Peter Taylor today began work as City’s new boss for the next 18 games.

The former England under-21 coach this morning signed a short-term deal until the end of May, with a view to extending it if results go well.

But it also allows City to keep their options open in the summer – with rep-orted interest from a couple of managers currently at other clubs.

Joint-chairman Mark Lawn said: “Peter is a very professional man and we’ve gone for him because of his track record.

“The three-month spell gives us the chance to look at each other so it’s good for both parties.

“If Peter proves himself, I’m sure we will be talking about a longer-term contract. But it does mean we can look at others.

“We have been approached by other people who are still under contract and asked if we wanted to talk to them.

“Obviously Bradford City do our business properly so we won’t be doing that until the summer.

“We had asked their clubs for permission which was refused. But if they want to come and speak to us in the summer, when they are out of contract, the opportunity is there.

“But myself and Julian (Rhodes) are very excited about Peter Taylor joining us. His calibre is there for all to see and he cannot wait to get stuck into it.”

While Stuart McC-all arrived as a hot-seat rookie, 57-year-old Taylor brings with him a wealth of experience.

City will be the eighth league club on his managerial CV, which spans almost a quarter of a century since his first job at Dartford in the Southern League.

He can also boast five promotions – a total for the English game that can only be topped by Dave Bassett.

Taylor, who has managed in all four divisions, also had two very successful spells in charge of England under-21s. He even had one game in charge of the senior side on a caretaker basis, giving David Beckham his captaincy debut against Italy in 2000.

But he is best known in Yorkshire for winning back-to-back promotions with Hull, kick-starting their unlikely charge from the basement division to the Premier League. He also took Wycombe up from League Two a year ago.

Lawn and Rhodes had whittled down the shortlist to two yesterday afternoon after the final round of interviews with Dean Windass and Wayne Jacobs. Martin Allen is understood to be the other candidate who ran Taylor close.

Taylor, sacked by Wycombe in October, faces a tough start with successive away games against Accrington on Saturday and then leaders Rochdale.

He had been repeatedly linked with Notts County. And last week his name was even in the hat for the vacant national job in Nigeria alongside Guus Hiddink.

But the challenge of lifting City from the doldrums – and the parallels with Hull – excites him and he was due to get straight down to business.

Wednesday is usually a day off for the City players. But they came in today to meet the new manager, who was then taking them for training at Apperley Bridge.

There is no immediate talk of Taylor bringing in his own backroom staff. He has asked Jacobs to stay on and assist him.