Plymouth Argyle: Paul Sturrock was proved right with £110k signing of future Cardiff City star
Every Football League club will have a story to tell about giving a part-time star a chance to become the genuine deal. Exploring non-league to unearth a hidden gem can have a variety of outcomes.
When Jamie Vardy went from playing for Stocksbridge Park Steels to winning the Premier League with Leicester City, that phenomenon peaked, and ever since then, it seems like every club in England has been looking below the fourth division for potential.
Craig Noone, however, made the four-tier jump to join the Greens in 2008, while Plymouth Argyle had their own star that they rescued from obscurity long before Vardy was lighting up King Power Stadium.
The wide player went on to have a successful EFL career.
Paul Sturrock jumps at the opportunity to sign Craig Noone from the sixth tier
Noone’s ascent through the football hierarchy was swift; he initially stepped up from neighbouring non-league team Burscough to join Southport just a few weeks before relocating to Devon.
The Liverpudlian was as raw as they come with his blistering speed and devious delivery into the penalty area, but at a price of around £110,000, he would end up being a great value for the Pilgrims as he matured into a full-fledged EFL star.
Plymouth Argyle would have preferred to see Southampton recruit more players.
Although he only played 32 games for the Greens, the Argyle man had an effect when he was at Home Park.
After going from roofing Steven Gerrard’s house to becoming a professional football player in just a few months, no one could believe it himself: “It’s the move of a lifetime.” Now that I’ll be working full-time, it’s only starting to set in’, he said on the club website, as reported by the BBC.
There was a man who thought it was Sturrock, who believed he had a great talent on his hands and that he would soon be dominating the second division.
“I am really excited by this signing,” the Argyle manager declared at the time. Craig has a stellar reputation when he comes to us. He must now demonstrate that it is justified.
“He has the chance to make an impression on me and impose his will on my thoughts. It is up to him whether he accepts that.
“I see him as one for the future, but if he shows me he can make the step up to the Championship the door is open for him.”
Noone was the ideal Sturrock player in many respects; he could whip inch-perfect deliveries in for the strikers in the box and bomb down the wings.
| Craig Noone Plymouth Argyle league stats (FBRef) | |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 55 |
| Starts | 22 |
| Minutes played | 2,506 |
| Goals | 5 |
| Assists | 7 |
In his debut season as manager, the Scot rose to legendary status at Home Park by leading the Greens to two promotions in three seasons as they climbed from the fourth division to the second, before departing for Premier League Southampton.
Three and a half years later, the theme remained the same, with Noone receiving intermittent minutes in his first few months back at the club while he settled into his new full-time job.
He was about to score his first goal as a professional when he came off the bench to deceive Coventry City away from home. His quickness and pace sent defenders and goalkeepers reeling, and he then slid the ball home to
Sturrock decided to line up the wide player with Exeter City, their local rivals, for the beginning of the next season despite the fact that he appeared to have a lot of potential. He then returned to assist a team that was struggling for promotion in the second division.
Despite the fact that the Pilgrims were struggling financially, they were urging for someone new and dynamic to take the game to the opponents. However, despite his best efforts, Noone was unable to obtain a start.
The speedster, who made just three starts during the 09/10 relegation season, was only able to watch as the Devon team was demoted from the second division. However, he was given the opportunity to flourish in League One, where he contributed nine goals before the year ended.
There is every possibility that Argyle would have avoided a second consecutive relegation that year had they been able to hang onto Noone for the rest of the season, but when the team fell on hard times, it seemed clear that he would be leaving come January.
Craig Noone achieves Premier League dream after Plymouth Argyle departure
During those gloomy times at Home Park, Brighton & Hove Albion gained a lot from Plymouth Argyle’s loss. Ashley Barnes, a striker, joined the Seagulls in the summer of 2010 before Noone moved to the south coast the following January.
Everyone knew the winger was worth much more, but the Greens were hardly in a position to be bartering. The sale was reportedly completed for a reported £300,000 fee, which was profitable for Argyle.
Albion, who had their new player on the wings, were soon celebrating their promotion to the Championship. Noone, who had been dominating defenders in the second division, now had the chance to shine.
The winger quickly became one of the Football League’s most sought-after players, and in the summer of 2012, Cardiff City reportedly paid £1 million for his services.
In his first full season with the Bluebirds, Noone managed to pull off the same feat, earning promotion to the Premier League and becoming a hero in the Welsh capital while scoring 16 league goals.
Despite the fact that the Scot hardly ever gave him any playing time, Noone’s forecast had come true with more than 150 appearances in the top two divisions for City and an additional 60 games for Bolton Wanderers.
Ashley Barnes and Burnley’s tenure added salt to the Plymouth Argyle wound.
Ashley Barnes left the Greens regretting their choice years later after being denied the chance to establish himself at Home Park.
Many Argyle supporters will question what would have happened if their winger had been given the opportunity to make an impression earlier in life or even if he had stayed during that disastrous League One season when everything was falling apart.
However, the Liverpudlian was given the opportunity to step up from the part-time game by the Greens, and he seized the opportunity, fulfilling every football player’s goal.
