New boss would get players that give their all for pilgrims

GIBSON SAYS ARGYLE SQUAD WILL BE 100 PER-CENT BEHIND NEW MANAGER

- CHRIS ERRINGTON

THE new Plymouth Argyle manager, whoever it is, can expect the players to always give 100 per cent on the pitch, according to defender Lewis Gibson.

The Championship club are aiming, if all goes well, to appoint the successor to Steven Schumacher before the FA Cup third-round tie against Sutton United at Home Park on Saturday. Argyle’s US-based owner and chairman Simon Hallett has returned to the UK for the interview process.

Argyle have drawn three of their four games with director of football Neil Dewsnip and first-team coach Kevin Nancekivell in interim charge and lost 2-1 away to promotion-chasing Southampton.

Although they did not pick up a win, the general consensus has been their whole-hearted performances in those matches deserved a better reward than three points out of a possible 12.

That was particularly true of the 3-3 draw with Watford at Home Park on New Year’s Day, when the Pilgrims had some excellent late chances to clinch victory but were denied by strong defending or excellent goalkeeping.

Gibson said: “We spoke in the changing room afterwards and just said ‘well done’ to everyone because it’s not an easy period to go without a manager but I think the players and the staff have all showed that no matters who comes in, or who is here now, we will always give 100 per cent on the pitch.

“I think that has shown with all the games we have played. Whoever comes in will be a lucky person to take this job.”