He will combine these responsibilities with his role as manager of Hull City AFC.

 

The arrangement will be reviewed by The FA, Hull City and Peter Taylor at the end of the season.

 

Peter Taylor said: “Being involved with England is always a great honour and I am absolutely delighted at being asked to take over the Under-21s again.

 

“I am looking forward to the challenge and I have no doubts that I can combine the job successfully with managing Hull City.”

 

It will be the second time that Taylor has coached the Under-21s. In a highly successful spell spanning 23 matches from August 1996 to June 1999, he recorded 14 victories, 6 draws and 3 defeats.

 

He also took temporary charge of the senior team for the friendly away to Italy in November 2000, introducing several young players to the international set-up and making David Beckham captain for the first time.

 

Adam Pearson, the Hull City chairman, said: “Peter’s involvement with The FA brings great prestige to Hull City and we feel sure that is will be  a successful arrangement for all parties.

 

“We are confident that Peter can undertake these additional England Under-21 fixtures and successfully manage Hull in the forthcoming Coca Cola League season.”

 

As a part of the agreement Hull’s KC Stadium will host an England Under-21 qualifying match early in 2005.

Peter Taylor profile

Peter managed the England Under-21s for just under three years, from August 1996 to June 1999.

He was brought into the England set-up by former Tottenham Hotspur team-mate Glenn Hoddle after he had been appointed Head Coach of the England Senior Team in July 1996.

Peter’s first match in charge of the Under-21s was a UEFA Championship qualifier against Moldova in Chisinau which England won 2-0.

Peter managed the side for a total of 23 matches, including 14 victories, six draws and three defeats, only one of which in a competitive fixture.

England narrowly missed out on the 1998 UEFA Finals, losing on the away goals’ rule after a 4-4 aggregate draw against Greece in the play-offs. With six wins out of six in the next qualifying campaign Peter left the side in good shape before Howard Wilkinson replaced him as manager in July 1999.

In November of the following year Peter was appointed Caretaker Head Coach of the England Senior Team for the friendly match against Italy in Turin, with Steve McClaren as his Assistant.

Peter has had successful careers as both a player and manager. As a player he began with Southend United, impressing Crystal Palace manager Malcolm Allison so much with his dazzling wing-play that he signed Peter for a six-figure fee when he was 20.

He had three great years with the "Eagles" and became the first Third Division player for 15 years to be capped for England at senior level. He made his debut as a half-time substitute against Wales in Wrexham and scored in England’s 2-1 win.

Peter won four caps while at Palace and helped the Third Division side to reach the FA Cup semi-finals before transferring to Tottenham Hotspur in 1976. He later played for Leyton Orient, Oldham Athletic, Exeter City and a number of non-League clubs.

Since leaving the England Under-21s he has managed Gillingham, Brighton & Hove Albion and Hull City to promotion, and had a season in the Premiership with Leicester City from 2000-01.