Taylor Doyle (Paul Ellis) 2002

First Regular Appearance: 5.22 (#250) Changing Places  Sunday 24th February 2002

Last Regular Appearance: 5.32 (#260) Forsaking All Others  Sunday 5th May 2002

Duration: EP: 250 - 260  |  SE: 5.22 – 5.32

Position: Football Agent

Last Seen: Blackmailing Danny, who is then killed in the coach crash. His unpopularity due to this probably led to his exit.

Taylor was raised in New Zealand, his well-travelled English sportsman father Patrick Doyle working in the country. He certainly grew up to be his father's son, following his dad into the 'family business' of football where he became an agent, along with picking up the sly and cunning traits masked by the Doyle charm and intelligence. Taylor knows how to get what he wants out of and from people, but he has no loyalty to anyone but his father. It is not difficult to fathom why he is single despite being good looking and successful, and friendless despite oozing confidence and charisma.

By the early 2000's Taylor was in France, his father in the top role at Paris Saint-Germain. His first inkling of Harchester United came with the selling of the side's Nigerian international Monday Bandele, and other future Harchester alumni under Patrick at PSG during this time, striker Curtis Alexander, who was later to sign for the Dragons after setting his brother up with a contract at the club.

A month after Linton Alexander signed for Harchester, Sam Irving appoints Patrick as Harchester's new permanent manager taking over from Monday who was acting caretaker. Naturally, Taylor follows his dad to the Premier League, and working on a piece on his father's appointment, the camera crew pick up a fight between Monday and Andrei Belanov. The incident is hushed up, but Andrei causes the club further embarrassment by telling the press Monday beat him up. Rival agent Jeff Stein finds him a move to Parma, only for Taylor to come in and switch Andrei's destination to AC Monaco, leaving Jeff in the dust.

It is the beginning of a battle-of-the-agents between Taylor and Tash Parker, with Taylor not only snatching new property Robbie Walsh, but he goes after Jeff's most prized signing Danny Rawsthorne. When Danny receives a call-up for the England Under 21's, Taylor has something bigger to sway Danny - the chance to play for Ireland in the World Cup through his ancestry to his grandmother. Danny chooses Ireland, but the amount of publicity and commercials he has taken for Jeff and Tash alongside his intense playing and training schedule leave Danny exhausted. Taylor persuades Danny to skip a call for a sports car company, and his influence begins to wreck Danny's long-held relationship with Jeff and Tash.

When Joe Rawsthorne reveals how Danny was the result of an affair between his wife and another man, Taylor pays Joe to record a tape with he and Danny discussing how he no longer has the link to play for Ireland, and Taylor uses it to force Danny into taking a lucrative transfer to Atletico Madrid. Paul Hankin learns of Danny’s parentage, and Joe passes the recording to him, resulting in Danny's international career left in doubt. That same night, Danny is killed when the Harchester team coach crashes on it's way to the airport for the UEFA Cup Final in Amsterdam. Taylor's actions before Danny's death leave him less than popular in Harchester, and after the crash he packs his things and makes a prompt exit for an unmentioned destination.