Simon Walton interview

[Steve Evans]

he was one of our worst ever signings. :furious:

 

[WoodsyGreen]

Thoroughly enjoyed watching that one and the Steve Castle one. I didn't notice if it was done by the same company/person, but if so they should be commended for giving less heralded footballers the chance to tell their stories.

As for Walton, not a player I ever really liked, but it was clear he gave his all in those dark days of administration. The club were bloody stupid to give him a deal that increased his wages for every season of his contract. To think he was on more money in League Two than he had been in the Championship underlines in thick red pen just how badly our club was run back then.

Also makes you realise what a quality team we could have put together if only we hadn't gone into admin. Bolasie, BWP, Noone, Ashley Barnes (he left before admin I think), Jack Stephens, Kari Arneson, Jamie Mackie, Joe Mason, Paul Gallagher. Bit top heavy mind!

 

[mervyn]

My opinion of him changed during that dreadful away game at Torquay where we were stuffed 3-1 (if I remember correctly) and relegation out of the league looked a near certainty.

I stood amongst the Torquay supporters on the popular side, as I hate that away end, and was only metres away from him cajoling, encouraging and trying to lead that ragbag of a team around him, shouting out the most basic of instructions about marking, facing up etc, which no professional footballer should need reminding of.

He appeared the only player in green who really cared enough about our predicament. My son and I spent the journey home discussing whether we would travel to Halifax, Wrexham etc the next season!

 

[Forest of Dean Green]

My overriding impression was.... what a waste of a career. It is clear from his early moves that he was seen as a prospect. In glimpses for us he showed it to, particularly towards the end. He comes over as a pretty complex character. At times humble (what he did with his money during administration) at times a bit arrogant. Maybe not arrogant, but he appears to see the whole thing as a bit of a game (which is probably is) and struggles with authority. How he responded during admin though was clearly the thing over which he was most animated and tells you something good about him. And the admiration for the club despite him knowing that he would always divide opinion was clear. Overall, though, a sense of a talent wasted.

 

[The Doctor]

One things for sure though, he wasn't at all comfortable standing in for his other half on the WAGS special episode of Come Dine With Me...

 

[gaspargomez]

Also makes you realise what a quality team we could have put together if only we hadn't gone into admin. Bolasie, BWP, Noone, Ashley Barnes (he left before admin I think), Jack Stephens, Kari Arneson, Jamie Mackie, Joe Mason, Paul Gallagher. Bit top heavy mind!

Sturrock needs credit for signing some of the above from non-league. He signed some duffers from the Scottish leagues (probably all he could afford) but did keep Argyle in the Championship in his first after the squad had been decimated following Holloway's departure. There was so much chaos in the boardroom that ultimately Sturrock (or any manager) was never going to suceed.

 

[Keepitgreen]

Bit of an eye opener about Paul Sturrock. :shock:

 

[jespafc]

Bit of an eye opener about Paul Sturrock. :shock:

Yeah that whole aspect of it was very surprising. I wonder how much truth there was in that, because it sounds like he was treated Terribly by Sturrock and his coaching staff.

 

[Mdgreener]

The big thing that Walton reminds me of, and which we often forget about, is how young players are when they arrive in the first team. He was just 21 when he joined us, physically talented, but mentally, little more than a boy. Think about the consistency of play from Sarc, Moore, Canavan, and Sawyer compared to Bakinson, Josh Grant, and even Cooper. The latter are still maturing and improving and becoming more reliable. Walton eventually matured into a leader on the field at 24.

Following the exit of Ian Holloway because of his desire for massive investment in players, Argyle management (perhaps to prove Holloway's accusation wrong) were throwing big cash and contracts at players in a gamble that we could move up to the Premier League. But, there was little investment in the backroom staff or training facilities needed for us to be capable of managing and supporting young players and getting the level of performance that players were capable of. Catastrophic for the club and bad for players involved. Walton had been signed on a big contract with the expectation that he would be a Phil Foden, or a Mason Mount, etc. but they are rare and well supported.

 

[Biggs]

But, there was little investment in the backroom staff or training facilities needed for us to be capable of managing and supporting young players and getting the level of performance that players were capable of. Catastrophic for the club and bad for players involved.

Totally agree. And he said Argyle didn't even do a medical, despite his injury record :crazy:

The huge positive to take from that interview and others, is that Argyle were/are very highly regarded in the game even with those shockingly basic facilities and infrastructure. What will people think now that's all been transformed?

There was also a nice recent interview with Bobby Reid and Joe Bryan, when Argyle were mentioned in passing Bryan said under his breath 'Ah Plymouth... great club'.

We're very highly thought of :scarf:

 

[greenking]

I'm finding it hard to think of a player I disliked more than Simon Walton.....
He was bang average, slow, clumsy, dirty and appeared to have an "I'm the marquee signing at this little club... lick my boots" attitude.

I will now watch the video, but regardless of argyle's poor judgement in his contract negotiation and lack of pay during administration, he will remain a particularly loathsome individual in my argyle eye.

 

[Biggs]

Clearly you’ve forgotten the 2011/12 season.

 

[rsp4]

he was one of our worst ever signings. :furious:

Not by a long shot!! Totally disagree. :furious:

Good interview and the insight around the first couple of seasons just shows how poorly we wrere run during the luggy MK2 era. Absolutely terrible, it makes me angry just thinking about it.

I was a fan of his for what he did in our darkest times and will always be thankful to the likes of him and Fletch for dragging us through it on the pitch. There is always a beer waiting for him.

He is big enough to own up to his "Billy big balls" mistakes which is the sign of a strong character.

Well done on the interview to the youtuber and to Simon for being so candid. :clap:

 

[Lesley Somerville]

Well! That was interesting. A really honest and insightful interview, well worth a listen. I'm not going to enter the debate about whether he was a good/bad/indifferent player. He was probably all of those at different times. What struck me most was the absolute shambles that was Argyle at the time and how different we are today, thanks to James Brent and now Simon Hallett. This is acknowledged by SW, along with his heartfelt feelings towards some of the fans. His views on lower league football are also very interesting - the standard of players and expectations of owners.

Football is the strangest business really, where big money and big egos collide. I believe that the more rational and objective approach now being taken at Argyle will stand us in very good stead.

Final thought? Wow we had some bloody good players back then.

 

[mercedes]

Emile Mpenza - it seems from Simon Walton's interview that Mpenza had no real interest in training or playing for Argyle. That would explain why Luggy wouldn't pick him. On the very few occasions that he did play he looked a class above the rest.

Oh I wish the full story would come out..........