Friends reunited

Monday 14th November 2005

TERRAS skipper Matt Bound is targeting an FA Cup upset against Nottingham Forest - and bragging rights over former Southampton youth team-mate Gareth Taylor.

The central defender will be up against Forest striker Taylor, with whom he spent a year at the Dell as a teenager, when the FA Cup first round replay kicks off at the Wessex Stadium tonight.

Bound played a handful of games for Southampton before leaving in 1993, while Taylor left Saints for Bristol Rovers without making a first team appearance in 1991.

Taylor went on to a loan spell at Weymouth and then Crystal Palace, Sheffield United, Manchester City and Burnley, from whom he joined Forest for £500,000 two years ago.

,He missed the 1-1 draw against Weymouth at the City Ground nine days ago through suspension after being sent off against Yeovil last month.

But Bound should get the chance to mark his former Saints team-mate tonight.

The 33-yearold said "I've played against Gareth a couple of times before and it's I-I so far so I suppose you could say this is the decider.

"He's a big lad, is good in the air and has a good touch as well as an excellent football brain so I'll need to keep him quiet.

"We were good friends at Southampton, I spoke to him recently about tonight's game and we've made a pact to stay in touch, whatever the result tonight.

"It's a massive occasion for the club and hopefully we can make home advantage count."

Bound supported Southampton as a boy growing up in Bath and signed as a 13-year-old before making five appearances under lan Branfoot.

One of his two starts included the 5-4 win at Norwich City in April 1994, a game that saw Matthew Le Tissier score a hat-trick.

Saints went on to avoid relegation that year by a single point but that was Bound's last appearance for the club.

His path was blocked by Neil Ruddock, Kevin Moore, Richard Hall and Ken Monkou so after a loan spell at Hull City he signed for Dave Jones's Stockport for £ I 00,000 in 1994.

Three years later he went to Swansea City for £5,000.

He made 201 league and cup appearances in five years for the Welsh club and 111 appearances for Oxford United, from whom he joined Weymouth on a free transfer at the beginning of last season.

Bound remembers his time at Southampton well.

"I went up through the ranks at Southampton, I was an apprentice for two years and then signed my first contract under Chris Nicholl and played a few games under lan Branfoot.

"I was in digs in Lordswood and Qave Merrington and Ray Graydon were in charge of the youth team in those days. I really enjoyed my time there.

"I was 19-years-old when I made my debut. We beat Oldham 1-0 with a goal from Alan Shearer but at the time I didn't realise what an achievement it was to play in the Premiership.

"Because I'd been there since I was a child it passed me by without me fully appreciating it. Matt Le Tissier and Tim Flowers were in the team at that time so we had a good side but under Alan Ball I soon realised I was only going to be a fringe player so I went to Stockport.

"It was a little bit disappointing to leave but it was the best thing to do for my career.

"I've had some good times since then. We won promotion to the first division in my last year at Stockport and when I was at Swansea we won the third division championship.

"Beating Nottingham Forest with Weymouth would be another good achievement."