MATTY Taylor says he will thrive on the adrenalin when he returns to face Bristol Rovers with Oxford United tomorrow.

It will be the striker’s first appearance against the Pirates since leaving them for rivals Bristol City in 2017.

United’s fixtures with Rovers are typically feisty affairs, but Taylor’s move on loan to Karl Robinson’s side this week adds an extra dimension.

In the past the striker has been on the receiving end from the Yellow Army, particularly following an aborted move in 2016.

Also read: Bristol Rovers warn supporters ahead of Matty Taylor return with Oxford United

Taylor responded with the winner at the Memorial Stadium in their next meeting and is unfazed about what may await him tomorrow.

“I thrive on it, to be fair,” he said.

“It probably won’t be nice when you’re getting called all sorts of names, but if you want to do that and it gets my adrenalin going then more fool you really.”

He added: “With Oxford and Rovers we’ve had some good battles along the way.

“I’ve always tended to do well against Oxford, I don’t know if I was a bit more fired up because you want to play well against your hometown club to show them what they’re missing.

“Now I’m on the other side wearing the yellow shirt and trying to beat them.

“I’m not sure what sort of reception I’ll get, but I’m ready for the challenge.”

Taylor’s cross-city move was controversial and there was a police presence at his home in the immediate aftermath.

But the striker, who smashed 67 goals in two and a half seasons for Rovers, says he has since met many supporters who saw his point of view.

He said: “I understand people were angry, but I think as time’s gone on a lot of fans have mellowed out.

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“I’ve bumped into many Rovers fans and they’ve said ‘thank you’.

“It’s my job at the end of the day.

“I know it’s not a normal job, but the way I explain it is if you could go over the road to get a better contract at a higher standard everyone would do it, bar one per cent, who would be silly not to.

“I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Bristol Rovers, it was an amazing time in my career to win back-to-back promotions.

“But I’d always had dreams of going higher and I felt it was the right move I had to do.”