Norris and Plymouth in battle of wills
A BATTLE of wills has broken out at Plymouth Argyle with Ipswich Town and Leicester City watching closely.Pilgrims boss Paul Sturrock is confident David Norris will be lining up for Plymouth against Ipswich on Tuesday and he will still be at Home Park next Friday after the transfer window closes.
Derek Davis
A BATTLE of wills has broken out at Plymouth Argyle with Ipswich Town and Leicester City watching closely.
Pilgrims boss Paul Sturrock is confident David Norris will be lining up for Plymouth against Ipswich on Tuesday and he will still be at Home Park next Friday after the transfer window closes.
But, the pair appear to be at loggerheads as Norris has made it very clear he wants to leave and even after his transfer request handed in last Friday was rejected, he remains an unhappy player.
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Norris was named in the Argyle squad that travel to Portsmouth for their FA Cup tie at Fratton Park and Sturrock is confident his star player will continue to play a part in their Championship promotion push this season.
Sturrock said: “If Norris fails to take part it will be a clear indication that the situation could be untenable for Plymouth.
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"I am as happy for him to play as I was last Saturday. I know he has high standards and he always maintains them," Sturrock said.
"He is a professional man. He is paid by Plymouth Argyle. I know 'Chuck' and I don't expect him to be any different, and I know he won't be.'
Norris did not train on Monday and Tuesday and only trained on Thursday after being promised a meeting with board members.
A source in Plymouth said last night: “David wants to leave. He has made it crystal clear that he wants to go and has been left unhappy by the lack of communication with Plymouth who made him promises they have not kept.
“This is a key time for him. He is 27 next month and knows he has an opportunity to set up his family for life.”
The Peterborough-born player wants to be as close as he can be to his Cambridgeshire-based family and both Ipswich Town and Leicester City would suit him.
The Plymouth source added: “Ipswich would be a very credible choice. They are a premier League club in waiting with fantastic facilities and would be able to offer David the right sort of deal with ambitions to match his.”
Although the Foxes have not yet tabled an offer for Norris their manager Ian Holloway is keeping a close interest in the situation and has made it clear through his friends in the media he would try to sign him if possible.
Meanwhile, while Plymouth are stressing Norris is not for sale, they have been splashing the cash themselves signing Exeter's 14-goal top scorer Jamie Mackie for £145,000. They have also signed Hungarian midfielder Gyorgy Sandor from Ujpest FC until the end of the season.
While Town continue to monitor Norris, manager Jim Magilton is making discreet enquiries about other targets.
He is also continuing to make way for new players and has released Sammy Moore from his contract.
Midfielder Moore was on loan at Brentford in the first half of the season and could soon find a league club, while Stevenage and Rushden & Diamonds have also been watching him.
