ROBERT TAYLOR is undoubtedly one of the finest strikers to have graced Priestfield.

However, it took him a while to settle in at the club, due largely to the fact he hadn't had a proper pre-season when he arrived on the eve of the 1998-99 campaign from Brentford for £500,000.

His critics were made to eat their words though...and then some!

The turning point in Super Bob's Gills career was clearly his fine injury-time header against Second Division champions-elect Fulham in November 1998 and from splitting supporter opinion down the centre, Bob just went from strength to strength and ended the season by taking the coveted Player of the Year award.
 

There were many highlights along the way, including all five goals at Burnley on a sensational afternoon and the quality of most of his goals clearly belonged at a level higher than Division Two.

Indeed in the heartbreaking play-off final that season against Manchester City, Bob looked to have sealed promotion to a higher level as he thundered home past Nicky Weaver from strike partner in crime Carl Asaba's neat backheel to give Gillingham a two-goal lead with just minutes remaining. You won't need reminding of the end to that story, so we won't remind you!

Striker's of Bob's quality are a rare commodity outside the top two divisions and it was inevitable that speculation would build over his future, especially given his sensational form under Peter Taylor in the early stages of 1999-2000. Ironically, it was Manchester City who appeared to be leading the chase, but while the rumours raged, Bob remained a Gill and just got better and better.

A magnificent treble against Wrexham in double quick time was somehow betterd by a hat-trick of the highest quality against Bristol City. Amazingly, he had only came off the bench at half-time due to an injury problem.

The goals continued - as did the speculation - and by the time Bob plundered a typically predatory strike away to Scunthorpe in November it was clear the end was nigh.

It was basically a goal a game that season and the Glanford Park match proved to be his last game and last goal for the club as Manchester City moved in with a £1.5m swoop - Joe Royle seeing Super Bob as the key to his side's push for the Premiership.

Bob was only at Priestfield for 15 months or so, but what an impact he made. 39 goals in 70 games tells its own story. The quality of his goals made it seem as if he scored even more!

He was almost predictable in the closing stages of his career - if he shot, he scored!

Things haven't really worked out for Bob since he left. Dogged by injuries ever since, it's difficult not to wonder if maybe he'd have been better off staying and enjoying the success at Gillingham. That said, he did score the goal which just about got Manchester City promoted to the Premiership, but he was sold on to Wolves for £1.5m at the start of the 2000-2001 campaign and his injury nightmare has continued at Molineux.

Once fit, surely the goals will flow from Super Bob's right foot once again. In the meantime, let's get some goalscoring comments from the man himself as we delve into the Gills v Wolves programme from September 2000 and take a look at the "Eat My Goal" column with a certain R Taylor:

Best Gills goal?

Probably one of the six against Bristol City and Wrexham last season. The free-kick against City was nice. I thought they'd have watched the Wrexham game when I put it in the top left corner, so I changed it and put it in the other corner. The run and finish away to Oldham the season before was nice and I can't quite remember who it was against, it might have been Stoke, when Andy Hessenthaler played it to me and I flicked it up and volleyed it first time.

Best non-Gills goal?

When I was at Leyton Orient we were playing Crewe, I think. The ball came up to me, I turned, beat about three players and bent it into the bottom corner with my left foot. We won 5-0 that day. The goal I scored at Priestfield for Brentford the season before I joined was a good one too.

Most important goal?

At the end of last season for Manchester City against Birmingham. If we'd have drawn that game we would have been two points behind Ipswich with only one game left. It was a dead-ball, it was headed down to me and I stuck it away. It was probably the best night of my City career, especially being at Maine Road. The goal in the play-off final against City 12 months earlier comes close.

Luckiest goal?

My first at City, against Swindon, was quite fortunate. Frank Talia, who's at Wolves now, was in goal. I turned the centre-half on the edge of the box and hit it and he let it between his fingers and it just squirmed over the line. It was an important goal for me, being my first for the club.

Best own goal?

I've never scored one yet, touch wood!