Watch former Premier League star score ‘goal of the season’ from near halfway line in non-league clash
FORMER Blackpool star Gary Taylor-Fletcher scored a blinding goal of the season contender from near the halfway line in a non-league clash.
The ex-Premier League striker, who is joint manager for Nantwich Town, had to be drafted into the squad at the last minute for a trip to Belper Town on the weekend.
The pair both kicked off towards the bottom of the Northern Premier League, in the seventh tier of English football.
Nantwich grabbed an important away win but the game will be remembered for the outrageous long range effort by Taylor Fletcher, who once netted at Old Trafford.
The 41-year-old manages the non-league side alongside Ritchie Sutton but found himself added to the squad after striker Mwiya Malumo was unable to start the game.
Ivan Urvantev came into the starting line while Taylor-Fletcher started on the bench.
The Nantwich joint gaffer then subbed himself on with his side 2-1 up in the second-half – and unleashed something extraordinary to secure the win.
The Belper keeper messed up his clearance and directed the ball straight to Taylor-Fletcher, stationed just inside the opposition half.
After trapping the ball with one touch, the ex-Blackpool man then whipped a jaw-dropping, long-range strike beyond the keeper.
He was then mobbed by his players in celebration.
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Nantwich’s Twitter account posted the video with the message: “From originally not being named in the match-day squad, to winning goal of the season already.
“All in a day’s work for [Taylor-Fletcher].”
Fans loved the moment of genius, with one tweeting: “Rolling back the years. Cracking goal!”
Taylor-Fletcher spent much of his career in the EFL but was memorably one of the stars of Blackpool’s sole season in the Premier League in 2010-11.
Led by maverick manager Ian Holloway, the Tangerines stunned the league with their all-out attacking brand of football.
Despite being unfancied at the start of the season, Blackpool clocked up 39 points but it was still not enough to avoid relegation.
Blackpool needed victory at Manchester United on the final day and at one stage led 2-1 after Taylor-Fletcher netted, his sixth Premier League game of the season.
But they would eventually lose 4-2 and went down with Birmingham City and West Ham.