football could wait amid a desperately sad time.

This Christmas, the family will remember Elsie. Thoughts will also turn to the new year with Taylor eager to get back to what he knows. Family have come first in 2025.

Taylor told The Yorkshire Post: "The football was separate, really (at Bristol Rovers).

"We didn't win enough games. It was a difficult club to manage, but then obviously with what happened behind the scenes with my sister and her family was tragic, so it took a while to get over that.

"At the same time, my wife fell pregnant. So probably up until August when my son (Conor) was born, I was concentrated on family more than anything.

"Now he's four months old, so it's certainly time for me to get back out there and leave them all to it now and get back to work.

"I'd always been the same type of person. I can get through most things, but here were other people who probably needed my full attention more than maybe if I was in work.

"As a family, we sort of made a decision to have a few weeks off. I'd managed straight for the best part of six and a half years, so I probably needed a little bit of a physical and mental break anyway.

"It coincided with us moving back to south Sheffield in March and making roots here.

"We didn't realise how lucky we are in terms of the schools and the Peak District being on our doorstep. And also Sheffield has been such a fantastic city.

"We're really lucky, it's certainly a lovely place.

"I go over to my nan in Manchester, which is an hour away and my parents are just outside Wigan, which is an hour and a half away. Everywhere is close enough to be connected.

"We've got three young children now and the time spent with the kids, I might never get that time back.

"They'll start the schooling system in the next couple of years and I'll be away for most of the days, but while they've been here and needing us like they are because they're so young, it's been incredible. I've built better relationships with my family than I've ever have done before.

"The challenge will be if I can maintain them and be sustainable when I go back into work."

Taylor remains fully appreciative for the support of the League Managers Association and the wider football community during such a fraught period in his life.

In terms of getting back in the dug-out, he has stepped up his presence at a number of live games and has also been completing his diploma in football management.

Chorley-born Taylor, who started his managerial career in the league at Exeter City, continued: "I completed my Pro Licence four and half years ago now, so there's not many more actual coaching qualifications I can do.

"Obviously, I've got a degree and a Masters as well, so getting on a diploma was great and it's networking as well and keeping your name in.

"Certainly one thing I'm learning is that you've got to build a brand and be noticed.

"When I took a bit of time away from Bristol Rovers, the LMA were the first ones to call, offering support, guidance and a network of experts.

"People who either I wanted to speak to or my wife or my family or even my sister wanted to.

"They provide a support network which is second to none. Hopefully they'll keep growing because the tenure of football managers seems to be getting shorter and shorter."

"The courses they deliver, they are the ones which I constantly go on for all sorts of reasons.

"It's the educational side first and foremost, but obviously they are in the same room as some fantastic football brains, with guest speakers.

"The people they get in to come and talk on the panels are people who've been there and done it and have got a fantastic bank of experience who you can chip into."

The perspective that Taylor has been afforded over the past 12 months has also broadened his own skills-set as a human being.

He will take them into the next chapter of his working life.

He said: "It's just life experiences we go through, good and bad times.

"We all go through them; you always need people around you to be good in terms of education, advice and comfort.

"I've probably got a bigger sense of empathy (now), it's something I've constantly worked on in my time as a leader - building connections and building those relationships.

"The last two clubs I've managed at, I'm not sure I'll have as difficult jobs (again). Bristol Rovers, behind the scenes, it was absolutely incredible.

"I've certainly experienced a lot in the last couple of tenures, so I'm probably better equipped now than I ever have been before and probably got a slightly different outlook on my way of working.

"You have to take the rough with the smooth. You look back on your promotions, developing players and keeping Rotherham in the Championship and building a different set of aspects of the club, infrastructure wise.

"But then you've got to understand that if you don't win enough games of football, then your job as a manager will always come under a question and threat.

"I was offered a job in the league quite early on when I took time out, but it was too soon. And then probably in the last few months (but) not at the level I want to be at.

"But I'm also realistic that one thing you realise when you're out of work is how competitive it is to get back into it."

A Lancastrian by birth, Taylor has fallen in love with the part of Yorkshire where he now resides. It has also provided sanctuary for him and his young family.

A keen cricketer, the 43-year-old kept his competitive juices flowing while playing for Sheffield Collegiate CC - Joe Root's old club - last summer.

Taylor, who has also turned out for Penistone CC during his time at Rotherham, said: "I'm a paying member of the MCC. So I get down to go to Lord's when the test matches are on and play a few MCC games.

"I got 100 in a charity game for White Coppice (cricket club in Chorley) where I spent a lot of time as a kid. So it was a great day. But when actually moving back to Dore, I just Googled the closest cricket club and it was Sheffield Collegiate.

"I went to the sports centre there and asked the lady on the desk if there were any winter nets going on and it happened to be the first team captain's mother. She gave me his number and next thing you know I'm netting with the first and second team.

"I played with the third team to start with and then got in the second team and got some runs. It was brilliant.

"It's something I've always loved doing but then to share a changing room again with no pressure of leadership and management in there was great.

"Just enjoying the changing-room banter and connections and the team ethic. It's something I hadn't done for a little while."