Get the lowdown on the U’s next opponents: Solihull Moors

The Opposition

Solihull Moors are a side under new management since the reverse fixture back in October, with former Wealdstone boss Matt Taylor replacing Andy Whing in the Damson Park dugout at the end of January.

Founded just 17 years ago, Solihull Moors have enjoyed a positive start to life after entering the Conference North in 2007, and have since flirted with promotion to the EFL on numerous occasions.

After being promoted to the fifth tier in 2016, Solihull avoided relegation in their first two campaigns as a National League club and established themselves in the division, before narrowly missed out on promotion to League Two for the first time ever in 2022 and 2024, losing in the play-off final on both occasions to Grimsby Town and Bromley.

While they had got off to a positive start to their tenth successive campaign in the fifth tier, the departure of Whing to League Two side Barrow has seemingly derailed their season slightly, and the Moors have endured a difficult run of form that has seen them drop to 15th in the Vanarama National League table, having lost all but one of their seven games so far under Taylor, with the other being a 1-1 draw with former club Wealdstone in his first game in charge.

Recent Form

Aldershot Town 3-1 Solihull Moors

Solihull Moors 1-3 Gateshead

Woking 1-0 Solihull Moors

Barnet 3-1 Solihull Moors

Solihull Moors 0-1 Oldham Athletic

Wealdstone 1-1 Solihull Moors

The Manager

Matthew Taylor

Former defensive midfielder Matthew Taylor replaced Andy Whing in the Damson Park dugout at the end of January, departing fellow National League side Wealdstone for the Moors.

Having turned out for Luton Town, Portsmouth, Bolton Wanderers, West Ham United, Burnley, Northampton Town and Swindon Town as a player, Taylor began his coaching career with the latter when he was named interim manager in 2018, and later transitioned into a player-coach role following the appointment of Phil Brown. The 43-year old had previously worked alongside Luton’s Under-15’s and Under-16’s while he earned his coaching badges whilst at West Ham, and later took on his first full time coaching role following his retirement from football in 2019, taking charge of Tottenham Hotspur’s Under-18’s.

He would later go on to take charge of Walsall and Shrewsbury Town, winning League One Manager of the Month whilst with the former, prior to joining Wealdstone last year.

Taylor subsequently spent almost a year at Grosvenor Vale, guiding the club away from the drop zone to secure a fifth successive season at fifth tier level, but opted to depart for pastures new when Whing left Solihull for League Two side Barrow. The 43-year old was unveiled as the Moors’ new Head Coach a week later, but has endured a difficult spell since arriving at the ARMCO Arena, drawing with former club Wealdstone in his first game in charge, before overseeing five defeats in a row heading into Tuesday’s clash.

One to Watch

Conor Wilkinson

Experienced striker Conor Wilkinson joined Solihull at the start of the season, and has so far impressed with a team-high 14 goals scored in all competitions.

Born in Croydon, Wilkinson spent three years in the Millwall academy at the start of his career before departing in 2013 to join fellow Championship side Bolton Wanderers. He initially appeared for the club’s reserve side and enjoyed a positive goalscoring run, before gaining senior experience on loan at Chester. He scored on his debut for the Seals and served his one-month stint with four games to his name, before further loan spells saw him join Torquay United and Oldham Athletic, the latter coming after he made his senior debut for the Trotters. This was followed by a six-month loan at Barnsley at the start of the 2015/16 season, in which he again scored on his debut, with another three loans away from the Macron Stadium seeing him turn out for Newport County, Portsmouth and Chesterfield.

He would depart Lancashire in 2017 after four years at Bolton, joining Gillingham on a two-year deal. He made 41 appearances for the Gills before making the switch to Leyton Orient, having spent the remainder of the 2018/19 season on loan at Dagenham & Redbridge, scoring 12 goals in 23 games, with six of them coming in a brief permanent stint at Victoria Road.

Two years with Orient preceded a move to Walsall, and was followed by a move across the border following the end of his Sadlers contract, with a switch to Motherwell. He spent 18 months in Scotland, returning to England the following January with a move to Colchester United where he lasted eight months, before moving to Solihull in August.

He has subsequently featured frequently for the Moors, scoring 14 goals in 28 appearances in all competitions.

Last Time We Met

Jack Wadham’s first goal for the club was enough to secure all three points over Solihull Moors, securing a second successive victory at the hands of Solihull Moors.

Wadham drew first blood after Ashley Nadesan showed superb muscle to win the ball back in the penalty area, before cutting the ball back to the former AFC Bournemouth youngster who stroked home on just his third ever start for the U’s.

The visitors put plenty of pressure on throughout the second half and went closest through Michael Adu-Poku, but the U’s back line held firm to seal consecutive wins for the first time since September.

Rewatch the victory here.

Head-to-Head

Sutton United 1-0 Solihull Moors (26/11/2024)

Solihull Moors 0-0 Sutton United (05/04/2021)

Sutton United 4-1 Solihull Moors (05/12/2020)

Sutton United 0-0 Solihull Moors (25/01/2020)

Solihull Moors 2-0 Sutton United (08/10/2019)

Sutton United 2-2 Solihull Moors (08/12/2018)

Played for Both

Kwame Thomas

Nottingham-born forward Kwame Thomas enjoyed two spells at Sutton, coming either side of a two-year stint at Solihull Moors.

A graduate of the Derby County academy, Thomas signed a professional contract in 2014, having been voted the club’s under-21 Player of the Year and represented England at Under-16, Under-17 and Under-20 level.

He went on to make four senior appearances for Derby, as well as having loan spells at Notts County and Blackpool, before joining Coventry City in 2016. This preceded a move to Sutton the following season, joining the U’s on loan where he played four games, prior to a further loan spell at Solihull where he remained for the rest of the season. He subsequently made the switch permanent the following summer, and went on to make around 40 appearances for the club, scoring four goals, and also spending time on loan at Kidderminster Harriers.

Thomas went on to play for Doncaster Rovers, Burton Albion and AFC Wrexham, and after scoring twice for the latter against us in November 2020, he returned to Gander Green Lane for a second spell in the summer of 2022, making 13 league and cup appearances.

The 29-year old spent the second half of the season on loan at Scottish side Dundee, and after leaving us at the end of the season joined Aldershot Town, prior to a move to Ebbsfleet United at the start of the current campaign.

Photo Credit: Paul Loughlin