FORMER England caretaker manager Peter Taylor is joining the staff at Ipswich Town to help manager Roy Keane lift the Blues up the Championship table.

Elvin King

By Elvin King

FORMER England caretaker manager Peter Taylor is joining the staff at Ipswich Town to help manager Roy Keane lift the Blues up the Championship table.

The club were not confirming the appointment last night - but neither were they denying it.

It is believed that the loose ends on the deal are currently being tied up and that the 56-year-old will be in the home dug-out for Saturday's game against Derby County at Portman Road.

Taylor is one of the most respected coaches in the game and left his latest appointment at Wycombe Wanderers by mutual consent earlier this month.

He has managed at all levels and was a successful England Under-21 coach in two spells - one while also managing Hull City.

Taylor was spotted at Town's last two home matches and Keane appreciates that coaches of his calibre do not become available very often.

He is expected to work alongside current Blues number two Tony Langdon, who Keane worked with at Sunderland and who he brought to Portman Road on the day he was appointed last April.

Born in Southend, Taylor began his playing career with Canvey Island and won four England caps while playing 'Third Division' football with Crystal Palace. He moved on to play 123 matches for Tottenham in the top flight.

Taylor's impending arrival adds to the England heritage at Portman Road with Sir Alf Ramsey and Sir Bobby Robson moving in the opposite direction after enjoying great success with the Blues.

After failing to win any of their opening 14 league matches, a re-vamping of the coaching set-up is seen as the best way to move on.

And Taylor will have a vital part to play with Keane saying from day one at Portman Road that he was open to the idea of bringing in an experienced assistant.

It was in November 2000, while in charge of Leicester, that Taylor was appointed England caretaker manager for one match.

His side suffered a 1-0 defeat against Italy in Turin with David Beckham being handed the captain's armband for the first time.

Taylor selected a young side with six players who were still eligible for Under-21 football - Rio Ferdinand, Gareth Barry, Jamie Carragher, Kieron Dyer, Emile Heskey and Seth Johnson.

His first managerial appointment was with Dartford and he moved on to Southend, Gillingham, Leicester City, Brighton, Hull, Crystal Palace, Stevenage and then Wycombe.

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Peter Taylor managerial honours

Dartford: Southern League Cup: winner: 1988, 1989, Southern League Championship match winner: 1988, 1989.

Gillingham: Football League Division Two play-off winner 1999/00.

Brighton: Football League Two winner 2000/01.

Hull City: Football League Division Three runner-up 2003/04. Football League One runner-up 2004/05.

Wycombe Wanderers: Football League Two third 2008/09.