Haven't we been Here Before?

So Brent is selling off land to an arms-length PAFC land owning company in order to raise money to develop the club and ground. Hasn't this been done before?

Spending a Penny

Argyle might not have a pot to piss in at the moment, but you can help to give the supporters something to relieve themselves in. Best Loosers are looking for votes to 'promote toilets to a higher league'. Your chance to vote for the shittiest shitters to get the makeover treatment making sure your club is no longer bog standard in the toilet department. Vote for Home Park by 5 January 2012. Anyone who has used the shacks behind the grandstand know that although Argyle can't afford to piss good money up the wall, that's exactly what us blokes literally do every time we take a leak, and the ladies ain't up to much either apparently! Help make Argyle flushed with success in at least one competition this year.

Zoo Closure

Following the announcement regarding season tickets, it is noted that no STs will be sold for blocks 15-18 due to safety and security reasons, effectively meaning that yet another part of Home Park is being closed down. Now that means that along with the Mayflower and 4 blocks, nearly 1/3rd of HP is out of bounds to supporters.

League 2 away crowds are never that big, especially the travelling support so 5 blocks for the opposition is over accommodating and will mean that in the majority of cases only 2/5ths of their allocations will be sold, thus with what will be a smaller home following, probably nearing 1/2th of the ground will only be occupied for the majority of the time.

The thinking probably being along these lines that it's better to concentrate fewer supporters in a smaller area, however ST holders and supporters have been shifted without care for the second time now, from Mayflower to Zoo Corner to wherever, causing a lot of ill feeling. And considering there's only been a £20 reduction in cost of a ST since last year (and what, if you work out the saving of a ST over the number of games, is only about £2 for POTD), a number of people will be saying 'sod it' to the Greens.

Nu-Home Park

Yesterday the Herald revealed the masterplan for Home Park. The Life Centre is already progressing, but the application for further development includes the completion of Home Park to its 40,000+ capacity, a new arena/ice rink to replace the Pavilions on the football field, a cinema on the council's Parks Services depot, various blocks of student accommodation, a 3 star hotel and retail units on the car park.

In my opinion the majority of that is not required. Certainly there should be no need for further student accommodation, and certainly not within the area of Central Park. The retail centre is unnecessary too as there are several supermarkets nearby and the place is unsuitable for a retail park with such generic names as PC World and DFS. Besides, there's be no car parking left. And the Vue Cinema in Coxside has already closed the Odeon and threatened Reel in the city centre.

So of the development, I only agree with the finishing of Home Park (though not to the capacity proposed), the hotel - likely to be a Travelodge type establishment - and the arena/ice rink. This too could easily be accommodated within the new South Stand development. Although I do disagree that the development itself (ie the buildings, not the usage) would cause undue harm to Central Park as it is all proposed to be contained within areas that are already developed, except for the football field.

All in all it's a pipe dream for the World Cup bid. It may happen, but it's probably gone in slightly the wrong direction on the way.

There's a great website at http://build2.jensenmeyer.com/ with pdf plans to download and peruse for more in depth detail.

Dusty Bin

It's the sale of the century - own your own piece of the old cow field for just £40!. I've seen better clumps of grass on Dartmoor.

The Price of Failure

Three games of the season left and unless there is a miracle, Argyle will be spending the foreseeable future in League One. There has already been much speculation about what this will mean for the club, namely

- a loss of at least £2m in sponsorship money from television deals
- difficulty in maintaining a squad on such high wages
- increased difficulty attracting players to the club
- a fall in gate and sponsorship money
- the potential closure of the Mayflower terrace due to the cost of hiring the seating

Argyle made a loss of near £3m last financial year and saw a transfer embargo put in place due to debts. The loss of revenue and high outgoings next season could cripple the club. The World Cup bid, pitch replacement, hire of facilities for training at Marjon, and plans to finish the stadium (although this one has been cleverly handled as it is now PAHL who will be footing the bill and leasing the ground back to PAFC) are outgoings that may be ill afforded. Though the club has been here before, and some may say is returning to its natural level, we shall just have to wait and see.

Selling Home Park

To yourself after announcing a loss of over £2million this year. Argyle were always hailed as being the club always in the black but for the last few years even that accolade has disappeared with year on year losses announced every year. (Go on, blame the public for not going, you know you want to). And so to clear some debt Home Park is to "sold" to PAFC Holdings. This comes alongside 90,000 shares in Argyle being sold for £22.22 per share.

Creative accountancy aimed at [quote] "reducing debt levels in PAFC and thus strengthening its balance sheet. In addition, they should provide a basis for commercial property and development finance to be raised in order to develop the stadium in support of the club's ambitions, as well as Plymouth's support for England's bid to host the 2018/2022 World Cup." While Rome burns, the World Cup bid is still foremost in the board's eyes?

P-P Again

Due to the woeful state of the pitch, the Barnsley game has been postponed for the second time, meaning this is the 3rd cancelled fixture and no football today in Plymouth, and with the other teams playing and pulling away, the Greens are coming further adrift. It also puts the game on Tuesday against derby in doubt. Though this weekend's weather has been good so far to dry it out, considering the state of the pitch last Saturday will not be easy to rectify by Tuesday. Barnsley must be fuming.

Home Park Stadium

The plans for new look Home Park were revealed today, though dependent upon the World Cup Bid.

Phase one of Phase two (keeping up?) will increase and finish the current stadium to a capacity of 27,000; this is not reliant on the bid and will start at the end of NEXT season (so 2011). Phase two and phase three of phase two will add an extra tier to phase one (you sure you got that?), which will add 8,000 seats and then make the full complement of 46,000.

Now even if Argyle get the bid the legacy is going to be a 46,000 seater stadium that is far too big for the South West, though it will be multi-purpose. But,the Olympic stadium in Stratford is being built to Olympic standards and the legacy will reduce it to a more manageable size. If half that stadium could be described as "temporary", then why can't the same logic be applied to Home Park?

Straight from the Horse's Mouth

A summary of Keith Todd's answers during his live chat (in the order answered without repeats):

- Paul Sturrock is very much in, with the improvements made by Paul Mariner and PS partnership, the board are very happy
- Season Ticket holders are not being sidelined by initiatives to increase crowds with lower prices, hence the New World Deal
- PS and PM are reassessing the current squad which is too big and players are very likely to leave with 1/2 new signings
- 5 year plan due in December, along with stadium plan which is not dependent upon results on the field. Phase 1 of Phase 2 will create a capacity of 27,000.
- No comment re Paul Maxwell
- The board are happy with the level of communication with fans
- Tony Campbell is working on partnership with First Great Western re discounted tickets from "upcountry"
- Work is in progress about live screening of PA matches
- Youth development is tied up in the 5 year plan
- There are contingency plans for relegation
- The board recognise that poor form is the reason for lower gates, though more initiatives to increase gates are due
- Aspirations to be in the Premier League within 5 years
- The sale of key players is not ruled out
- The board is happy with the stewarding at Home Park
- A new training ground is being looked into
- The board is interested in welcoming other sports to use Home Park
- The DJM have told the club that few games clash with Argyle

Hope in Hell

Well it seems that England (Wales, Scotland) have only put in a half arsed attempt at a bid for the 2018 World Cup. FIFA have already got their guns out at the FA that England has no "God given right" to host football and the FA seriously need to raise their game. Not really surprising, FIFA don't really like the UK. Even so, it takes the sparkle off any Back the Plymouth Bid. 2018 is a pipe dream for Argyle at the moment in the setting up of a South West bid to host the games that no one else wants, key being Argyle's new all singing and dancing stadium with buttons on.

2018 has, on the face of it, appeared to be concentrating the board's efforts on the finishing of Home Park, and there doesn't seem to be a hope in hell that Plymouth, even if England are successful, will get anything out of the tournament at all. Therefore, finishing the grandstand, with a view to adding on should be the main focus. But even before that, survival in the Championship is more important.

The Sound of Silence

The New World have responded to the fans' pleas to turn off the music before the match so they crowd can build and atmosphere, and were met with a low murmer in response. Many supporters have been harping on for years that the music played before the match and after goals kills dead the supports' chance to get a natural atmosphere going and yet when the chance arises nothing happens. Inspite of all that New World has done the first crowd of the season was just 11,500, the Green Army less willing to show vocal support though they should not be blamed - a part from a few clubs, many crowds have fallen silent following the sanitation of football over the decades and nothing is going to change that. But at least the club have tried, shame he moaners didn't when they had the chance.

The Good Ship Mayflower

Not only is the Mayflower unreserved seating area cheaper than anywhere else in the ground, there is now cheaper beer on offer for the first time since Thatcher's terraces alcohol ban in the old side of the ground if you aren't a corporate customer or a member of the Far Post Club. The new "Outpost" bear tent is open for business, serving pints at a cheaper rate than the rest of the ground. Soon the old side will be the busiest in the stadium. The new board are running roughshod over the old ways and stamping their mark on the club to ingratiate themselves with the supporters. An announcement about phase 2 is due in December, hopefully with no mention of the word 'imminent'.

Argyle's New World

The brand "New World" has been rolled out at Home Park at the start of the new season to mark the new regime's presence at the helm of the good ship Mayflower.

The dawn of New World encompasses a host of initiatives including:

- the introduction of barcoded tickets for the home turnstiles. Season Tickets and matchday tickets now come complete with a barcode that is scanned by the turnstile operator, the information is then sent to the box office to confirm the ticket's validity. Hopefully this scheme has been tested with more than 5 people attempting to enter at the same day, or we'll be seeing long queues well after kick off next week.

- a new corporate entertainment venue. Aside from the Pyramid Suite, Executive boxes, Argyle Lounge and the Chisholm lounge, the executive boxes in the East end of the grandstand have been ripped out and replaced by the new Business Club where guests can watch the game from the comfort of never having to mingle with the masses and their prawn sandwiches will be freshly delivered from Ginsters.

- matchday 'mix and mingle'. Players not included in the team can no longer sit back at the rear of the grandstand, they must turn up suited and booted and be prepared to meet the fans including informal chats and autograph signings in the superstore, giving speeches in the corporate hospitality suites and keeping the fore-mentioned business clients happy.

- the subtle rebranding of the online superstore to Argyle Direct.

- the football specials.

Some good initiatives there but let's hope they're not just putting a cherry on a turd and the new regime has a bit more substance.

Aiming Low?

With the drastic shrinking (sorry, redesigning) of the Life Centre's facilities it appears that the Board of Plymouth Argyle are also thinking small, in a big way.

In an announcement last week at the Shareholders' meeting intent was made public of adding a cinema, restaurants and shops to the South Stand Redevelopment in order to fund it and have been seeking developers. This is great, extra revenue income for the club outside of Tuesdays and Saturdays. However, the actual ground will only gain 7,000 seats on top of the developed side (ie the Grandstand and Mayflower will be replaced by 7,000 seats). Making a ground capacity of ... about what we have now. Is this grand thinking? Showing ambition? That if Argyle ever got into the Premier League (not likely) there will be a good capacity? That Home Park could be considered as a venue for other games? Probably not. Stapleton says that "Plymouth is crying out for facilities" like shops, restaurants. Argyle might be, Plymouth is not.

Where have we come in 10 years? Not far that's for sure.

Gooooooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaalllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll!

If you want to join in the goal music at Home Park here are the lyrics

Ilari, ilari, ilarie,
O-o-o
Ilari, ilari, ilarie,
O-o-o
Ilari, ilari, ilarie,
O-o-o
É a turma da xuxa que vai dando seu alo

in your best Spanish accent of course. Simple really once you know.

Now, this begs the question as to why we have goal music. Quite simple probably because it's friendly, it's American after all and anything they go is so the customer 'has a nice day'. The days when a crowd would cheer a goal are gone for now because we need to inject a certain amount of holiday camp campness into football so it appeals to the family demographic, and be honest were you not happiest when you were at Butlins or Pontins (other holiday centres are available) or a wedding and the DJ would put on Music Man or Superman and the whole dance floor would fill and your gran would struggle to keep up? Fast forward through Saturday Night and the Macarena into the 2000s with The Ketchup Song and Tragedy. Did they not make you smile? Or go hideously wrong? In fact what has been distinctly lacking recently is a summer hit cheesy song with actions. Probably because people have changed and unless you are forced by a Redcoat or bladdered in Ibiza no one does that anymore.

So why do we have to at football? Because we have to. Short of every supporter snipping the PA system's wires the powers that be believe that supporters are incapable of making atmosphere. And again if you're honest, when the crowds are low and the team play crap, Home Park is very lacking. Sometimes even being 4-0 up does little to raise more than a murmur. Maybe the solution is to have an experimental no-music day and see what happens. If we're sat in silence twiddling our thumbs and drinking Bovril. You'd only have yourself to blame.

And why Ilarie? It was played at the Beijing Olympics apparently. At the swimming

Yellow Peril

Don't park your car at Home Park!

Or else you risk a £70 fine, your car towed and 3 points on your licence.

Did you know that there's a 5 minute waiting time limit at Home Park? No? Neither did I. But apparently there is, and the police are out in force to patrol it.

Therefore only use a marked parking space from now on.

(more)

Information Diarrhoea

After what seems like years of silence from Home Park the new initiative meeting last night released a huge bout of information diarrhoea from Paul Stapleton. In a nutshell, he spoke about:

The Redevelopment of the South Stand
Due to start in 2010 with the new planning application due to go in front of the planning department next year in collusion with a commercial partner. The 10.9 acre site could include 10 pin bowling, indoor tennis courts, conferencing and events facilities and retailing. (more)

The Argyle Foundation
The new look youth development, named the Argyle Foundation, will see 2,500 (special season ticket holders) pay £117 a year to invest in youth development. In return for the £117 investors will be entered into prize draws with prizes of up to £10,000. (more)

The Japanese Connection
Is due to turn up investment and players next year once their season finishes. The club is in daily contact with K&K and has viewed various DVDs of players. (more)

Facilities
In addition, Harpers Park training ground is to be redeveloped in the near future.

So there we have it, a scheme to get more money out of already paying supporters to fund (almost individually!) youth players (but with the chance to win one of our fabulous prizes - cuddly toy?); a possibility that phase 2 (oops, Redevelopment of the South Stand because it doesn't include the corners) dependant upon various other developments and it getting through planning and past the Friends of Central Park's campaign to stop the Life Centre and any development in Central Park; and we maybe getting some Japanese players.

I can see why some people are jumping for joy, letting off fireworks and parading to Home Park on Saturday. I can see why some can't really get excited.

But at least for once, we know something

Plymouth Argyle - the Definitive Guide for Away Fans

Who are we?

Plymouth Argyle, that's P-L-Y-M-O-U-T-H A-R-G-Y-L-E. Known as the Pilgrims or the Greens.

We are in Plymouth, Devon, the South West, you know the sticky out bit down the bottom left hand corner of the United Kingdom. The place that is not Portsmouth or Wales or France.

How to get here

If you're using prat-nav Home Park's post code is PL2 3DQ.

Travelling by car means finding the M5 south towards Exeter and continuing on the A38 towards Pymouth. When you pass the Welcome to Plymouth sign you need to turn off at the 3rd exit - Manadon Roundabout. Plymouth Argyle FC is signed from here if you get lost. After coming off the A38 take the second exit onto the A386. Continue ahead until you pass a petrol station on the right. The car park and ground are visible on the left.

By train, take any First Great Western, CrossCountry or South West Trains service travelling to or through Plymouth. When you exit the station, turn right and head out to the main road. Here you have a choice. Either turn right and head under the railway bridge and walk, or cross the road by the footbridge and catch a bus from the stop. If walking, cross straight over the roundabout at the bottom of the hill and head up the other side. A sign directs you to turn right into parkland, just follow this wide path straight ahead.

Club Contact details

Plymouth Argyle FC Ltd, Home Park, PLYMOUTH, PL2 3DQ

Box Office telephone number: 0845 338 7232

Box Office opening times: Mon - Fri: 9am - 5pm; Sat (non matchday): 10am - 3pm; Sat (matchday) 9am - 3pm & half hour after FT; Sun: 12pm - 3pm; Mon before Tue home game & Fri before Sat home game: 9am - 6pm(closed bank holidays)

Argyle Superstore telephone number: 01752 558292

Argyle Superstore (Home Park) opening hours: Mon - Fri: 9am - 5pm; Tue (matchday): 9am - 8.45pm; Sat (non matchday): 10am - 3pm; Sat (matchday): 9am - 3pm & 5pm - 5.30pm

Home Park

Home Park is effectively 2 separate grounds - the newer Devonport, Lyndhurst and Barn Park stands, and the original grandstand and Mayflower enclosure. Away fans are accommodated in the Barn Park end, which is at the farthest end from the car park. Access to this is to the left of the ground only.

The Box Office, Shop and Club Reception are located behind the Grandstand through the private and rough car park (if it rains, bring your wellies!). A trip to the Box Office and back to the away end necessitated a walk around the whole of the ground as there is no direct access between the Box Office and away end.

The away end generally serves alcohol (£3.00 for a bottle of Carlsberg), hot and cold beverages and hot and cold snacks. The club might choose to not serve alcohol depending on whether your support has a naughty following or not.

Depending on how many fans expected the seating may be unreserved, else the from row is row A, working to Y at the back. As you face the pitch, seat numbers get larger from right to left.

Expect stewarding to be quite strict - especially when standing for long periods of time (normally over 5 minutes). If you do not comply, expect to be ejected from the ground.

What to do beforehand?

If you arrive early you might wish to make the 20 minute walk (or bus ride) back into the city centre. Else the nearest pub to the ground is the Britannia Inn on the corner of the large road junction by the bus depot. The management are quite haphazard about whether they open or not on match days, especially afterwards. Facing the Britannia is the Embassy who sometimes allow away fans in. The alternatives are a fair walk away, either though the park to Mutley Plain straight across the junction by the Britannia towards Torpoint you will find Stoke at the top of the hill or back up towards Manadon Roundabout is the Cherry Tree pub.

Phase 2 Update

It's been renamed "The Redevelopment of the South Stand".

Good innit?