One Of Our Own
ARGYLE manager Derek Adams is delighted to have brought centre-back Lloyd Jones back to his hometown team.
“We’re taking one of our own back into the football club,” said Derek. “From my point of view, it’s good to have a youngster, and one of our own, come back to the football club.”
Derek has admired promising defender Jones’ career from afar and did his best to bring the Plymothian back to Home Park last season, but it didn’t quite work out.
“I tried to get him to come back before but, for one reason or another, that didn’t work out,” said Adams on his deadline day signing. “He’s obviously delighted to come back to a club that he started with and looking to push the other centre-halves for games.”
Jones began his career as a youngster in the Home Park Academy and impressed Liverpool’s scouting network so much that they were willing to part with a six-figure fee to acquire him. After a few loan spells way from Anfield, Lloyd signed for Luton Town last January.
Regular opportunities have been limited at Kenilworth Road, prompting this loan switch to Argyle and Derek believes that his desire for a first-team opportunity will work in the Greens’ favour ahead of the Sky Bet League One run-in.
“He wants to prove himself,” said Derek. “If you look at most of the signings that I make, they’re ones that have something to prove. They have a bit of hunger, and Lloyd certainly has that, and that’s why we’ve taken him here.
“He’s a tough centre-half. He’s quick, he reads the game very well, he’s good on the ball and is good competition for the other three centre-halves.
“The first signing I ever made here was Gary Sawyer, he was one of our own from our youth system. It’s important that we take youth players through the system.”