Sunday 30 October 2011

Misty Dawn

Cheltenham 2 - 1 Plymouth Argyle

Not the best start to the new dawn of PAFC when you lose 2-1 after being 0-1 up for 80 minutes of the game. To lose through a dodgy penalty decision too is even more galling. And it makes hope of survival in the league even more dim. Being rooted to the bottom of the FL all season with a lot of work to do to even contemplate survival in the league is a daunting prospect. There's always something bad happening at Argyle, but with the existence of the club all but secure, now is the time to concentrate on the league. Not a cliché this time!

Saturday 29 October 2011

IT'S OVER!


AT LAST, it's all over. On Friday P&A Partnership have agreed a deal to sell the club to Akkeron Group and the deal has been signed and sealed. Peter Ridsdale has been appointed Chairman of Football Operations (no surprise there really - he's been hanging round like a bad smell for ages) who set out his stall for rebuilding the club's fortunes, and new owner James Brent has outlined his aspirations for the future. Now the FL is due to give back it's 'golden share', one last technicality left and administration is finished. Then it's down to PCC to buy back Home Park and the process of dragging the club back up to standard begins.

Argyle went into admin in March, but the sorry saga has been going for over a year with players and staff not receiving any pay since this time last year. In that time many have left, others have struggled on, supports - in austere times themselves - have given a vast amount of money, organised vigils and garnered the support of numerous other clubs through Fans ReUnited. And it is such a relief that at last PAFC can start to get back to being a football club once more. A glass of champagne for all!

Wednesday 26 October 2011

Crash and Burn

Oxford United 5 - 1 Plymouth Argyle

Not much to say really, probably quite inevitable despite some of the good performances of late, but the squad cannot hold up to the rigours of the league. But the heavy defeat, which is not that common unless you happen to be a United fan, is of additional note because in spite of the weakness of the squad, a loss by 4 goals has not happened before. And the performance of the squad on the day did not totally warrant a 1-5 outcome.

Sunday 23 October 2011

...Two Steps Back

Plymouth Argyle 0 - 1 Swindon Town

Following the decision by PCC on repurchasing the ground, and the win away from home last week, it looked like Argyle were heading in the right direction. Until full time brought a loss. There was not much to shout about and Argyle neither really deserved to win or to lose, though until admin is over and the team can get more settled with more experienced players, the game is going to be very hit and miss.

Wednesday 19 October 2011

Green Green Grass

Of Home Park. Plymouth City Council announced a landmark in the saga of the fall of Argyle today, they are prepared to buy back Home Park and lease it to who ever takes over the club. The £1.6m deal well see PCC buy back HP after selling it to the New World for £2.7m just 5 years ago and leasing it back for £135,000 a year, though this is actually pittance in the grand scheme of things. Thus the deal will anger many Plymothians who don;t give a flying fuck about PAFC and will just see their taxpayers money being squandered on a lost cause - just read the comments - and will divide the City of Plymouth (quite frankly like anything the council does) for a long time. However, with this hurdle overcome, the sale of PAFC should finally be complete within a few weeks. Hurrah!

Sunday 16 October 2011

Spot On

Dagenham & Redbridge 2 - 3 Plymouth Argyle

This time the penalty spot did not present the same problem as in the JPT, with Walton scoring the winning goal from 12 yards that salvaged the 3 points which have come as a shock and delight to the Green Army. Although once again Argyle had to do it the hard way by giving away a 2 goal lead. The lead came courtesy of Lecointe (who is the youngest player to score away from home on debut) and Hourihane, who scored from long range although his delight lasted 6 minutes as the inevitable equalisers came in both players had chances to snatch the points again. It fell to the 90th minute for senior player Walton to convert the penalty awarded by the assistant ref to ensure the Pilgrims went away with their first full marks and putting the Greens tantalisingly 2 points away to leaving the relegation zone.

Saturday 8 October 2011

Banned

The FL have now banned Argyle from acquiring loanees as well as its embargo on transfers, this is due to the continuation of the lack of payment to staff. 2 loanees that were due to sign have now been blocked from doing so. Thus it is even more imperative that ownership is sorted out for the club to go anywhere, because what we have is not good enough.

We'd quite like to apologise...

...for the delayed arrival of your football club at Home Park.

There are not more delays to be expected (more than the roadworks around various areas of Plymouth), as PCC debates Vivian Pengelly's quote stating the council could buy back Home Park and re-lease it to PAFC. Especially after the Taxpayers' Alliance branded it a waste of public money. Other delays would push Brent's bid back to the end of October, meaning the staff will probably have to accept yet another deferral of wages. The whole mess now has potential to have lasted a year, especially as many Plymouth citizens do not agree with the council spending tax payers money on a private firm when in times of cutbacks their taxes are funding fewer and fewer services, just check out the comments in the article to get a feel.

Happy Birthday

Plymouth Argyle 2 - 2 Accrington Stanley

Today PAFC was 125 years old, and a shame that the footballing gods could not have delivered a present of a stable club and 3 points. As it was the Green Army had to settle for just the one, after a shambolic second half performance that saw Argyle at 2-0 up concede two goals. Against 10 men too. Clearly 11 boys v 10 men because there was not a single shot on target during the whole 60 minutes that Argyle were an extra man up, and in front of an 8,000 highest of the season crowd. Even though Fletcher's win rate (1 win, 1 loss, 1 draw) is actually better than Reid's 1 draw, his tactics left little to desire by not making the most of the opportunity with the formation, and playing too much long high ball to under achieving forwards.

However, anyone for cake?

Tuesday 4 October 2011

Happy? Anniversary

This Saturday marks the 125th anniversary of the founding of PAFC, and to coincide will see Fans ReUnited2. 125 years have seen many ups and downs for Argyle, and to be playing its anniversary in the 4th tier of the football league is galling. However, for many an outsider it is no more than Argyle's natural habitat. What's more shocking is that Argyle might not even live to be 126 years, although that threat has abated for a while, but there is still much more to be done for PAFC to still be in existence in the next few months, let alone another year. The anniversary shirt has not even been manufactured yet!

This Saturday's match vs Accrington Stanley (who? - remember that, it could easily been Plymouth Argyle) is specially priced at £12.5o per adult and £1.25 per child (who's a clever clogs?), so get to Home Park to see a special date in the history of the Pilgrims.

Sunday 2 October 2011

Oh Well

Crawley 2 - 0 Plymouth Argyle

To be expected really, one win does not mean survival, and Argyle are just not good enough for the league. Fletcher has changed a few things and trying to instil some team spirit - which shows - but the fact of the matter is that goals are what is needed.