Sunday 28 June 2009

Newsround 28/06/09

Its been so quiet that Newsround missed a week.

Season Ticket Prices

Prices for White and Pilgrim Memberships have been released:

White membership
Main ground: adults £154, over-65s and under-23s, £101, under-18s £47.
Mayflower Enclosure: adults £100, over-65s and under-23s £77, under-18s £35.

Pilgrim membership
£30

Player News

Nothing to get excited about, Sturrock's one in one out policy hasn't really gone anywhere, Stack is now 3rd choice goalkeeper, trialists are going to be sought using an X Factor format (I mean come on!!) whereby we have no trialists (now that is worrying) for preseason and Sturrock will see them all during a closed doors game, and Romain Larrieu is now club captain so congratulations to him.

Takeover News

Phil Gill resigned (which I somehow pre-emptively managed to report 2 weeks ago), making Kagami the majority shareholder.

Match News

The Boxing Day match at Cardiff's new ground has been changed to a 13.00 kick off. So the Heddlu can have an early night.

Kit News

The new home kit is now available in Argyle merchandise stockists. Still no sign of the away kit, so we shall probably be playing in skins. And come on what the hell is the hold up? Other clubs have had their kit on sale for weeks before the end of the season, by the looks of it the away kit will not be on sale to week after the start of the next.

Saturday 20 June 2009

A Bonnie Wee Game...

'gain' SPL side, Livingston on Monday 20 July at Almondvile and Romanian Champions, Unirea Urziceni on Wednesday 22 July (venue to be decided) is the line up for the pre-season tour to Scotland.

This is presuming the Livingston exist by the end of July.

Thursday 18 June 2009

Negativity

It festers and it has festered so long it's the norm. Therefore Luggy's comments regarding the League Cup draw at Gillingham come as no surprise. Apparently it's a tough tie, because of the 506 mile trip, although there is a hint at positivity as the promises the Greens will be professional and go to get a result. However, it does once again seem that by calling it a tough draw is once again an excuse for if the Pilgrims should lose.

Wednesday 17 June 2009

Fixtures 2009/10

Today saw the release of the fixtures for next season and for once they are surprisingly kind to Argyle! They include:

We kick off the season away at Palace on 8 August and finish it at home with Peterbrough United on 2 May. The popular Blackpool away fixture will be in October.

Away games to Newcastle and Middlesbrough are on Saturday 19 September and 31 October respectively though we have to wait till April for the return fixtures for both. Over Christmas the Green play Cardiff away on Boxing day, again with no New Years Day match due to the FA Cup, rather kicking off the New Year at QPR on the 9th January.

The 5 away Tuesday matches are Peterborough United (September), Bristol City (October), Swansea (December) and Reading (February), Ipswich Town (March), which is not too bad considering, with just two long haul journeys.

Fixtures from The Herald

Tuesday 16 June 2009

And the honour of beating Argyle goes to...

...Gillingham.

Argyle have drawn Gillingham away in the 1st round of the League cup to be played in the second week of the season. Last year the Pilgrims were beaten by (now non-league) Luton Town, which is no surprise really as Argyle traditionally don't do well in the Cup matches (except for the spell under Holloway when they progressed to round 3 drawing West Ham).


This is Argyle's history in the League Cup when they've got beyond the first round. It doesn't make happy reading:

League Cup - Semi Final
SeasonDateMatch
197330 Jan 1974 Man City2-0Plymouth Argyle
197323 Jan 1974Plymouth Argyle1-1Man City
196410 Feb 1965 Plymouth Argyle0-1Leicester City
196420 Jan 1965 Leicester City3-2Plymouth Argyle
League Cup - Round 5
SeasonDateMatch
197319 Dec 1973Birmingham1-2Plymouth Argyle
196425 Nov 1964Plymouth Argyle1-0Northampton
League Cup - Round 4
SeasonDateMatch
197320 Nov 1973 Q.P.R0-3Plymouth Argyle
196411 Nov 1964Plymouth Argyle3-1Stoke City
19644 Nov 1964Stoke City1-1Plymouth Argyle
19606 Feb 1961Plymouth Argyle3-5Aston Villa
196019 Dec 1960Plymouth Argyle0-0Aston Villa
196013 Dec 1960Aston Villa3-3Plymouth Argyle
League Cup - Round 3
SeasonDateMatch
200726 Sep 2007West Ham1-0Plymouth Argyle
199211 Nov 1992Scarborough2-1Plymouth Argyle
199227 Oct 1992Plymouth Argyle3-3Scarborough
199031 Oct 1990Plymouth Argyle1-2Notts Forest
19792 Oct 1979Wimbledon1-0Plymouth Argyle
197925 Sep 1979Plymouth Argyle0-0Wimbledon
197330 Oct 1973Burnley1-2Plymouth Argyle
196414 Oct 1964 Bury0-1Plymouth Argyle
196016 Nov 1960Plymouth Argyle3-1Birmingham
196014 Nov 1960Birmingham0-0Plymouth Argyle

The full draw:

Accrington Stanley v Walsall
Huddersfield Town v Stockport County
Rotherham United v Derby County
Tranmere Rovers v Grimsby Town
Sheffield Wednesday v Rochdale
Bury v West Bromwich Albion
Notts County v Doncaster Rovers
Lincoln City v Barnsley
Scunthorpe United v Chesterfield
Coventry City v Hartlepool United
Darlington v Leeds United
Preston North End v Morecambe
Crewe Alexandra v Blackpool
Carlisle United v Oldham Athletic
Nottingham Forest v Bradford City
Macclesfield Town v Leicester City
Sheffield United v Port Vale
Cardiff City v Dagenham & Redbridge
Wycombe Wanderers v Peterborough United
Southampton v Northampton Town
Barnet v Watford
Hereford United v Charlton Athletic
Bristol Rovers v Aldershot Town
Millwall v AFC Bournemouth
Gillingham v Plymouth Argyle
Colchester United v Leyton Orient
Reading v Burton Albion
Exeter City v Queens Park Rangers
Cheltenham Town v Southend United
Brentford v Bristol City
Yeovil Town v Norwich City
Crystal Palace v Torquay United
Milton Keynes Dons v Swindon Town
Swansea City v Brighton & Hove Albion
Shrewsbury Town v Ipswich Town

Monday 15 June 2009

3 Prong Attack

Argyle chairman, Stapleton has set out his threefold plan for the Greens and the way forward on the day that the news on the takeover was that there was no news. His aims are:

To resolve the proposed takeover of the club by director Yasuaki Kagami as soon as possible.

To ensure the Pilgrims are run on a profitable basis.

To set medium to long-term goals for the Home Park club to try to achieve

So...

1. To resolve the takeover.

This has dragged on and dragged on with no look of ending with little twists and turns such as the American interest, the savioured fan rep on the board, those in the know by some fluke sticking their feathered tails up at the proletariat, but nothing happening. Apparently a board member, Phill Gill, as resigned and sold his shares Yasuaki Kagami making Shoanan Management Company making them the largest stakeholder. This apparently is meant to lead other members selling their shares to that Kagami then holds 51% of the company, meaning that he can then take over. There is no doubt that Shoanan are involved in PAFC Ltd as they hold a number of shares, so what is going on that is holding things back. Stapleton mentioned back that he was desperate to ensure the club's integrity after the takeover. This leads to the question of what exactly is Kagami, who is not known as a football fan but a property developer, planning for the Pilgrims?

2. To ensure the Pilgrims are run on a profitable basis.

Should not be too difficult for am accountant, he's always said we're in a good situation and yet sometimes the mask falls. Last season the Greens made a loss and the perennial 'not big enough gates' is chanted after every match (it's mentioned in the article - have a look!). The waste of money by Sturrock last year coupled with the regular sell off of the family silver shows a different story. Sturrock's one out one in attitude to this summer's transfers and the desire for the takeover starkly shows that there is no money left.

3. To set medium to long-term goals for the Home Park club to try to achieve.

Another 5 point plan? Just 'survival is a big achievement' for the foreseeable future? Let's face it the Premier League is not going to be achievable by Argyle, and the club won't want to set the stakes that high - they haven't in 100 odd years, even when "if we're there, we'll go for it". So why would they now? So what is a medium/long-term goal that is achievable?
Answers on a post card please.

To be frank, it's not really anything exciting either. Number 1 is an immediate concern that has to be dealt with, number 2 has been going on since Stapleton and co too over, and number 3 is just paying lip service to the supporters.

Sunday 14 June 2009

Newsround 14/06/09

As there's bugger all exciting happening, here's a few titbits from last week.

The Takeover

"Days away" is the new "imminent" as the takeover is week on week just 'days away',]although this week is has now become elusive but Stapleton is not worried but confident that there is no problems of 'relationships' causing tensions and delays. Last week it was learnt that Americans have been connected with K&K's interest. These things do take time to complete properly - we don't want to be going off half cocked do we? - but it ain't half frustrating that it's not done and dusted so the 'rebuilding' of the team can take place.

Team News

Homegrown Luke Summerfield has extended his stay at Home Park. Summers is a love-hate player who divides opinion because of his standard of play and his ability to be picked above other players when he's going badly.

On a brighter note, after a year of trying, Sturrock finally got his man by signing Carl Fletcher permanently to become the Pilgrim's first signing of the summer. Fletcher is more favoured among the Green Army and the signing has been the high point so far.

And in the rumours, ex player, Graham Coughlan could be returning to Home Park to take up a coaching role. Cocko was a well liked and respected player during his time for the Greens but does he have the necessary to coach a Championship team?

Thursday 4 June 2009

We Built this FC on Loan Players

Hurrah! Luggy's going to try and go wild in the aisles of the loan mart, though he's cautious that loanees will be in high demands because of the economic climate.

Luggy's been in contact with 5-6 Premier managers with a view to talking to 20 agents for loan players for next season and thus has his "finger on the pulse" to target the players he wants.

So are we to actually possess any proper players next season, or are we going to be transient with loanees coming and going, propping up the team? In one way, given Sturrock's poor choices for permanent deadwood last season a turn over of players would be good - bring 'em in, if they don't cut the mustard send 'em back. And his loanees performed the better job last season to keep the greens up. But is it really a viable plan?

Pre Season

Confirmed pre-season matches:

Monday 13 July. Truro City, Treyew Road
Wednesday 15 July, Torquay United, Plainmoor, 19.45
Saturday 18 July, Skelmersdale United, The Skelmersdale & Ormskirk College Stadium, 15.00
Sunday 19 July - Friday 24 July, Pre-season Tour, Scotland
Saturday 25 July, Morecambe, Christie Park

Wednesday 3 June 2009

Black and Grey Barmy Army

The new Argyle leisure wear is now available at the new look Argyle Centre Spot. And Plymouth Argyle seem to now be paying homage to newly relegated Newcastle United. Everything's gone black and grey.

Now traditionally Argyle's colours have been Green and Black, then white joined in and more recently gold, yellow and orange have crept in. So in some ways we're going back to basics, however, where is the green? Argyle are just one of 2 English league clubs who play mainly in green, but you would not have thought that by looking at the leisure range. Adidas's new kits for us have been off the peg and so is their leisurewear, so whilst they can be applauded in some way of rejecting pink, luminous yellow, orange, brown, red, azure (though, we haven't seen the away kit yet!), this may just be taking things one step too far.