Former star lifts lid on bizarre move from Wigan Athletic to Newcastle United

The then-24-year-old utility man joined the Toon as part of the multi-million pound deal that brought Charles N'Zogbia to the DW Stadium.

It was a transfer that didn't look as though it would get done as, just hours before the deadline, Taylor was named in the Latics side for the trip to Aston Villa on January 31.

However, Taylor had other ideas and, with Steve Bruce's blessing, was able to pursue his 'chance of a lifetime'.

"I said to my agent, 'I need to get off this bus,'" Taylor told 'Ladbrokes Fanzone'. "This was the chance of a lifetime for me. I wasn't going to miss out on it.

"I said to him, 'You're going to have to follow this bus, because I'm not missing this move.'

"So my agent follows our team bus down the M6 and pulls up at a service station when he must have got a phone call.

"I basically ended up jumping off the team bus on the way to the game at this service station on the M6 - and off we shot back up the road.

"No hesitation. Not much negotiating. Bang. Done.

"I think Steve Bruce knew what was going on that day with my agent driving behind us.

"We pulled over in this service station and everyone's wondering what's going on, but Steve must have known because there was just too much talk going on at the time about the deal.

"I think the main reason everything was held up was because Charles was negotiating his own personal terms.

"I'm sitting on this bus, though, and obviously I know my agent is right behind us.

"Next thing you know, Steve Bruce just shouts: 'Taylor! Off!' And I've leapt up, giving high-fives to all the boys.

"See you, boys!'"

The move worked out well for Latics, with N’Zogbia enjoying a hugely successful two-and-a-half-year stay – during which he was instruemntal in the club retaining their Premier League status – before being sold to Aston Villa for a tidy profit.