ONE week ago Ian Holloway was the Plymouth Argyle manager. Today it is Paul Sturrock.

Luggy has returned to his spiritual home after Holloway's shock decision to join Leicester City and Argyle Chairman Paul Stapleton was delighted to reappoint the man who lifted the Pilgrims from the doldrums of English football to the brink of the Championship.

Holloway's bewildering departure forced the Argyle board to act fast and they have responded. Sturrock was the obvious choice, but, past relationships aside, the former Scottish international has all the credentials to take us forward.

"They say a week is a long time in politics. Well, it certainly is in football as well," said Stapleton.

"We have got to look forward and we are very pleased to have this man [Sturrock]. We drew up a list of what we would like and our criteria.

"It said: achievements - four promotions. Personality, ambition, ability to work together, public relations and the unknown, and there is no unknown at Plymouth Argyle for this man.

"Paul Sturrock, irrespective of whether we knew him before, would have satisfied our requirements for a manager of this football club at this exciting time.

"When he left, just as we were coming up to the Championship, who would have thought we would have three years of continuous growth and be challenging at the right end of the Championship."

Luggy inherits a highly talented squad of players riding high in the Championship and it is clearly an opportunity he could not turn down.

The Chairman revealed the extraordinary speed of negotiations with Sturrock's former club Swindon Town and also his delight at acquiring the services of Luggy's backroom team of Kevin Summerfield and John Blackley.

Stapleton said: "The squad of players is probably the best that I can remember in my time at Plymouth Argyle FC, either as a supporter or a member of the board.

"It is such an exciting time that we needed to keep the momentum going and we needed to bring in someone who could hit the ground running, and not be fazed by anything at the club. We needed someone we knew had tactical experience and ability.

"We had to move very quickly once we knew we had a vacancy, which was only last Thursday. We asked Swindon for permission over the weekend and I was able to speak to them on Sunday, and then to Paul on Monday.

"I am very, very pleased that Paul, and of course Kevin Summerfield and John Blackley were all available and, more importantly, willing to come back to a club they have been to before because sometimes that can be a problem.

"They were anxious to come back and join our adventure. We are all very pleased. We are all unanimous in this decision. We are looking forward to the game tomorrow, the rest of the season, and the seasons to come."

The need for a swift appointment has, however, left certain areas yet to finalized, namely Luggy's contract.

"We have not had the chance to discuss it yet, but it is not going to be short," said Stapleton.