When Plymouth got to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup last season their undoubted star was on-loan youngstar Scott Sinclair. Now on the fringes of the Chelsea first team, the winger was a class above the players Argyle manager Ian Holloway could bring in for a fee. Now Olly is trying to repeat the trick by signing Manchester United midfielder Lee Martin on similar terms.
“I’m hoping I have made an impression on the boy,”
said Holloway, a man who surely makes an impression everyone he meets.
“If I could have, I would have driven up there to tell him about us and how much I believe we are the right place for him to come, because of our lads and what he will give us.”
Added Olly with no thought for his carbon footprint. Whether or not Martin signs, big name loans are becoming bigger and bigger parts of the Championship as teams without the disposable income of the likes of Wolves and Cardiff are forced to find temporary ways to compete. For us it’s a nice touch, as the lower league clubs get to see some of the most exciting young talent around performing at their clubs while competitiveness is only increased. It’s up to the clubs not to rely too heavily on temporary players and make sure they invest wisely to maintain any benefit they get from them.