Taylor Plays Down Bolton Soares Link

By Mark Heys
March 8 2007

Crystal Palace boss Peter Taylor has moved quickly to deny reports that midfielder Tom Soares is on his way to Bolton Wanderers...

The 20-year old is very highly thought of at Selhurst Park and weekend reports claimed that Bolton where interested due to the presence of Wanderers assistant Sammy Lee in the crowd during Palace's game against Burnley last weekend.

Taylor confirmed that Lee was an interested spectator at the game but did not know whether or not he was scouting the England U21 international Soares or a player from the Burnley side.

"How anyone linked Tom Soares to a scout from Bolton watching the game I don't know, To me he could have been watching somebody at Burnley, somebody else with Crystal Palace, whoever." remarked Taylor

"I am amazed Tom's is the name which gets mentioned. Don't get me wrong, Tom is an outstanding player and it would never surprise me if any Premiership club were interested in him."

"But I don't think there is anything in it and I get on very well with Sam Allardyce and his assistant Sammy Lee, so I would think I would have known about it." he added

Bolton have previously been linked with Soares earlier in the season as well as his Palace team mate and midfield collegue Ben Watson but Taylor has understadably been reluctant to entertain any interest in two of his best homegrown stars.