Ramsgate’s 53-goal striker Joe Taylor will use promotion disappointment as motivation to go one better next season

Record-breaking Ramsgate striker Joe Taylor is fired up to go one better next season.

Taylor enjoyed the most prolific campaign of his career, scoring 53 goals in all competitions, including 42 in 38 Isthmian South East games.

But for all his efforts in front of goal, Rams missed out on promotion, beaten by Chichester in the play-off semi-finals after finishing Isthmian South East runners-up with 89 points.

He quickly signed up for another crack at promotion, agreeing a new deal within a week of the season finishing, and is determined to lead Ramsgate to the Isthmian Premier.

“Every season I need fuel to go again and this season my fuel will be not getting promoted with 89 points in a 38-game season and some negative comments from people saying we bottled the league,” said Taylor.

“As a team, we’ve got the fuel to go again.

“I think we’re keeping a good core of the team.

“There’ll be players added and some changes.

“It won’t be exactly the same squad but if we improve on what we had last season we’ll be in an even stronger position.

“That’s why it’s exciting for me because I know the players we’ve retained and they are very strong players.

“We might lose one or two we maybe didn’t want to lose but I look forward to seeing who replaces those guys.

“I’m also looking forward to having a full pre-season with the boys and working on what we need to work on.

“I missed that last season where I joined the day before the season started.”

Taylor was the first player to sign a new deal and he’s been appointed captain by manager Ben Smith, having filled in last season while the now-departed Mike West was out injured.

TJ Jadama, who followed Taylor in staying on, is the new vice-captain.

Taylor had no intention of leaving Ramsgate.

He said: “I had contact from the manager and the chairman (James Lawson) pretty much straight away.

Joe Taylor voted KentOnline player of the season

“They wanted to get me done early, probably to stop me talking to other clubs but to show some intent to everyone and the other players that we are going to go for it again.

“I’m a player who likes to show loyalty. I had a few clubs on to me after the season finished and I probably would have had a few more with the season I had and how the last few seasons have gone, but I’ve really enjoyed it at Ramsgate.

“They’ve treated me properly, which is the main thing, the chairman, the manager and all the staff at the club.

“The club are doing things properly, it’s in a good position to go forward and they’ve also made me captain.

“I’ve got good people around me, everything’s there’s for me.

“Yes, I’d like to be playing in the league above.

“There’s good teams in there, good crowds, good fixtures, but we’re on a mission here and we’ve got the Thanet derby, so it’s exciting times.

“I’ve played in the derby before, for Margate, and I watched it as a kid loads of times. It’s going to be an occasion where the fans come out, and we had so many of those games last season.”

The captaincy is a bonus for Taylor, who enjoyed wearing the armband in West’s absence.

The added responsibility can weigh heavily on some but the goals continued to flow for Taylor.

“It’s not something I’d done before but I think I’ve always been a leader in the dressing room without being the captain,” said Taylor.

“It’s something I’m proud to take on going forward.

“I’m not a shouter. I like to have other leaders around me.

“It’s important when you’re captain that you’re not the only guy trying to tell people what to do.

“I’m there to encourage the other players to lead as well and, as captain, I like to think I’m there for the younger players, and I can be that go-between for anyone who’s got any issues.

“Before I was captain, I’d always been talking to the boys about how we can improve.

“I’ve had good reviews being captain so I’m not planning on changing too much.”