The Ego (Kid) Has Landed

A CHANGE of heart by manager John Sheridan gave Pilgrims’ striker Marvin Morgan a chance which he grabbed with alacrity to help Argyle to their 2-0 Sky Bet League 2 victory over Southend United.

Marvin turned in a marvellous performance on his first start of the season as Argyle climbed into the division’s top ten with goals from Reuben Reid and Lewis Alessandra against the Shrimpers, who were reduced to ten men when Cian Bolger was sent off after losing a running battle with Marvin.

Yet Marvin was not originally in his manager’s thoughts as a starter for the match, with John being persuaded to change his thinking 24 hours before the game.

“From Tuesday, we got told in training roughly what the team was going to be,” said Marvin. “Then, on Friday, he changed his mind, and me and Coxy [Lee Cox] have come in because we’ve had a good training session.

“I’ve never believed a manager when they say ‘Work hard in training and you’ll get your chance’ but it’s paid off.”

Marvin has endured hard times since signing for the Pilgrims in the summer of 2013, being laid off for five months with shoulder and back problems, and then suffering a collapse in training towards the end of the campaign. The Southend game was only his second start in 11 months.

He said: “I could sit down and sulk, get through training and get my ten minutes every game. Or I could do well in training. That’s what happened.

“I want to play; I want to score goals; it’s good to get a start and it’s good to win.  Hopefully, I can add some goals to it now.

“I only came to Plymouth to play football. I had offers from other clubs, in League 1 and League 2, and I just wanted to play. I had a terrible season last season with injury, and I collapsed at the end of the season.

“It’s hard to come off the bench and make an impact because you have to get up to the pace of the game. You are either going to have an unbelievable game or you are going to have the game of your life; as a striker, you are either going to score or not.

“The gaffer said to me after the last two games ‘Just keep going’. All I said to him was that I wanted to play. I’m 31; I had my issues last season which I want to put behind me. I just want to stay fit.”