Plymouth Argyle

Plymouth Argyle are a professional football club based in Plymouth, Devon. The club currently competes in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football. They are nicknamed the Pilgrims, which comes from the journey taken by Pilgrim fathers on the Mayflower in 1620 from Plymouth, England to Plymouth, Massachusetts. Founded in 1886, the club moved to their current home of Home Park in 1901. At the time of writing, the Pilgrims sit at the 20^th spot in the Championship table, two points above the bottom three. They have been at this level since 2023, having won promotion from League One.

Plymouth Argyle Updates

Plymouth were expected to have another season of battling at the bottom end of the Championship, after their title-winning campaign two years ago. The Pilgrims survived relegation on the final day last term, by defeating Hull by a singular goal that saw them stay up at Birmingham’s expense, despite both sides winning.

Steven Schumacher led the club into the second tier, and despite Ian Foster’s less-than-successful stint in charge, Plymouth stayed up. Neil Dewsnip and Kevin Nancekivell were in interim charge for the final month of the campaign, before Wayne Rooney took the job over the summer, building his own squad.

To keep up to date with news about Plymouth throughout the season check out The Real Efl page.

Plymouth Argyle Transfers News and Rumours

Wayne Rooney got to work on assembling his squad following his appointment in May, making nine signings in the summer window. Money was spent in order to bring in defensive and midfield reinforcements from abroad. Victor Pálsson previously played for Rooney at DC United, and was acquired from the Belgian top flight.

In order to bring some much-needed Championship experience, Ogbeta, Obafemi and Gyabi were signed from league rivals Swansea, Burnley and Leeds respectively, the latter two on loan. In more recent weeks, Andre Gray joined and netted a late leveller against Watford, while Maroši brings needed depth in the goalkeeping department.

Plymouth’s main outgoing was goalkeeper Michael Cooper joining recently relegated Sheffield United. A number of the players who helped get the Pilgrims into League One departed for that level this summer, with Dan Scarr and Callum Burton both going to Wrexham. Fellow third tier promotion chasers Huddersfield completed the signing of Mickel Miller.

Plymouth Argyle Signings

Below is a list of all the signings Plymouth made in the summer, including three big-money moves. Two arrivals came outside the transfer window as free agents, while numerous players came from around the continent.

Player	Age	Nationality	Left	Fee	Contract Duration
Rami Al Hajj	22	Swedish	Odense Boldklub Danish 1. Division	£840k	3 year
Daniel Grimshaw	26	English	Blackpool EFL League One	£600k	2 year
Kornél Szűcs	22	Hungarian	Kecskemét TE Hungarian NB I	£400k	Undisclosed
Victor Pálsson	33	Icelandic	K.A.S Eupen Belgian Challenger Pro League	Free	Undisclosed
Nathanael Ogbeta	23	English	Swansea City EFL Championship	Free	Undisclosed
Michael Obafemi	24	Irish	Burnley EFL Championship	Loan	1 year
Darko Gyabi	20	English	Leeds United EFL Championship	Loan	1 year
Ibrahim Cissoko	21	Dutch	Toulouse French Ligue 1	Loan	1 year
Muhamed Tijani	23	Nigerian	Slavia Prague Czech First League	Loan	1 year
Andre Gray	33	Jamaican	Al-Riyadh Saudi Pro League	Free Agent	3 months
Marko Maroši	30	Slovakian	Shrewsbury Town EFL League One	Free Agent	4 months

Plymouth Argyle Key Matches of the Season

There are plenty of important games for Argyle to contend with, mainly involving sides in and around the relegation zone. Winning games against these sorts of sides will be extra important, in games commonly known as ‘six-pointers’.

That will help the Pilgrims pull away from the drop zone, and avoid taking the battle to beat the drop down until the final day this term. Rooney’s side will be hoping they can have a third season in the Championship, and can begin to solidify themselves in the division.

Games against fellow struggling side, including the likes of QPR, Luton and Preston will prove vital in determining which side of the dotted line Plymouth finish. In Argyle’s closest game, they compete in the Dockyard derby against Portsmouth, in which they recently defeated Pompey by a goal to nil.  The final-day showdown at home to Leeds could have repercussions at both ends of the table.

To find out all of Plymouth Argyle’s fixtures click on the link below:

https://www.scoreaxis.com/team/plymouth-argyle/DWbFsF

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Plymouth Argyle Key Achievements

Plymouth have spent their history moving between the three tiers of the Football League since 1920. In their early years, Argyle competed in the Western and Southern Leagues, winning both titles. In the century since, the Pilgrims have often fluctuated between each level, but now compete at the highest level of the EFL.

Below we will guide you through Plymouth Argyle’s major achievements.

• Football League Third Division (third tier) Winners four times – 1929/30, 1951/52, 1958/59 & 2003/04
• League One Winners 2022/23
• Football League Fourth Division Winners in 2001/02
• Promoted from the Fourth Tier three further times – 1995/96, 2016/17 & 2019/20
• Southern League Champions 1912/13
• Western League Title in 1905/06

Plymouth Argyle Current Squad

Wayne Rooney was given time to implement his own print on the Plymouth squad, meaning a busy summer was to be expected. Below, we go through each of the areas of the pitch, and asses how Argyle are looking in each position.

Plymouth Argyle Attackers

Seasoned veteran Andre Gray arrived into the season, bolstering Rooney’s attacking options. Burnley’s Michael Obafemi was also an eye-catching signing, along with two loan arrivals from European sides. Ibrahim Cissoko brings youth on the wing, while Muhamed Tijani arrives from Slavia Prague for the season.

Plymouth Argyle Midfielders

Rami Al Hajj from Denmark was Plymouth’s most expensive signing of the summer, while the Pilgrims dipped into the loan market to complete their business in the middle of the park with Darko Gyabi from Leeds.

Plymouth Argyle Defenders

Argyle made moves across the continent in the centre-back positions. In came Hungarian Kornél Szűcs and Iceland’s Victor Pálsson, following Dan Scarr’s move to Wrexham. At left-back, Nathanael Ogbeta signed from league rivals Swansea, which allowed Saxon Earley to join Lincoln to try and gain minutes following injury.

Plymouth Argyle Goalkeepers

The loss of Michael Cooper was huge, given how crucial he was in keeping Argyle in the division. That meant a new first-choice keeper was needed, and Daniel Grimshaw was signed for a fraction of the fee that Cooper was sold for. Marko Maroši was also acquired as backup, on a fee as a free agent.

Plymouth Argyle Managing and Coaching Staff

The current head coach of Plymouth Argyle is Wayne Rooney. After Steven Schumacher led Argyle to promotion, he departed for Stoke. Schumacher’s replacement Ian Foster was sacked with a month of the season remaining, and the temporary duo of Neil Dewsnip and Kevin Nancekivell kept the Pilgrims up.

Rooney has previously managed Derby, after retiring as a player with the Rams. He kept the club up in his first season, but amid a 21-point deduction, it became an impossible job in his second year and he resigned following relegation. A return to the Midlands with Birmingham followed a less-than-successful spell at D.C United. But that too was a disastrous spell, taking the club from the Play-Off places to just outside the bottom three. After two wins from fifteen, he was dismissed in January this year.

Neil Dewsnip is now the club's Director of Football, while Pete Shuttleworth is assistant to Rooney. Kevin Nancekivell remains part of the coaching staff, with Simon Ireland completing the senior positions of Argyle staff.

Plymouth Argyle Former Managers & Key Coaches

Over Plymouth’s long history, many great managers have led the club to many successful highs. With multiple promotions over the years, Plymouth have enjoyed some fine moments, led by some extremely good coaches.

The likes of established names, including Neil Warnock relatively early into his long managerial career, have graced the dugout at Home Park. But none of whom compare to Plymouth’s all-time greatest manager, as voted for by supporters in the summer of 2019.

More recently, the likes of Tony Pulis and Derek Adams have had successful spells in the hot seat in the South West.

Paul Sturrock 2000 – 2004, 2007 – 2009

• ‘Luggy’ led Plymouth to two promotions in three years, into the second tier.
• Won the Third Division with an incredible 102 points.
• Regarded as greatest ever manager, voted by fans in the summer of 2019.

Paul Smith 1984 – 1988

• Took the struggling Pilgrims up to the Second Division.
• Achieved the highest position in over sixty years with seventh in the second tier.
• Remained in the local area, running football schools for years before dying two years ago.

Neil Warnock 1995 – 1997

• Well-renowned manager took Argyle to Play-Off glory in Division Three.
• Warnock was sent off in the second leg, turning around a deficit while watching win supporters.
• Promoted to Division Two in Plymouth’s first game at Wembley.

Bob Jack 1905 – 1906, 1910 – 1938

• Was the club's first professional player during a spell where he was player-manager.
• Spent a staggering 28 years in charge, totalling over 1000 games.
• After six successive seasons finishing second, he finally won promotion in 1930.

Plymouth Argyle Legends

Over the years, plenty of players have worn the green and white of Argyle. Below, we take a look at some of the very best players to have played for Plymouth:

Fred Craig 1912 – 1915, 1919 – 1930

Scored five penalties despite being a goalkeeper. Played a total of 467 appearances in his second spell. Captained side to promotion to Third Division South.

Moses Russell 1914 – 1930

Worked as a coal miner before joining from Merthyr Town on a club record fee. Switched to play for Wales after WW1, playing 23 times. Captained the side to six successive second-place finishes in the 1920s.

Sammy Black 1924 – 1938

All-time record scorer with 182 goals in almost 500 appearances. Inducted into Plymouth Argyle’s Hall of Fame in 2004. Spent almost the entirety of his career with the Argyle.

Jack Leslie 1921 – 1935

Created an unstoppable partnership with Sammy Black. Spent the entirety of his professional career with the Pilgrims, scoring 137 times in almost 400 appearances. Leslie and Black played 327 times together, scoring 319 between them.

Ray Bowden 1926 – 1933

Debuted as a 17-year-old, scoring 20 goals in his first full campaign. He followed that up with 18, on the way to promotion in the 1929/30 campaign. Averaged over a goal every other game with 82 in 145 league encounters.

Jack Vidler 1929 – 1939

Hit 19 goals in his debut season, scoring two hat-tricks and four goals in one game. Played 256 times for Argyle. Sixth in the all-time scoring list with 103 goals.

Kevin Hodges 1978 – 1992

By some distance Pilgrims record appearance holder with 620. Won promotion twice, and was part of the side that reached the FA Cup Semi-Final in 1984. Scored 87 times, managing the club between 1998 and 2000.

Paul Wotton 1994 – 2008, 2012 – 2015

Boyhood fan, Wotton played over 400 times in his first spell. Won Player of the Year twice, inducted into the Hall of Fame. Returned in 2012, becoming player-manager a couple of years later.

Plymouth Argyle Metrics and Performance

The current 2024/25 season sees Plymouth compete in the Championship, for the second year running since promotion as Champions in 2023.

Last season, Argyle left it until the final day to seal survival, but did indeed achieve their aim at the beginning of the campaign. The Pilgrims' tally of 51 points was just enough to survive, at the expense of Rooney’s old club Birmingham.

2022/23 was a record-breaking year. With a League One promotion race of the highest quality, Argyle won the title, amassing a staggering 101 points. They avoided the Play-Offs, but reached the EFL Trophy Final, losing to Bolton. Plymouth lost only seven games, winning 31 and drawing eight.

Ryan Hardie was also the top scorer the season before with 19, as the Pilgrims built on a solid foundation in their first season. Unfortunately, the campaign ended in disappointment on the final day, hammered by MK Dons to slip out of the top six on 80 points.

The past five years have brought improvement every year, since relegation to League Two in 2018/19. Even if this year does bring relegation, Plymouth will be well set to challenge again, but have every chance of remaining in the second tier this term.

Watch Plymouth Argyle’s Latest Highlights

Plymouth Argyle Pitch and Amenities

The club play their home games at Home Park, home of the club since 1901. Prior to that, they had played at a local pitch in the area for the first few years of the club, then spent just over a decade at Marsh Mills.

The full capacity of Home Park is 18,173 but not all of the seats are saleable. In truth, the capacity is estimated to be around 17,900, while the capped attendance is estimated to be just over 17k. Home Park has four stands, named:

• Beacon Electrical Mayflower Grandstand
• Babcock International Devenport End
• Portcullis Legals Lyndhurst Road Stand
• Kawaski Barn Park End

In the upper Mayflower Grandstand, 1064 of 2658 seats are unable to be sold. This is why there is such a disparity between the amount of seats, the saleable capacity and announced attendance.

Plymouth Argyle Fan Base and Support

Plymouth have enjoyed the support of a loyal fanbase for many years. Attendances exceeded the 20k mark in numerous seasons in the 20^th century, but suffered a dip around the start of the millennium. They dropped as low as four figures over a decade ago, but Argyle are back on the up in the stands.

Now, Home Park tends to be sold out most weeks, or at least close to capacity. This is helped by performances on the pitch, hitting the same heights as fifteen years ago when Argyle were last in the second tier.

With an extremely extensive area like Devon, there is an incredible amount of untapped potential in the area. Plymouth as a place is now the biggest city in England that has never tasted top-flight football, but that hasn’t stopped fans from flocking to Home Park in their thousands over the years.

Plymouth Argyle Rivalries and Notable Matches

The Devon derby, between Plymouth Argyle and Exeter City, is one of the most underrated in the country. It pits two sides relatively isolated from the rest of the country. Over 45 miles separate the two cities, but as the two professional sides in Devon, this rivalry is particularly fierce.

Other local derbies include the Dockyard derby between the Pilgrims and Portsmouth, while Torquay can be considered the third ‘biggest’ side in the county. The likes of Swindon, Bristol City & Rovers are also considered close sides, but wouldn’t necessarily be considered a derby.

Some notable matches between these two teams include:

• March 30^th, 1923 – Division Three (South): Plymouth Argyle 5-1 Exeter City
• September 18^th, 2001 – Division Three: Exeter City 2-3 Plymouth Argyle
• October 26^th, 2019 – League Two: Exeter City 4-0 Plymouth Argyle
• October 31^st, 2022 – League One: Plymouth Argyle 4-2 Exeter City

Plymouth Argyle Facts

Plymouth Argyle History

After being founded in 1886, Argyle spent their early years playing in the Western and Southern League, winning the latter only ten years after becoming a professional outfit. By 1920, they entered the Football League Third Division, and only four years later they embarked on a tour of South America, beating household names Uruguay and Argentina.

Not many clubs can claim to have been as unlucky as the Pilgrims during the 1920s, finishing runners-up six years on the trot, when only the league winners won promotion. They eventually did win the Third Division South under the guidance of legendary manager Bob Jack.

Argyle have tended to fluctuate between the divisions throughout their history, but almost reached the First Division in 1953 when they finished fourth in Division Two. The Pilgrims have had a couple of bizarre games over the years, notably seeing 100k fans watch them in Poland and over 37k attend a game against a Santos side featuring Pelé, with Argyle unbelievably winning 3-2.

In more recent times, Plymouth have climbed to the Championship, dropped to League Two and risen back again to the second tier, where they intend to stay.

Plymouth Argyle Social Media Links

Following the clubs' social media is very important, to be regularly updated about the affairs of the club. The club have almost 150k followers on Twitter, where they provide regular updates on matchdays, while also providing news. On top of watching the side, this is the best way to stay updated.

Below are the links for the clubs’ Twitter, and the website:

https://twitter.com/Argyle
https://www.pafc.co.uk/

Plymouth Argyle Outlook and Forecast

Another season of relative struggle in the second tier was to be expected this term, after staying up on the last day of last season. League One Champions Portsmouth have really struggled so far, while Oxford and Derby will be expected to be around the bottom six come the end of the season. This should encourage Argyle fans, along with the struggles of QPR and Hull who were expected to do well this term.

Keeping hold of Morgan Whittaker over the summer looked to be the best bit of business the Pilgrims did by far, but he hasn’t quite hit the same heights as last term. Icelandic international Pálsson hasn’t lived up to expectations so far, but injuries have hindered him in the early stages of the season.

Frequently Asked Questions on Plymouth Argyle

How much would it cost to buy Plymouth Argyle Football Club?

Based on US investors paying £4m for a 20% stake in the club in 2022, it could then be said that Plymouth are worth around £20m. That figure though would likely be higher for a full takeover of the club, as it would include other assets which are of significant value, and would add millions to that theoretical value.

Why are Plymouth called Argyle?

The club were called Argyle from their formation in 1886 until 1903, and it took another 30 years for rumours to begin to emerge about where the name was derived from.

One such rumour is based on a local street called Argyle, or the Argyle Terrace in Mutley when the club were formed. But these rumours are debunked by the fact that their name was decided at the Borough Arms Coffee Tavern on Bedford Street instead.

Another potential reason was given in 1934, in a letter to the Western Morning News. Howard Grose, one of the clubs’ founders, said the name came from an admiration of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders’ football team. But one of the reasons referenced is that the side played impressive football in the Army Cup Final, but that occurred three years after Plymouth’s formation.

A more likely reason is the association with Argyle Terrace, which was built four years before they were formed. ‘Pickwick’ was another name suggested, but Argyle supposedly was the better option due to its local proximity, as some of the founding members were believed to have lived close by.

In truth, the real reason is unknown!

How much do Plymouth Argyle players get paid?

According to Salary Sport, Plymouth’s total wage bill was just over £9m for 2024. The average weekly wage is said to be around £6500 a week, giving them a salary of close to £338k. Top of that list are the likes of Balie Mumba, Callum Wright and Morgan Whittaker who earn in excess of 9k.

How much are Plymouth Argyle worth?

The club's net worth is around £15.9 million, with owner Simon Hallett having a net worth estimated to be £66m.

What are Plymouth Argyle fans called?

Plymouth Argyle fans are commonly known as “The Green Army." This nickname quite obviously comes from the club's home colours of green and white.

In terms of the club's nickname ‘The Pilgrims’, this dates back a few hundred years, to when some English settlers travelled to Plymouth, Massachusetts on the Mayflower. The latter is an important aspect, as one of the stands at Home Park is now named after this ship. They departed from Plymouth in England, and as they were Pilgrim fathers, this is where the nickname comes from.

Has Plymouth Argyle ever won a trophy?

In terms of so-called ‘major trophies’, no, they haven’t. However, the club have honours such as winning the Football League Division Three 3x (now League One), along with winning the Football League Trophy in 1997. Another notable achievement was reaching the FA Cup Semi-Final stage in 1983/84.

Is Plymouth Argyle a big club?

Having never reached the top division of English football, in relative terms Plymouth cannot be considered a big club. In fact, Plymouth is the largest city in England that has never witnessed top-flight football, replacing Hull who reached the Premier League in 2008. Despite this, Devon has an extremely large catchment area of supporters, so the idea one day of Plymouth finally reaching the promised land is not a fantasy.

Where to watch Plymouth Argyle?

To watch the club live, you would have to attend a home game at Home Park. Alternatively, you could watch one of their 23 league games away from home. As part of the new Sky Sports deal for the EFL, at least 24 Plymouth games will be available to watch on TV too.