LUKE Summerfield has celebrated a new one-year deal with Argyle by pledging to improve as a player and succeed as a Pilgrim.

The young midfielder endured a slightly frustrating season, spending much of his time as a reluctant spectator, but he is now determined to show the consistency required to make a centre-midfield spot his own.

A promising partnership with Jimmy Abdou in the engine room for the final two games of the season against Blackpool and Wolves has given him the belief that he can become one of manager Paul Sturrock's regular starters.

He said: "I am going to work hard over the summer and work hard in pre-season to hopefully make that shirt my own.

"I have always wanted to succeed as a player here and hopefully another year will help me to do that, and I am looking to progress a bit more as a footballer than I did last year.

"I need to do a lot of things. I don't see myself as a complete player by any stretch of the imagination.

"I want to improve every part of my game, especially my strength. I am not the biggest of lads and the Championship is a very hard league.

"I need to improve every part of my game because I want to be as complete a player as I can to enable me to play 20 - 30 games in a season.

"I want to be consistent and be able to sit down this time next season, and the seasons after, and say I have had a good crack and done myself the world of good.

"I want to play every game, especially now I have got this contract. I want to play as many games as I can next year to help me progress as a footballer."

The departure of midfield stalwarts Paul Wotton and Lilian Nalis has undoubtedly given Luke a window of opportunity, although he feels versatility could be the key to his future success.

"It is not like the old days of basic 4-4-2," he said. "Every footballer needs to be adaptable nowadays, especially with different formations and different things happening in the game.

"Adapting as a footballer, I would like to play different positions because that would give me a better chance of playing in the team but, primarily, I see myself as a centre-midfielder.

"It is my favourite position and I want to take games by the scruff of the neck, and boss from the centre of midfield. However, there is no doubt I will have to play different positions in the future and that won't bother me at all."

Another area Luke may hope to exploit in the absence of Wottsy is set-pieces, as he proved with two fine deliveries for Rory Fallon goals in the 3-0 April win over Blackpool.

He said: "I see set-pieces as one of the strengths in my game at the moment and I am going to keep practicing. That can hopefully be another positive thing in the manager's mind to help me get in the team.

"I want to be a footballer and that is a 24/7 job. Coming into work a bit earlier and staying on the training ground that bit longer is what I want to do to be a better player."

Luke has obviously matured since his professional debut against Leicester City in May 2005 but Argyle's continued progress means it is now arguably even harder for young players to break into the team.

The Championship was a hugely competitive league last season and with the likes of Swansea, Nottingham Forest and possibly Leeds coming up, the challenge will be even greater next season.

Whatever happens, patience will remain a vital virtue for Luke

"We have progressed as a Championship team every year and it gets harder every year," he said.

"Next season will be even harder with the big teams coming up such as Leeds, possibly, Swansea and Nottingham Forest. They are massive teams and the league will be even harder next season.

"It is also getting harder for youngsters to break through, especially with a lot of the top-ranked clubs buying in the young players.

"Some managers take an interest in youngsters and some go for more experience. As a youngster, you have got to be patient. I am still young and I have to stay patient.

"It has become a squad game, so, when that chance comes, you have to take it and make the shirt your own for the next five, 10 or 20 games. You have to play to the best of your ability in those games and give 110%."

It has been a challenging season for the Pilgrims with Ian Holloway leaving to take up the Leicester job and Paul Sturrock returning as manager in November.

Added to that, a large number of first-team regulars left in January and Luggy brought in a raft of replacements. The departures of Wottsy and Lil, plus Paul Connolly, Lee Hodges and Nick Chadwick meant it was a also a turbulent end to this turbulent season.

Luke, however, feels Argyle can be proud of their achievements and the aim for next term must be further progress.

He said: "There were more or less a set 14 players that knew they would be involved [under Holloway].

"When a lot of the regulars left in January, it became more of a squad game under the new manager and we all had a good crack at the whip. I think it proved better for us in the end.

"It has also been a strange end to the season for the club with the experience of Lil and Wottsy leaving.

"We were looking very promising for the play-offs and, although it didn't happen, it was still a positive season for Plymouth.

"Hopefully, we can keep progressing next year and be in or around the play-offs. All we need to do as a club is stay positive and continue to be progressive.

"There are shirts to be taken and I want one of them, and hopefully, Plymouth Argyle can progress further next year."