Faversham Strike Force striker Harry Taylor on being named KentOnline’s player-of-the-season, his goal-laden campaign and faith boss Stuart Benfield showed in him

Harry Taylor admits it was a surprise to be named KentOnline’s player-of-the-season after a goal-laden campaign at Faversham Strike Force.

Taylor played an important role as Strike Force maintained their Southern Counties East League Premier Division status.

A striker who scores goals in a team battling relegation, when chances are harder to come by, is the sign of a good player. Taylor proved that man, finishing with 22 goals.

He came just ahead of Ebbsfleet United’s Ben Chapman, taking 24 per cent, as more than 1,000 people voted.

Taylor said: “It was a nice surprise, to be honest. Being in team-of-the-year was fantastic.

“I kept up-to-date with it over the final couple of days. I saw Ben Chapman, from Ebbsfleet, was rising up, but I just about beat him.

"It was very good.”

Taylor, still just 25, has already experienced plenty throughout his career.

“I was at Millwall for six years but didn’t get a pro contract,” he said.

“It was a tough one, coming into non-league. I was at Sittingbourne, then went to Sweden, but I never really settled. I trained at Chatham and Sheppey but, also, you need to get a career, rather than training five days a week.

“I then went into SCEFL with Rochester and Larkfield & New Hythe, and it’s got me to where I am.”

Taylor earned a contract at Swedish top-flight club Ostersunds in 2019 after a lengthy trial period.

On what the experience of playing abroad was like, he replied: “Very cold!

“At times, it was minus five. It was completely different but it was a good experience. It was something that the LFE helped to offer to players.

“I played for the second-team of the club that Graham Potter was at and Blair Turgott was there, as well, at the same time.

“It’s a lot about technical players.

"It