Lowe wards off interest in goalscorer Jephcott
RYAN Lowe has told rival clubs not to bother calling him about Plymouth Argyle goalscorer Luke Jephcott in the January transfer window as he is not for sale.
The 20-year-old striker has emerged as one of the best young players in League One this season.
Jephcott netted twice for the Pilgrims as they drew 2-2 with Charlton Athletic at The Valley on Boxing Day.
That took his goal tally to 12 in 15 starts and three substitute appearances in all competitions this season.
Speculation about the future of Jephcott during January is inevitable given the progress he has made and his scoring record.
However, Lowe insisted that Jephcott, who he said signed ‘a long contract’ last summer, would not be sold in the transfer window.
Lowe said: “He’s our player, he’s Plymouth Argyle’s player. He’s not going anywhere any time soon.
“He’s still not the finished article. He has still got a lot to learn.
“Any goalscorer is going to get recognised but we are not in a position that we need to sell anyone.
“We have got a good chairman (Simon Hallett). We are not even looking down that route.
“The kid is doing a fantastic job and, ultimately, he’s doing what he gets paid to do - and that’s score goals.
“We are not getting too up or down with him. He’s just a young kid scoring goals, which we are happy about.”
Ten of Jephcott’s goals have come in the league, and he is joint second in the scoring chart with AFC Wimbledon’s Joe Pigott.
Only Peterborough United’s Jonson Clarke-Harris, an expensive summer signing from Bristol Rovers, has more than them with 12.
On Jephcott’s superb scoring record, Lowe said: “That’s what he’s paid to do. We signed him on a long contract to do that, and he’s just doing his job.
“Luke is in no rush to go anywhere, we are no in rush to let him leave. He has still got a lot of learning to do.
“Anyone who rings up (about Jephcott), the phone will be getting put down because we don’t need to sell.
“If they want to ring at the end of the season after he has scored 25 goals it will probably cost them £3.5 million.
“It’s whether anyone has got £3.5m at the moment. Honestly, we are not even looking into that, we haven’t even thought of it.”
Lowe added: “The kid is a grounded boy and I will make sure he stays that way. If he doesn’t, he will come out the team, whether he has scored 12 goals or not.
“He has got to make sure he is grounded, not just for me and the football club but for his team-mates because they are vitally important to what he’s doing also.”
Lowe was pleased to take a point at the Valley despie his team twice going in front.
The visitors were adamant that their defender Kell Watts was fouled by striker Chuks Aneke when Charlton drew level at 1-1 through Chris Gunter.
Watts looked to be held back by Aneke as he tried to head away a corner and the ball went to Gunter instead.
Substitute Marcus Maddison then scored a second equaliser for Charlton in the 67th minute with a superb 20-yard left-foot strike after he had nutmegged Argyle midfielder Lewis Macleod.
Lowe said: “It was a point gained, certainly, but we would have been happier with two more.
“We have come away to Charlton and performed the way we did, going ahead twice.
“We have been done by a wonder goal from their behalf, and we felt their first goal was a foul, so we are disappointed in that.
“I won’t get involved in that type of stuff. I know they (Charlton) were disappointed as well about a few things.
“All we have got to do is worry about ourselves. Two good goals, a good point on the road, four points out of the last two, we are trying to build our own little momentum now.
“I’m always happy when we don’t get beat away from home, and I’m even happier when we win, but it’s a point in the right direction.”