ANDREW Taylor is in line to join Phil Parkinson's coaching staff at Sunderland.
The former Middlesbrough defender, a versatile left-back, only retired in September after deciding the time was right after enduring a difficult end to a successful Bolton spell.
Taylor played under Parkinson at Bolton and was a leader in the dressing room as the club's PFA representative.
The 33-year-old helped the Trotters to promotion from League One under Parkinson and now he will be hoping to repeat the success under him at the Stadium of Light.
Hartlepool-born Taylor graduated through the ranks at Middlesbrough where he represented England at a variety of levels including the Under-21s.
After leaving the Riverside in 2011 he went on to have spells with Cardiff, Reading, Wigan and Bolton.
His contract expired at Bolton at the end of last season and he decided the time was right to call it a day, having been part of the staff which had not been paid for months there.
Parkinson has now given Taylor the opportunity to take his first step into coaching.
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