Morton full back, Scott Taggart, learnt at an early stage of his career that playing for three points is very different to playing in youth team games and it has stood him in good stead as he helps the Greenock side to fight it out for the IRN-BRU SFL First Division Title.
Taggart was a Hibernian player until the summer although a loan spell at Ayr United as well as two temporary periods at Stranraer helped prepare him for life which started on a permanent basis when he joined Allan Moore’s side in the summer.
The Kilsyth born 21-year-old said: “Joining Morton has been a perfect move for me as I am really enjoying my football. Playing week in and week out helps keep you in good form.
“I started off at Hibs when I left school and I was part of their Under-19 squad that won the Championship and the SFA Youth Cup in 2009. It was my first year at that age group, and as a full-timer, and to win the double was brilliant.”
The League was clinched at Fir Park and Rangers were defeated to lift further silverware with Taggart saying: “I was at the SFA Youth Cup Final at Hampden as a substitute and was brought on with about 10 minutes of normal time to go. Kurtis Byrne won the game with the last touch of the ball with a header and to win both trophies against youth sides as strong as Rangers and Celtic that season was a great achievement.”
Taggart played another year at Under-19 football and was rewarded with a two year contract with the Edinburgh club in 2010 however, it was in the SFL that he realised that there was a step up when playing in a first team environment.
“I went to Ayr United for a six month loan to gain experience,” said Taggart before adding, “It was the first half of their year in the Second Division that ended up with them being promoted via the Play-Offs. It was a great experience although I did pick up a knock in my first game that meant I did not play as often as I had wanted.
“I did learn though that you cannot beat playing in the first team for gaining experience. It brought it home to me that Under-19 football had been about development but playing for three points in a League game is very different indeed. I went back to Edinburgh with a slightly different view of football after that experience.”
Taggart went back to Hibs for the second half of that season and played for the Easter Road side as they closed out their SPL campaign against Hamilton Academical, Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Aberdeen.
At the start of season 2010/11, Taggart found himself not involved in first team affairs at Easter Road and come September he opted for a three month loan at Third Division Stranraer where he made his debut in a 1-0 win over Elgin City.
He scored his first senior goal in a 6–0 December win against East Stirlingshire and Taggart said: “I have to thank Mark Brown the goalkeeper for getting me in at Stranraer. He was at Hibs then as well as doing some goalkeeping coaching with Stranraer and he recommended me to Keith Knox who was the Manager at the time. I went along to one training session and that was me signed up on loan.”
At the end of that spell just before Christmas 2011, Taggart returned from Stair Park but the following month, he was back playing for Knox and his Stair Park side on a loan deal until the end of the season. He marked his return with another goal against Elgin, this time in a 5-2 success.
Taggart helped the Blues finish third in the table and win a Play-Off Semi-Final against Queen’s Park before facing Albion Rovers for a place in the Second Division for this season.
The first game was won 2-0 however, a stirring comeback from Rovers saw them win the second leg 3-1 and when the tie went to a penalty shoot-out, the Coatbridge men sneaked a win on a 5-4 margin.
Despite that disappointment, Taggart looks back on his time in Stranraer blue and white fondly as he explained: “Stranraer were a really good side last season and we won a lot of games. We were really unlucky not to win the Play-Offs. I played in the two matches against Albion Rovers, there was nothing between the teams and it took a penalty shoot-out to separate us.”
Taggart had the confidence to take one of the spot-kicks and he scored it saying: “I would like to think I could chip in with a couple of goals every season as well.”
Indeed, he chipped in with his first goal for the Greenock club in dramatic style on Boxing Day as he hit the winner in Morton’s 2-1 win at Firhill against fellow promotion chasing side Partick Thistle when he shot a David O’Brien cross past Graeme Smith to end Thistle’s invincible home record.
Steven Craig had headed the Jags in front before half-time with former Thistle favourite Martin Hardie restoring parity early in the second half before Taggart hit home with six minutes left and he said: “That was my first goal for the club and it was a good one to get.”
Taggart added: “I have gone close with shots against the bar and post so it was great to break my duck and score the goal to win the game. I had only been on for a couple of minutes and it was only my third or fourth touch of the ball.
“We then beat Dunfermline 4-2 three days later to go top of the First Division and I came on and played in that one as well so it was not a bad way to end 2012.”
Not starting games is not troubling Taggart at the moment as he explained: “I am gaining great experience by being included every week and playing in such a competitive division as the First Division. Hopefully, my involvement will grow especially as I have played centre half, right back and on the right hand side of midfield and have really enjoyed every role.
“We have Falkirk this weekend and they are a young side but they are a decent side. They like to play football on the deck and so do we so it should be a good game but a tough one to win.”
One of the reasons that Taggart is enjoying his time at Cappielow so much is down to the squad that Allan Moore has assembled with the defender saying: “Thankfully, we have a good mix of youth and experience at the club and that will help us throughout the rest of this season. We have guys that have won promotion at clubs like Dunfermline and Hamilton and they know what is involved.
“They pass that experience and their knowledge down to the other players in training sessions and games and they are not shy about it.”
Being roared on by Mark McLaughlin, Kevin Rutkiewicz and Hardie does not faze Taggart who said: “They are quite vocal but the way I look at it is that their experience can only help me in my football career so it’s a good thing.”
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