Carl Fletcher will have no money to make new signings at Plymouth Argyle

By Plymouth Herald

MANAGER Carl Fletcher has admitted it will be 'very difficult' to make further additions to his squad at Plymouth Argyle.
The relegation-threatened League Two club are recovering, on and off the pitch, from spending seven months in administration during 2011.
The Pilgrims are now under the ownership of James Brent, and have made several signings since he took over at the end of October.
However, Argyle are still saddled with some hefty salaries from their days in the Championship, which are a drain on their financial resources.
So there is no money available for Fletcher (pictured left) to spend between now and the end of the January transfer window.
Argyle also have to be careful not to exceed the salary cap which exists in League Two, where clubs can only spend a maximum of 55 per cent of their income on wages.
The Pilgrims have recruited Darren Purse, Maxime Blanchard, Nick Chadwick, former captain Paul Wotton and Joe Lennox on permanent contracts this month.
They have also extended the loan spell of Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Ashley Hemmings until the end of the season.
Asked whether there would be any further additions to the squad, Fletcher said: "The situation as it is, it's very difficult.
"We are still picking up pieces of the debris from what has gone on in the past few years, which is restricting us in what we can do.
"As it stands, there is no money available at all.
"But everyone behind the scenes is working hard to see what we can do to give us some options."
Fletcher replied "no comment" when asked by Herald Sport whether any talks had taken place with Blackpool about extending the loans spells at Argyle of right-back Paul Bignot and striker Craig Sutherland.
The existing deals for Bignot and Sutherland will end after the Pilgrims' away game against Port Vale next Saturday.
Bignot has made eight starts for Argyle since signing from Blackpool at the start of November.
The 25-year-old has played mainly at right-back, although he lined up in the centre of defence when Purse was suspended for three matches.
Sutherland, 23, arrived at Home Park a fortnight after Bignot and has made seven appearances for the Pilgrims, including five starts, but has yet to get on the scoresheet.
Meanwhile, Argyle have confirmed there has been 'lots of interest from potential candidates' about becoming a mentor and advisor to Fletcher.
The Pilgrims had lined up former Bournemouth and Doncaster Rovers boss Sean O'Driscoll for the role.
The 54-year-old was sat in the directors' box at Home Park when Argyle beat Burton Albion 2-1 last Saturday.
But the Pilgrims have had to turn their attention elsewhere after O'Driscoll was appointed as the first team coach at Championship club Nottingham Forest.
Fletcher, who at the age of 31 is the second youngest manager in the Football League, made the request for a mentor to Argyle's new board of directors and they approved it.
They had hoped to have O'Driscoll in place before the game against League Two title-chasers Crawley Town at Home Park today (3pm).
Instead, an appointment is now expected some time next week.
A club spokesman said: "Circumstances have dictated the search for the right man to mentor and advise Carl Fletcher is taking a little longer than first envisaged.
"The Argyle board remains wholly committed to fulfilling the manager's request to appoint such a person as he continues to develop his team and deliver success on the pitch.
"Carl himself is enthusiastically involved in the process of identifying the right person for the position, for which there has been lots of interest from potential candidates.
"It is clearly a key role so, while the club's directors are keen to make an appointment as quickly as possible, they are resolved not to rush into a hasty decision."