Southport winger Craig Noone (pictured) has signed for Coca-Cola Championship side Plymouth Argyle for an undisclosed fee.

The deal could eventually rise to well in excess of £100,000, smashing the club transfer record set with the sale of Carl Baker to Morecambe at the start of last season.

Manager Liam Watson brought Noone to Southport from Burscough along with ten other players during the close season, and the 20-year-old Liverpudlian was one of the stand out players of the pre-season campaign.

A prodigy of Skelmersdale United’s youth and reserve set-up, Craig progressed into the West Lancashire side’s first-team in the 2005/2006 season and had trials with Belgium side Royal Antwerp during the summer of 2007.

Watson had been a long-term admirer of the talented left-winger and signed the 20-year old for Burscough in October 2007, before taking him to Haig Avenue nine months later.

The original deal included a sell-on clause payable to Burscough in the event of a sale, and Southport have also included a sell-on as part of the deal that sees Noone join the Pilgrims.

Noone missed Southport's first home game of the season on Tuesday, a victory over Blyth Spartans, as he had travelled to Plymouth to complete talks.

Plymouth manager Paul Sturrock has had Noone watched four times over pre-season and Plymouth chief scout Andy King gave him a glowing reference.

Sturrock commented: “I am very excited by this signing. Craig comes to us with a glowing reputation. It is now up to him to prove to me that is merited.

"He has an opportunity to impress me and force his way into my thinking - whether he takes that is up to him.

"I see him as one for the future, but if he shows me he can make the step up to the Championship, the door is open for him."

Watson has no doubt that Noone has what it takes. "Craig has real ability and a desire to achieve things.  I'm sure he will play in the Premier League one day, because he has tons of potential."

---

Bookmark with: what are these?