Improvin' Marvin Close to Returnin'

JOHN Sheridan’s search for a striker has yet to bear fruit, but he is sure he will have at least one top forward at his disposal with a week or two.

Marvin Morgan’s long journey back from his shoulder injury that has precluded his participation in a Pilgrims’ game since the away Devon Expressway Derby on October 5 is nearly at its destination.

He will miss out on Saturday’s Sky Bet League 2 visit to bottom-of-the-table Northampton, but is already in the manager’s thoughts as a possible pick for seven days later, when York come to Home Park.

“Marvin has looked really good in training this week – we had a little bit of a game on the pitch the other day – and he is not far off,” said John.

“I’d be looking at the York game regarding Marvin being involved, or the one after that. He’s 50-50 for York.”

Whether there will be any further pressure on the forward positions depends on John finding a player whose ambitions match his own.

“I am asking clubs, and the clubs are agreeing and the managers are agreeing, but it’s totally down to the player at the end of the day, and they don’t want to come,” he said. “It’s totally down to the player.

“Most of the clubs I am ringing, the players aren’t getting regular football. If I was a player and I wasn’t playing somewhere and a club came in for me and offered me the chance of playing football, it wouldn’t matter here it was, I’d go. For the chance of playing first-team football.

“They are a different breed today. Some are in a bit of a comfort zone and like sitting round on a Saturday afternoon, which is wrong in my eyes.

“It is really difficult. I am looking for a striker who is hopefully going to improve us; who fits in our budget – I can’t just bring anyone in.

“I could probably get a cheap striker, but he’d just be part of the numbers and I don’t want that, He’d be another body. I want somebody who is going to improve us, and that’s what I am looking for.

“I don’t want to keep going on about it because I am saying the same thing – I am working my socks off to try to get one in and I will carry on doing that until I get one in. I’m hoping someone will come in: if not, I will pick someone who is already at the club and hopefully they’ll go out and score one or two goals for us.”

Marvin is not the only Pilgrim who might be pressing the manager for selection against York.

“Next week is probably the time when we will have three or bodies back,” said John. “[Matt] Parsons; Durrell [Berry]; Andres [Gurrieri] is suspended. We have got a strong enough squad.”