Wednesday 31 August 2011

£389,095,000

Spent in the summer transfer window by Premier League clubs.

As of 21.30 on 31/08 with 1 hour 30 mins left.

Who says football's all money orientated?

12 yards

That's all that was left between Argyle and advancement in the JPT, three worth's of 12 yards too. And yet not one penalty hit the target.

Exeter City 1 - 1 Plymouth Argyle (3-0 pens)

And so the Greens are out of yet another cup tournament ('let's concentrate on the league', 'it's only a pot of paint' - only 300ish of the Green Army actually made the trip 42 miles up the road, and when some staunch supporters have got so disenfranchised with the franchise, who can really blame them?) at exactly the same point and against exactly the same team as last year. And though Argyle fought well to get back on level pegging, surely questions need to be asked that not one player could score from 12 yards with only one defender in the way? And yet this is what we have got, and save from a few loanees and free agents, the transfer window close very soon. Without the ratification of the football league, yet another deadline has been missed by the administration/takeover team and these players are who the Green Army will have to trust in - if they have a club to support at in the first place. Maybe it's inexperience, youth or nerves, but unfortunately struggles and frustrations like this, which are becoming expected, will be the norm.

Sunday 28 August 2011

Strongest Team in the Football League

It's official Argyle are holding the whole football league up after being plunged rock bottom following

Plymouth Argyle 0 - 1 Crewe

The on-pitch woes continue as Argyle lacked any bite back against Crewe, this suffering yet another home defeat. The off-pitch actions have and still have wide reaching repercussions and goes some way to proving that money does buy success or you can't make a silk's purse with a sow's ear. This is Argyle's sixth successive home defeat - the last time that happened was 1947 and show's no sign of any improvement. Without the distraction of the very existence of the club, supporters would now be questioning Reid's ability, who has not been able to make any Argyle side - with or without experienced players - work. Even so, the end of the transfer window is only a week away, and it is very very unlikely that any players will be brought in except for possibly free agents that no one else wants. Or maybe they're saving up for Luka Modric?

Friday 26 August 2011

BIL of Health

Statement from The P&A Partnership, re: Plymouth Argyle Football Company Limited (in administration):

"The joint administrators of Plymouth Argyle Football Company Limited (in administration) are satisfied that Bishop International Limited has secured the necessary funding and everything is agreed between the numerous parties.

"Solicitors are now working to finalise the documentation and complete the sale to Bishop International Limited / Plymouth Argyle (125) Limited.

"Brendan Guilfoyle said: 'This has been a complex deal involving a dozen stakeholders. I am very grateful for the assistance I have received from everyone involved in the sale.

"'I can now look forward to the new club obtaining the share from the Football League and retaining their status as a Football League member club'.

http://www.pafc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10364~2433309,00.html

So a deal has been struck with Bishop International Ltd, and on the proviso that contracts are signed and then ratified by the Football League, Argyle might just have been saved...

D Day

Since Wednesday approximately 50 people have been holding a vigil at Home Park. They have lit 124 candles - one for each year of the clubs existence, with 125th due to be lit when the club is finally secure. However, there is very little optimism around amongst Argyle fans that the Greens will exist by 17.00 today and many fans Facebook statuses reflect this. If it does pan out for the worst Argyle will be the first club to cease to exist during a season. Any trust that ever existed in Guilfoyle or Ridsdale has evaporated into the same contempt shown to Stapleton et al, even if the takeover does limp over the finishing line, I don't see much true support is going to be directed towards the directors' box.

We await.

Monday 22 August 2011

Pilgrims' Regress

Who better than an outsider looking in to perfectly summarise the complete quagmire that is PAFC and try to make some sense of it:

TwoHundredPercent Part 1
TwoHundredPercent Part 2

Sunday 21 August 2011

No way Back

Gillingham United 3 - 0 Plymouth Argyle

As has been the norm for ages, once the Greens concede there's no going back. The heads drop and the fighting spirit evaporates. Even more so now the team is full of youngsters who have very little professional league football experience - the knowledge of losing, coupled with the uncertainty surrounding their future has a bad effect on the pitch. Once the Gills had got one, you knew it would be hard to come back, 2 and it was all over. Even more so the fact that Argyle were down to 10 men and first came from the resultant penalty.

The Gills summary includes

"I can't recall Flitney having anything of note to do against a young inexperienced Plymouth team that offered very little other than enthusiasm. They chased and harried and made it difficult for us to create anything but that was about all."

"First half we were ineffective against a very week Plymouth team (they will go down if they don't go bust)"

"3-0 but could and probably should have been 6-0."

The second comment is a real reality. There appears to be no way out of the mess that surrounds the club; off the pitch or on it.

Sunday 14 August 2011

Paint Trophy 2011

Argyle have drawn 'big club' Exter City away in the first round of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy to be played on either Tue 30 or Wed 31 August. A repeat of last year's defeat on the horizon?

When will it all End?

For crying out load, just when will this complete shambles of a "take over" end? Yet again the 'Irish consortium' of Bishop International has failed to provide significant funds to even pay the staff forcing them to accept a deferment yet again. However, even Guilfoyle's get tough tactic was thrown out by the courts. So unfortunately for any Green Army member, the saga of PAFC will rumble on for a fair time to come.

Not the Best Outcomes

Plymouth Argyle 0 - 1 Millwall [LC]
Plymouth Argyle 1 - 4 Rotherham United

Not the best kick off to football at the Theatre of Greens, but is there much that can be expected from a team that has not much experience? And what incidentally has happened to Larrieu? Following his testimonial year and decision to stay, Reid has not played him favouring Cole instead. At any rate those that attended the Millwall game gave a good account of the lads that Millwall were not that good and there for the taking, but Argyle history would have predicted that the first foray into the League Cup always ends up in a humiliating dumping out at the earliest opportunity. The reverse however was the feeling verses Rotherham. Literally men against the boys. With Reid summarising as 'suicide football', especially at the home team took the lead - but the passing was all right! Walton has vowed that the same mistakes won't happen again, but you can probably assume it will. The game saw yet another débutante - Will Atkinson - the 22 year old on loan from Hull, who actually scored Argyle's one and only goal. It will be a long hard season, maybe things will click right soon. Maybe.

Saturday 6 August 2011

Start as you mean to go On

Shrewsbury Town 1 - 1 Plymouth Argyle

A draw start to the season from the Greens, a good start I suppose considering 1. it's not a loss and 2. it's good enough for the team considering what's gone on. Reid had to field 5 players that have never played in league football, 9 that had never played for Argyle before and in a team who's average age was only 22 - Larrieu didn't even feature and skipper Fletcher - at 31 - was the oldest in the XI. The Green Army had to wait the full 90 minutes to be rewarded by a screaming goal from Fletcher, though Shrewsbury only managed their opener at 69 minutes. There is obviously a lot that needs to be done before Argyle can be considered any force in the league, but fair plays to the lads they did alright.