Bristol Rovers striker Matty Taylor is on the brink of becoming a Football League player, six years after being released by hometown club Oxford United, writes MATTHEW BRUCE.

The 25-year-old Kidlington-born striker has hit 20 goals this season to fire Rovers into the Vanarama Conference Premier play-off final against Grimsby Town at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.

In doing so, he triggered a further year’s extension on his one-year contract with the club, which could see him making his Football League debut next season and complete his incredible rise to stardom.

When he was released by the U’s in 2009, Taylor believed his his career in professional football was over and he went on to join his local side, North Leigh, in the eighth tier of football.

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“I’d given up on professional football, to be honest,” said Taylor.

“After I was released by Oxford I didn’t even go for any trials, I just wanted to get my love of the game back.

“When I first joined North Leigh I had some hope that it would only be short-term, but by the second season I had completely forgotten about all of that and I was just enjoying my football.”

Eighty goals in two seasons at Eynsham Park soon attracted the interest of higher-placed clubs, however, and in 2011 Taylor joined Forest Green for an undisclosed fee, before making the move to the Gas last summer.

Among the clubs reportedly interested in securing his services at that time were Oxford United and although Taylor won’t rule out a return to the Kassam Stadium in the future, he feels his decision to go west has been vindicated.

“I had a few offers from League Two clubs, but this just felt right for me and I think I’ve backed it up with the season I’ve had,” he said.

“I had some interest from Oxford and I did speak to them, but I’d already made my decision at that point.

“I would like to go back one day, because I grew up supporting them and it’s my hometown club. Maybe at some point in the future, if the offer is right.”

Taylor’s only previous trip to Wembley was with the U’s – he was watching from the stands when they secured their own Football League return in 2010.

Now he is looking forward to the chance to do it himself.

He said: “It excites me, because that’s what I set out to do all those years ago.

“If you’d said to me when I was at North Leigh that in five years I’d be playing at Wembley I would never have believed you.

“Now that I’m there I’m going to give it everything to go out and win it.”