admin“My eyes lit up”: Defender explains West Brom to Millwall transfer decision
Millwall new boy Caleb Taylor has admitted his “eyes lit up” when he found out the Lions were interested in signing him from West Brom.
Millwall summer signing Caleb Taylor spent much of the 2024/25 season on loan at Wycombe Wanderers in League One. West Brom recalled him in January 2025 to provide cover before returning to Adams Park for the remainder of the season.
It was a solid loan for Taylor, but not enough to warrant a place in the Baggies side for this season.
As such, in August, Taylor transferred to Millwall from boyhood side West Brom, where he came up through the academy. The fee was reported to be around £2.5m.
Now, Taylor has explained to News At Den why he decided to move on from The Hawthorns. He stated that due to a lack of first-team opportunities at WBA, he felt he had to move on to prove himself. He said:
“I’m really happy with my time at West Brom.
“I loved it there, it’s my home club.
“But it gets to a point where if you’re not playing, you’ve got to play. I was 22, turning 23 this year. My chance there had gone, and I needed to prove myself somewhere else.
“When I heard Millwall [were interested], it was at the start of a window, my eyes lit up, my family’s eyes lit up. My dad knows what a big club it is and how good the fans are. When I heard about it, I was just really excited and really wanted to get it done.”
Caleb Taylor out to kick on after West Brom loans
Not only do Taylor’s words show his respect for West Brom, but also his realisation that he needed to move on to progress his career.
Taylor had gathered a good amount of experience at League One level, making 88 appearances across three seasons for Wycombe, Bolton Wanderers and Cheltenham Town.
When Taylor was asked if he was ready for the step-up to the Championship, he added:
“I know what it would be like because I’ve trained with top, fast Championship players. I know it’s different from a game, but I know what to expect. Even in League One, it’s very good physically.
“I’m just looking forward to trying to adapt to it and test myself, really.”
What now for Caleb Taylor?
Taylor will be looking to establish himself as a regular starter for Millwall. The Lions have had a solid enough start to the 2025/26 Championship season, and Alex Neil’s side will be targeting the play-offs for a long-awaited shot at promotion to the Premier League.
Taylor has made two substitute appearances for Millwall so far against Wrexham and Watford. Taylor also played the full 90 minutes against Palace in the EFL Cup, where he had a positive game, providing 12 defensive contributions.
Overall, Taylor may take time to adapt to the Championship due to it being a physically and mentally demanding league. There’s solid competition for minutes in South London too.
The Lions’ next fixture is away to QPR, where they’ll look to build some momentum and gain valuable points.
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