Ex-QPR Snippets: Shittu to Birmingham?...Walton's Difficulties

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From BBC Gossip: Would seem unlikely "Birmingham manager Alex McLeish has lined up a £1.5m bid for Bolton defender Danny Shittu." (Daily Star)


Plymouth Herald - WALTON WILL COME GOOD – STURROCK
- MANAGER Paul Sturrock has insisted he has 'great faith' that midfielder Simon Walton will be a success at Plymouth Argyle.
Walton was signed for a potential club record £750,000 transfer fee from Queens Park Rangers on the eve of the season.
- The 21-year-old started the first five Championship matches, but then fell out of favour with Sturrock.
- Walton had not even been on the substitutes' bench, until Argyle's away game against Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday. And he was called upon in the 62nd minute at Hillsborough, when he replaced David McNamee.
- Walton slotted into the centre of midfield as captain Karl Duguid moved to right-back for the closing stages of the Championship clash.
The Pilgrims held on for a 1-0 victory, courtesy of a 23rd minute goal from former Owls' striker Steve MacLean.
- It was the first time Argyle had won a league game in which Walton had taken part.
Sturrock said: "I think Walts had a torrid two or three minutes when he went on.
"I was nearly subbing the sub, but, to be fair, he realised that and put his hand up when he came in."
Sturrock continued: "People keep forgetting this boy is only 21. From the age of 16 to now, he has basically been in people's first teams and maybe a lack of work has been done on him.
"He has come out of this team because of bits and pieces.
"But I have got great faith in him that, sooner or later, he's going to turn the corner.
"He's going through a learning curve at this minute and it's important I get some input. But the problem with playing Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday is that it's very difficult to do that.
"He was back on the bench on Tuesday and got on the pitch.
"He has just got to learn there are certain things we want him to do, and he has got to churn that out."
Like Walton, MacLean fell out of favour with Sturrock earlier in the season but has now returned to first team duty.Lions..." Plymouth Herald

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