Lloyd Jones First Interview
SINCE leaving Argyle as a 15 year-old for Liverpool, Lloyd Jones has hankered for a return to the Home Park pitch, which he graced fleetingly, and ‘graced’, by his own admission, is probably pushing it bit.
“Only once,” said the 23-year-old defender who has joined the Pilgrims on loan from Luton Town until the end of the season, when asked whether he had played at Home Park before.
“It was for the Under-18s. I came on as sub when I was about 14 for about 10 minutes. I had a shocker.
“I did train with the first-team a couple of times. I remember taking time off school when I was 14. I got kicked everywhere – and that is putting it politely – but I’m really looking forward to getting back there.
“I don’t think it’s really sunk in yet. I’m home now. I’m just looking forward to getting started.
“I wanted to come here more than go on loan to any other club in League One. I’ve wanted to come here for a while and I’m glad it’s finally happened. It’s been long overdue.”
Lloyd moved to Merseyside as a teenager, with the six-figure fee paid by the Premier League side coming in very handy to a club in administration.
“I was young and didn’t really understand it at the time that much,” he said, “but every little helps.
“Everything I dreamed of, when I went to Liverpool, became reality. I didn’t expect to do as well as I did at Liverpool, but that’s the type of person I am – I just try to do as well as I can, given an opportunity.
“In the last couple of years, I think I have been quite unlucky with opportunities and thankfully the manager and the staff have brought me to Plymouth.”
A succession of loans while at Liverpool, brought varying degrees of success, but injuries and lack of game time in his final year at Anfield and since joining Luton this time last year means he is eager for a fresh challenge.
He said: “I’ve had a couple of loan spells where I’ve had a few big injuries, so it was difficult to get games after that and Luton obviously are doing really well at the moment.
“I have been on the bench every game but you need to be playing, I’m still fairly young but I’m not a kid anymore, so I need to play and show what I can do.
“I like to think I’m aggressive, but composed on the ball. I’ve been taught quite well in my youth.
“I haven’t played in a while but I don’t think that matters. Composure and aggressiveness is what I’ll try to bring.
“It is my home town, so it means a lot more.
“I always look at the results and they have done really well over the last four or five games. If we keep that run going, I’m sure we will be fine.”