Luggy tells Walton to prove his worth

MANAGER Paul Sturrock has called on Plymouth Argyle midfielder Simon Walton to start showing what he is capable of.

Walton became a father for the first time on Friday, when his partner, Nicola Tappenden, gave birth to a baby daughter, Poppy.

Sturrock hopes the 21-year-old can now focus on turning around his fortunes at Home Park.

Walton was signed from Queens Park Rangers in August for what could eventually become a £750,000 transfer fee.

But, after starting the first, five Championship matches of the season, he fell out of favour with Sturrock. There seemed to be a way back for Walton (pictured right) when he was included among the substitutes for Argyle's 1-0 win away to Sheffield Wednesday on October 28.

But Walton struggled when he was sent on as substitute in the second half against the Owls.

And he had a poor game for the reserves when they lost 4-1 to Southampton at Home Park last Tuesday.

Walton ended the Totesportcasino.com Combination Cup tie by playing at centre-back.

He was given the weekend off by Sturrock to attend the birth of his daughter in London, which meant he was not considered for Argyle's 2-2 draw at home to Charlton Athletic on Saturday.

He had been set to line-up for the reserves in their away game against Bournemouth yesterday, but it was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch.

Father-of-four Sturrock admitted: "It's a big thing, your first kid.

"I told him to stay up there at the weekend and then he was going to travel to Bournemouth to play for the reserves."

Sturrock continued: "Walts is going to have to come to the show now. I want to do bits and pieces with him to clear his mind on what I'm looking for.

"I think that's important and, hopefully, he will get on with it."

Sturrock's plans for training yesterday were scuppered by torrential rain.

He had hoped to work with the first-team squad at Harper's Park, but instead the players ended up at a local gym.

Sturrock said: "The pitches were all flooded and we had nowhere to go.

"We took them to a gym away from the club. Those who played on Saturday could relax and regenerate while the others did some work there."

Sturrock added: "I had been hoping to work individually with a lot of the players who haven't been involved lately. But, because of the weather yesterday, that was taken away from me."

"I was looking forward to it because I think there are things we need to reiterate on, even to the ones who played on Saturday.

"It would be nice to get on a grass pitch today and sort it all out."

Meanwhile, Sturrock has admitted it is 'a blow' that top scorer Paul Gallagher will be suspended for Argyle's away game against Coventry City on Saturday. The loan signing from Blackburn Rovers has scored five goals in 13 appearances for the Pilgrims.

But Gallagher received his fifth yellow card of the season against Charlton, resulting in an automatic one-match ban.

Sturrock said: "It is a blow, but it gives somebody else an opportunity.

"The essence of life now is to make sure Gall doesn't play a game until the end of the season. It's that kind of scenario."

Gallagher's absence could lead to Emile Mpenza making his first start for the club against Coventry, after more than two months at Home Park.

The former Belgium international grabbed a last-gasp equaliser on Saturday after coming off the substitutes' bench only seconds earlier.

Sturrock said: "If Emile does get to play (against Coventry) he has waited his chance for a long time.

"Steve MacLean came back into the fold after being out of the team and grabbed his chance. That's what I'm looking for."

Defender David McNamee was expected to return to training today after a mild thigh strain.