Walsall loanee Douglas James-Taylor suffers Drogheda United injury blow

The Walsall striker has suffered a tear in his quad, which won't require surgery, but is likely to keep him out until late-April. 

The 23-year-old last featured for the Drogs in a 3-0 win over Longford Town in the Leinster Senior Cup on January 25 and has been absent for the opening three games of the 2025 League of Ireland season. 

James-Taylor was in red hot form for the Irish outfit last term - scoring 13 goals and setting up four more in 22 appearances in all competitions, after joining on loan from Walsall in July last year. 

He also scored Drogheda's second goal from the spot in their 2-0 victory over Derry City in the FAI Cup final in front of 38,723 spectators at the Aviva Stadium in November. 

The young striker is set to return to the West Midlands when his one-year loan deal with the fellow Trivela-owned club expires on July 1, although his current contract with Walsall is due to end the day before. 

Walsall triggered his option year at the end of the previous campaign but the former Stoke City academy product is yet to put pen to paper on a new deal beyond this summer. 

James-Taylor, who initially arrived on loan from the Bet365 Stadium under Michael Flynn in 2022 before signing permanently the following summer, has scored just five times in 63 matches during his two seasons at Bescot.