Birmingham boss McLeish reveals failed Ryan Taylor bid

Mar 7 2009 by Colin Tattum, Birmingham Mail

MANAGER Alex McLeish has revealed that Blues were close to signing Wigan Athletic’s Ryan Taylor in January.

He was targeted as one of the alternatives once Stoke City starting making noises for Stephen Kelly on loan.

But Blues drew a blank, as they did with several other inquiries for right-backs, before and after Kelly’s switch.

Fortunately, it looks as if they have landed on their feet with the addition of free agent Stephen Carr, whose contract is set to be extended to the season’s end.

“We had a number of full-backs and right-backs in mind when we had problems in that area,” McLeish revealed. “We also at one stage had a think about Ryan Taylor, who has now gone to Newcastle United, and thought something was maybe going to happen there, but it didn’t.”

McLeish then got chatting to friends of Carr, a trial was arranged, and he was duly engaged.

Ironically, Wigan and Blues had talks in the summer about a Kelly-Taylor swop.

On Carr’s immediate future, McLeish said: “We did a month contract initially and we will be looking to extend it to the end of the season.

“I would think the board would be right behind that one.