Taylor Parr has high hopes for Cambridge City in new Northern Premier League campaign

A strong core will be the foundation for Cambridge City in the Pitching In Northern Premier League, Midlands Division, and at the heart of that will be Taylor Parr.

The 28-year-old centre-back is heading into a second season with the Lilywhites, and has become part of a spine of the team which will include goalkeeper Joe Welch, midfielder and captain Scott Bridges and striker Ed Rolph.

Being Cambridge born and bred, Parr was all too familiar with the City story by the time he signed for them, however, his grounding had been with Cambridge United.

Parr was part of the U’s academy from the age of 12 to 18, but it was not to be in the professional game.

“It was good, but at the time for me, I sort of fell out of love with it,” said Parr. “When I was doing it, I didn’t know if it was for me at the time.

“When you are like that at that age, you sort of know you’re not going to make it. Obviously, I was still gutted when I got released.

“But at that time, Cambridge United were the bottom tier of professional football, the Conference, so where do you go from there? It’s an evil pyramid!

“I got released because at that time I wasn’t going to progress past the people ahead of me.”

His love for the game returned at Royston, and spells followed at Godmanchester Rovers, St Neots and back at Royston, before finally being persuaded to sign for City by City boss Robbie Nightingale, who had previously tried to get him on board at the Lilywhites.

“Robbie just told me what he is trying to do, telling me what type of players they are getting in and where they want to go,” said Parr.

“It was a project I wanted to be involved in. I’m a local boy, I know Robbie as he was the groundsman while I was at Cambridge United so I’ve known him for years, so he just sold it for me.

“We were all anticipating Sawston to come, and it’s a big club. When I was growing up, they were hovering around the Conference South top end, and I think that it needs to strive to that again.

“But I think it will be a work in progress and I think Sawston is going to be massive towards that.”

The new stadium at Sawston was an attractive proposition, and one that Parr believes will lure further players in the future. He likens the opportunities to when St Neots developed their own new ground.

“It’s an attractive club already so as soon as that ground comes, wow, everyone is going to want to play for Cambridge City, especially local people,” he said.

“Why would you want to go anywhere else? When I was at St Neots, that was a really nice set up and that’s why I went there.

“When you turn up, you’re in an environment where you think this is nice, professional and it makes you want to be there even more.”

It is anticipated that City will move into Sawston during the course of the new campaign - although this is yet to be confirmed - but the here and now means putting them in the best possible position before that happens.

Parr believes they will be far more streetwise in the Northern Premier League, Midlands Division, after a valuable learning process in their first season in the division.

“We went into it not knowing how physical it was actually going to be,” he said.

“You’ve got to be on your game. Every game is an absolute fight, and you need to do everything to get the points.

“Even last year, just the teams that went down, like Soham and Histon, were our local derbies so there was still something in the games and they were harder than what they needed to be just because of the way it was.

“Last year, I thought we finished off a lot stronger because at the beginning we went into it unexpecting how physical [it would be], what was demanded, it’s not necessarily always going to be tippy-tappy football.

“But towards the end we knew what we had to do to win games. I would like to think we would push for the play-offs this year, that would be my target.”

Parr explained the importance of the likes of Welch, Bridges and Rolph, but also highlighted the quality of some of the younger players coming through the ranks.

“There is definitely a really good blend this year,” he explained.

“In pre-season, Tommy Rigby has been outstanding and puts himself about as well. He’s got the technical ability, and a lot of the boys have, but it is having that bit of strength and physical side of it as well.

“David Haynes is very tidy, but is a big lump as well now for his age. You can just see how he is going to develop.

“You’ve also got Connor Barnes, who has the brute strength already and he’ll do well for us.”

Parr added: “There are loads of young players that are up and coming and then we’ve got people who have played through the levels, been there and done it a little bit more, a bit more experienced if you like. It helps massively.”

City start their campaign this Saturday (August 13) away to Gresley Rovers.