Plymouth Argyle v Burnley - Peter White's big match preview

CHRIS Waddle will be glad to have men like Gerry Harrison around him in the eerie surroundings of Home Park tonight when Burnley take on crisis club Plymouth Argyle in a Second Division basement battle which neither side really dares to lose.

It hasn't been the happiest of seasons for Harrison, whose campaign began with an injury and then he found himself out of favour with the new boss.

Being placed on the transfer list, along with five other senior squad members, must have been a shock to the system too.

But, with that typically combative spirit, Harrison has forced his way back into the reckoning and, at the same time, earned himself a pat on the back from the manager.

Adrian Heath rated Harrison as potential Premiership material. Now the player, who prefers a defensive role to playing in midfield, has to persuade Waddle to think on the same lines.

"Gerry has done very well since he came back into the team," said the player-manager.

"I know he would rather play in defence but I'm of the opinion that he can be equally effective in the middle of the park.

"He is a very competitive player and gets on with his job. The important thing is for Gerry to maintain that sort of form. He is keeping Michael Williams out of the side and he has turned things around for himself with his efforts since he came back into the team."

Harrison remains on the transfer list but things can change quickly in football, for individuals as well as teams.

Waddle is clearly pleased by Harrison's reaction to what has happened so far and he has a plain and simple message for the player - "It is up to him now." Another clean sheet at Wrexham on Saturday will have done his cause no harm at all.

And a repeat at Home Park this evening could be the ideal platform on which to build the sort of performance and result that might make all the difference for Burnley in their bid to climb out of trouble.

It would also boost Harrison's hopes of making himself a more permanent part of the manager's plans.

The game promises to be a rare battle for survival but Burnley will probably never have a better chance of beating Plymouth, who give all the impressions of a club in freefall. Put up for sale by disillusioned chairman Dan McCauley they have cut back drastically on staff and have no chance of recouping much money through the turnstiles.

That means manager Mick Jones, down to 14 seniors, has no cash for the transfer market or to cover wages for loan players.

Both stands at Home Park have been closed, leaving just 6,500 terrace places available for spectators.

The County Council have ordered a new PA system to be installed, which has put the main stand out of use, while Home Park's other seats are out of commission for safety reasons.

Even the directors' box and Press acccommodation cannot be used.

Not that it would matter to the local evening newspaper, who have been banned from the ground by the club.

To cover matches, the Plymouth paper hire a crane and watch games from a lofty perch just outside the ground.

With the weather forecast wet and windy, it could be an uncomfortable ride tonight.

But not nearly as stormy as Argyle's season if Burnley can claim their first away win of the season.

And Plymouth seem ripe for picking.

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