Exclusive: Bristol Rovers set to appoint former Exeter City boss Matt Taylor as new manager

The 41-year-old has emerged as the Bristol Rovers hierarchy's choice to replace Joey Barton

Bristol Rovers are set to appoint former Rotherham United and Exeter City manager Matt Taylor as their new manager, Bristol Live understands.

After the 41-year-old left his role at Rotherham on November 13, the Rovers hierarchy sounded out the Englishman as a potential candidate and conducted talks soon after with Taylor believed to be keen on an immediate return to the dugout should the right opportunity emerge.

Talks also took place with a number of other candidates, including Garry Monk, Karl Robinson and Dean Holden, but Taylor emerged as the board's pick.

Gasheads will be familiar with the former Exeter manager's Grecians side of 2021/22 as they finished second in League Two and were promoted alongside Rovers. Taylor's job at St. James Park was his first in management, going from a coaching role to being appointed as manager in 2018 before guiding the club to promotion to League One in 2022.

That promotion season, as well as the opening weeks of the 2022/23 campaign, saw Taylor work with summer signing Jevani Brown. The current Gas forward was a key player in getting Exeter promoted as well as helping them establish their place in the third tier, scoring 14 goals and providing nine assists in 32 appearances.

However, an opportunity arose at Rotherham in October 2022 and Taylor joined the Championship side, leading them to 19th place in the second tier last term, the Millers' highest finish in the league since 2004. This season hadn't quite worked out at the Yorkshire outfit with the 41-year-old relieved of his duties earlier this month.

Although from the Lancastrian town of Chorley, Taylor has deep ties to the south west having played as a centre-back for Team Bath, Exeter City, Cheltenham Town and Bath City as well as of course raising his profile as a manager with Exeter.

The appointment, which is expected in the next 24 hours, will put an end to five weeks of uncertainty after Rovers parted company with former manager Joey Barton on October 26. Since then, Barton's former assistant Andy Mangan has taken caretaker charge in seven matches, winning four, drawing two and losing one.

However, Tuesday evening's 1-1 draw at home to Leyton Orient prompted supporters to make their opinions on the situation known, both vocally at the match and on social media, desperate for an appointment.

Despite nothing being confirmed at the time, it did appear as though Mangan was issuing a goodbye in his post-match press conference on Tuesday. "Everyone knows what's happening at the club," the caretaker manager declared. "Are the staff going to stay? Are the staff going to go? Don't for one second think that the players don't feel that. Everyone at the club has rallied. I couldn't be any prouder of them.

"The staff, Glenn Whelan, Danny Ventre, Kevin Bond who's come in. The auxiliary staff, the sports science, the analysts, the nutritionists, Kelly, the chef. Everyone has been incredible alright? It's been a difficult situation."

Rovers are set for cup away trips to Crewe Alexandra in the FA Cup on Saturday and to Crawley Town in the EFL Trophy round of 32 on Tuesday night before hosting Cheltenham Town in League One on December 9. Taylor will then round off the calendar year with a tricky-looking run of league games with matches at Bolton Wanderers and Blackpool before Christmas before hosting Portsmouth and Charlton Athletic.