Lyle Taylor: I’m a ‘Judas’ because I refused to play for my club ahead of transfer, no loyalty in football

Footballer Lyle Taylor says “I’m a ‘Judas’ because I refused to play for my club ahead of transfer, no loyalty in football.”

The topic arises surrounding Jonathan Rowe withdrawing from the matchday squad for Norwich’s Championship season opener amidst speculation regarding a potential transfer.

This decision led to quite the reaction from Canaries supporters, particularly as the transfer was not imminent.

While Leeds had shown interest, it has been reported that Marseille were also keen. Now Lyle Taylor says he understands Rowe’s choice to not play, as he had previously taken similar action in 2020.

The former Charlton striker, who opted not to participate for the Addicks to prevent injury prior to his transfer to Nottingham Forest, and has now gave his perspective on the situation.

Norwich City’s Jonathan Rowe has refused to play for the club following interest from Marseille 😬

Ex-Charlton striker Lyle Taylor, who declined to play for the Addicks to avoid injury ahead of a move to Nottingham Forest, gives his take 👇#BBCFootball #NCFC #CAFC pic.twitter.com/CacMvAftDr

— BBC 5 Live Sport (@5liveSport) August 20, 2024

He said while on BBC 5 Live Sport: “Loyalty in football is It doesn’t exist. Because when a team, a football club or a set of fans don’t like a player, they want the player out and they say, the player stealing a living, if the player does well for the team and refuses to sign a new contract, that players are Judas.

“If a player then decides to leave and go and better themselves and their career and their life, then that player is a Judas.

“The people who make the decisions and all of those people and the senior players in the group, and the senior players in the group are going, look, we know what you’ve got there.

“We understand that you’ve come off the back of an injury.

“The first injury in my case that I’d had in my career.

“You can’t risk this for that.

“We offered an insurance policy against me, which would have then, should I have got an injury, a long term injury, it would have then meant that the loss of that contract was negated to a degree that was rejected. So there’s a lot of things that went on and we tried to find a way around the issues.

“The fact that there was an owner of the football club who didn’t want to put his hand in his pocket to make those things possible, to make those things happen, stopped it from happening.

“So I had to make a decision that was best for me because the club had already made the decision that was best for them not to sell me twice, even though the price had been set and it had been topped and topped, and it was topped five times in the summer before.

“And then another price was offered in the January and that was topped again on what they wanted. At the end of the day, I’m still Judas because I made a decision for me.”

Twitter users reacted as Lyle Taylor says I’m a ‘Judas’ because I refused to play for my club ahead of transfer, and that there is no loyalty in football…

@cafc_daniel: Now his in league two

@tommywalkerco: Toxic guy

@matthaff: Neglecting to mention that he used Covid as an excuse to not play. Only around four players in the entire entire football league made the same decision that he made. Charlton were relegated. he punished the fans and the employees of the club, not the owner.

@WiseyCabby: Lyle Taylor is a shithouse because he refused to play while under contract. You dont choose when you want/dont want to play. There was no problem with him leaving at end of contract to go to a better club. He left us in the shit when we was in a dogfight. Same as Solly

@DialSquareGunna: He makes the perfect point about loyalty in football – it doesn’t exist. Everyone is out for themselves in a short career to earn as much as possible. And given the way the game is set up then that’s exactly what they should do.

@Fire_Cafc: And who paid his wages during those several months he was injured ….oh yeah

@Hutch579: We move on (bowyer did and we should) I was disappointed he didn’t play although I can see his side. I also remember him turning up at my dad’s aunt Bettys wake at the valley. He took time out of his day to pay respects to a fan these things also shouldn’t be overlooked. #cafc

@_SamuelDay: Embarrassing

@RogDog_CAFC: 🐍🐍🐍

@HtafcDream: I see he’s still got Karlan Grants poster on his bedroom wall

@MarcoSELondon: He conveniently forgets to mention he’d injured himself playing in a meaningless fixture for Montserrat, missing a whole chunk of #cafc games. The club got him fit again, then he refused to play on a technicality when needed. He was a good player but proved to be an awful man.

@CliveR39: Poor research by production team and presenter to NOT be aware of full facts/circumstances and to believe Taylor’s spin. Never mind the contract, feel the self-interest.

@SaintMichael293: No issue with bettering yourself, fans who don’t see it as a job is weird imo. Going to Forest set him up for life, all that’s fine. Refusing to play when under contract is the issue. If Charlton refused to pay him while contracted would he say it’s ok? Can’t have it both ways

@rootsycafc: You choose to sit out the last 9 games of the season whilst still under contract because you knew you were moving. We went down by one point, and we all knew you would have got us at least 1 point. That’s why you’re hated. You didn’t honour your contract and watched us go down

@Marriott110: @5liveSport stick someone on to challenge Lyle on this and ask why did he feel the need to use the covid break as an excuse and why did he not honour his contract which covered 9 of the 11 or so games after the restart in lockdown #cafc

@platty82639487: Usual 💩here. Paraphrasing he is saying if I sign a three year contract and then think I may get another contract I may well not play the last 3/6 months in case I get injured but I am happy to get paid – in addition in same season will take wages when injured on int duty 🐍🐍

@Saund65: Except this bloke was *30* when he did what he did and had already played for about 10 clubs. Rowe is 21 & came through #NCFC’s youth system. That should bring more loyalty.

@alfiedavis118: @lyletaylor90 if you had of played we would have stayed up. Totally💩 on us when the club and fans had been so good to you

@AlfieClark0: Still a Judas, single handedly relegated us👍👍

@guinnessaddick: He was injured on international duty, he was quite happy to pick up his wages whilst recovering. Then he refused to play because he might get injured. He can’t have both ways. 🐍

@a_mond2: Big point Lyle and 5Live (who sadly don’t challenge him but just feel it’s their duty to give him a platform to spout his one sided view of things) miss is that HE WAS UNDER CONTRACT. It’s not about loyalty. He was being paid so should have played. Cost us a relegation!

@franksav63: He can’t have it both ways! He said he was (rightly) paid by Charlton when injured on international duty, then reneges on his contract and refuses to play at the end of the covid season in the fear of getting injured! 🙄

@dan_rendle: 🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍 @lyletaylor90

@danbashamCAFC: FYI Lyle, Alfie May isn’t a Judas, he literally left us for money. He played out his contract, played his heart out every minute and Charlton fans respect him. Not you.

@Matthew_Ring: No doubt Roland did naff all, but the club needed you and you said no, all for a few weeks. Play, score the goals that keep us and leave as a hero. As it is…we all know what happened. How’s it going now anyway?

@nffckez: And what a great decision that was. Will go down in forest folklore for the two goals against Bristol city and got a better rendition of MOK every time he played

@tonywbrown: Everyone at @CAFCofficial knows who and what Lyle Taylor is. Shameful behaviour to let your team mates down. His career has been in free-fall ever since.

@stevehales18: Why would anyone want a player with that attitude to play for their club

@JDT147: How did going on strike work out Lyle ? Now can’t get a game in league two and everyone hates you . Fucking snake 🐍

@KingOfCoolCAFC: He is a snake cunt and look what he’s done since, absolutely fucking nothing. Karma has got him.

@soverncomfort: you were under contract you stupid prick. If you dont want to meet the terms of your contract dont fucking sign it.

@RyanMason149224: Disingenuous. He was contracted by #cafc. There was a move at the end of the season. He went away to Monserrat and got injured on hard pitches. Come back, paid, got fit, then refused to play for the last 8 games incase he got injured for his move. 1 goal would have kept us up.

@bigcol1001: And how did that work out for you, leave at the end of your shift, not walk out with a few hours to go…. And your right about #cafc supporters view of you 🤬

@cafcforlCAFC: Still a snake 🐍

@crimp_it: The snake … he got at injury playing for the national team of Montserrat whilst playing on third rate pitch. Charlton of course continued to play his wages !