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.

Out with the New

Argyle have decided to revert to the 'traditional' club crest, casting aside the New World's offering of the circular badge containing the Mayflower Crest. However, there are a few modifications in order to celebrate 125 years of the club.

The news will please many Argyle fans who have called for the removal of the new badge - and mostly cos it's been tainted with the New World fiasco and looked a copy cat of many other clubs badges.

The 125 version features gold trim and an extra banner at the top. Maybe after this celebratory season, the crest will revert to the plainer green/black/white design.

You've Never Had it so Good

A misquote by PM Harold MacMillan, sometimes atttributed to Margaret Thatcher. MacMillan was of course talking about post war 1957 Britain that the Conservatives had built and we all know what came of them. Similarly a few years ago the Green Army had never has it so good; the club were riding high in the 2nd tier of English football with a bright manager and a youngish up and coming team, but yet on the verge of a second successive relegation, this time into the 4th tier of the football pyramid, as Liam Byrne wrote to his successor at the demise of NuLabour, 'Sorry, there's no money left'.

During the flying high times, the board were lamenting the 'never had it so good' message to all, with promises of Premier League football and a(nother) 5 year plan, and many believed it. Though as is clear to all the personal greed of those in charge, the reluctance to let go or seek investment, got in the way of the real goal of a football club - success. Instead, as even now in administration, property development took over. The World Cup bid was in the main a quick fix way of getting the stadium finished, and the surrounding area covered in money making property, and when that inevitable fell, as there was no longer any strong footballing foundation, the club crumbled. Even still, the direction Guilfoyle looks to be sending the club appears to be the same, with no attempt to market the club to anyway, and only property developers interested.

And so, as Argyle head into another history repeating recession, how long before the Green Army have never had it so good again?

Gary II

This time last year I wrote about a mate of mine:

I have a friend who used to be quite an ardent Argyle fan. But not any more. He hasn't set foot inside Home Park for years. On the occasions we have discussed this his reason has been twofold. Namely, that they don't come and see him when he is bad, and that the good players are always being sold off. So, New World, as you supposedly want to know why the Plymouth public don't give a crap, here's your answer. Now what are you going to do about it?

Argyle, having become even worse since then, have been a topic of many a conversation on a Monday or Wednesday. I have subsequently found out that 'ardent fan' included several social occasions with players and managers, and some 'you scratch my back I'll scratch yours' business dealings, home and away games for many years. Yet even more so now he doesn't give a fuck about his local team beyond looking out for the score and a discussion over a pint. The Exeter league and cup games being the only match he's seen at Home Park for over 5 years, that was a shock and a novelty! He even has a soft spot for Hull City, and they actually achieved the Promised Land - though they are the other end of the country (even so that didn;t stop him driving up some times), in fact 'Ull led him to getting in with the Argyle squad one evening, though that spot is hardening slightly! So what are local clubs, not just Argyle, going to do to attract people who are actually football followers? Certainly not what Argyle have done lately, namely lose 3 times in a row, prostitute their family silver yet again, and show no knowledge of football on the field what so ever, let alone off it.

Have a Break

The Greens are on international break today, meaning a postponement of the Brighton and Hove match (till Tuesday 21 September). Probably the only "big" thing that they've done in League One so far.

The transfer deadline passed a few days ago, and a last minute deal saw the addition of Stephane Zubar to the squad. The 23 year old French defender who plays full/centre back impressed Reid during pre-season against QPR and signed following international clearance. Although Stephane come into some what of a fragile squad at the moment.

The opening few games of the season haven't really set the footballing world alight, even counting the win verses Portsmouth B. The 'Argyle norm' has infected another season. That 'typical Argyle' play that affects anyone who pulls on a green shirt no matter who makes up the first XI and that no manager has seemed to eradicate in spite of however many loan players are added. Additionally going the other way very few players have left, leaving bloated pay packets hanging around the club doing bugger all but drain the coffers. At a time when there are numerous rumours that staff are not getting paid.

And there's a disgruntled movement afoot towards the board for their failures to take steps to reverse the decline of the end of the 'Stapleton years'. The World Cup bid is being viewed as a distraction and money maker at the expense of the day to day running of a football club. A distraction that is hinged on 2 decisions and could make or break the club. Or do both at the same time.

Of the three teams that were relegated to L1 last season, two are currently at the top of the table, whilst the other lingers down the bottom and dropping further by the game. It doesn't really take a genius to work out who's who. And why.

Statistics

Owen Ryle's article in the Herald today, Premium Prices no Premium Product, revealed some interesting and worrying statistics.

Since 2004 Argyle have not won more that 10 of their home fixtures. In fact in 2005/06 it decreased to 9, ending in just 5 at the last campaign. Now Argyle had a history of Fortress Home Park but starkingly have become an away team. Even that is not really guaranteed. It has become paintakingly obvious that the Greens are a declining team, hence the relegation, and whether that's to do with no investment, poor player choices or whatever. Argyle have not really had a natural goal scorer especially in their strikers. How is this going to change? Smash and grab has been the tactic employed since Sturrock's first reign and it isn't working. But then again would anything else work? Far from Fortress Home Park the battlements have been missing for years.

Big Brother

is always watching you, but as the World Cup has now kicked off (along with some social experiment involving 14 people and an Orwellian controller), fewer people will be watching the goings on, or rather lack of them, at Home Park. A bit more breathing space for the New World board. Until England get out.

No Hopers, Jokers or Rogues

So Argyle have adopted the Fishermen's Friends' song No Hopers, Jokers or Rogues as 'offical club song'. Well there could not really be a more apt song for the incumbents of Home Park's board, management and players really.

Sliding Doors

Every one has a Sliding Doors moment or two (or more!) in their lives, that's why Red Dwarf said we had parallel universes, but anyway the history of Argyle is characterised by so many Sliding Doors moment that that Tube train will probably break down at the next stop signal.
So many what ifs? over the Championship season.
What if Holloway had stayed?
What if Stapleton has gone for it?
What if Sturrock never came back?
What if Pulis never left?
What if Williamson wasn't sacked?
What if player a b c d e f g h i j k never got sold?
What if they never bought the ground?
What if there weren't as many what ifs?

Always the Bridesmaid

So Holloway has achieved his dream to manage in the Premier League, and with tinpot Blackpool too, a team with half a stadium and (until recently) crowds and money less than Argyle. There are still jilted lovers in the Green Army who call for the man's head on a silver platter for the way he treated the club; if he had stayed it could have been us. But he didn't. Whose ambition didn't match whose? Who (eventually) went up and who (eventually) went down? It took time, but the truthsayer's predictions came true and the family silver is still being sold off (though Ollie can take the blame for Buszacky, and did he really try that hard to stop it happening?). So the bridesmaid is now the bride who must be as chuffed as a badger in the mating season.

Exciting Times

You may be able to poke your enthusiasm with a wet flannel but there are changes afoot at Argyle that should get the brain, if not the heart, racing.

New Pitch

The new pitch is going in at Home Park right this minute. A sore needed improvement to the playing surface has been apparent for who can remember how long. Though it may not be ready till a few weeks after the season has started. Oops

New Manager

There should be a new manager incumbent at Home Park soon (imminently?), well certainly by the start of pre-season. Hopefully. Who will it be? Will be be the right guy who is able to raise the Titanic and put the 5 year plan back on track? Will he be given enough investment? Who knows?

New Investment

Maybe

New Match Day Announcer

Fitz has gone - want to have a go yourself? Applications on the back of a post card please.

New Shirt

End of May (allegedly) (if you want it) (if you can afford it)

New old rivalries

Exeter, Yeovil, Rovers. Lovely. (for the TCE)

New cheerleaders with very low cut tops, big boobs and no pants

Well people can have a dream?

Crudgie In

So keeper coach Crudgington has been given the role as Chief Scout. A man who has presided over, for the most time, two keepers who have shown little improvement in the flaws. And a man who coached a keeper who was kept out of the team by a loanee (who had his faults but fought hard to change those). A Chief Scout is supposed to have an eye for potential, an ear to the ground and eyes everywhere. At the moment I severely doubt Geoff's abilities in these areas. Is this a sign of thrifty savings from the club?

Mariner Out

After persisting so long with Sturrock long after it was proved to be in vain, Argyle brought in 'head coach' Mariner to see out the season (and turn it around (with no success)). The title 'head coach' has been leading up to the point in time now when Argyle are seeking a new manager. A manager who will be able to, not only ensure at least survival, if not success, in the League One, but put the Greens back on the road to the 5 year plan aspiration.

Mariner and Carver really haven't set the footballing world alight, aside from a slight upturn in fortunes over the festive period, so to rely on them to take us into League One would not be the best plan, thus a permanent manager is a good way to go. Yet he has to have the right backing and finances to do so. That remains to be see.

Which also beings me on to Crudgie.

We've gone down

Don't give a shit
We're going back to the Chamiopnship.

Positivity
!
?

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.

Don't Stop Believing

Some will win, some will lose,
Some were born to sing the blues.
Oh the movie never ends,
It goes on and on and on and on.

To quote Journey/Glee. Of course Mariner ain't going to say 'that's all folks', but blind faith isn't going to help, getting a dose of reality and doing something about the problems might. The Herald reported that the fans' consensus is the club is doomed, and the inevitability of League One has set in with people making plans to visit old haunts and (God spare us) stand on terraces (I might piss myself at the excitement).

Consolidate and rebuild in League One. With even less money than now - look at Leeds, an even bigger club than Argyle, and they're only just coming back out. Haven't we heard that before, practically every season has been a 'consolidate and rebuild' season, yet consolidation hasn't happened and lessons haven't be learned. What makes people say that will change?

But there is still a minuscule ray of hope, though it is fading fast.

Gary

I have a friend who used to be quite an ardent Argyle fan. But not any more. He hasn't set foot inside Home Park for years. On the occasions we have discussed this his reason has been twofold. Namely, that they don't come and see him when he is bad, and that the good players are always being sold off. So, New World, as you supposedly want to know why the Plymouth public don't give a crap, here's your answer. Now what are you going to do about it?

Extinction

So the transfer embargo was a symptom of something much more deeply worrying - that Argyle had received a winding up order. What the heck has happened? From being a celebrated financially stable club that wouldn't throw pence at a tin of paint for fear of being in the red to one that was on the verge of being extinct within at most a year? Seeing especially as the takeover happened very recently, which was meant to give the club a firmer foundation. So what has happened to all the so called money? The tangible answer lays in the big squad with players paid stupid prices for not even getting a sniff at playing, let alone getting into the car park. But this cannot be all. No wonder Argyle desperately wanted people to stop buying Dewdney's pasties, if the catering is going to make up some of the short fall. But apparently this is ancient history (if a few weeks can be ancient) and nothing to worry about. Like fuck it is - there will always be a 'what if' element.

New Year, Old Crap

Roll up Roll up to the great Argyle Give Away, players going at a fraction of the cost you'd get elsewhere! 4 players have gone, including Seip on a season loan to the Blades, meaning that he (like I predicted) will never get near a green shirt again. It appears that the decision to oust him as come from boardroom to changing room, so what has gone so wrong there, especially as Mariner said he would judge players individually but never saw him play. Next to the door: Mackie.

The transfer embargo has not been lifted despite assurances that the debts would be paid off, meaning the Greens can sign no one. So yet another load of hot air from those in charge about a situation (lack of money) that has been seen before.

What other deja vue moments can we expect in the next few weeks. Maybe start with crashing out of the cup tomorrow?

5 Year Plan

The 5 year plan has been announced, namely:

1. To reach the Premier League within 5 years by:
a. putting in place the necessary infrastructure
b. improve the training facilities
c. securing and developing playing staff
d. building on the youth development programme
e. improving the medical and physiotherapy activities
f. expand the scouting network

2. To create a sporting venue in Central Park by:
a. building the new stadium
b. working with international partners

3. To build the fan base by:
a. surveying the attitudes of Plymothians
b. expand communications
c. develop marketing in Japan
d. develop marketing in New England
e. launch Argyle Internet TV

4. To provide business infrastructure
a. reorganise the PAFC Holding group
b. improve technology
c. operate from modern facilities

Number 1 is only an aspiration, and at the current rate it will take more than 5 years, so that's a cop out already really. The rest cover all aspects of PAFC as a whole, including the stadium - which has already been announced - supporters and infrastructure. All in all, it's not really that surprising as all aspects needed addressing. Ok, so they've talked the talked, now let's see if they can walk the walk. So far, it doesn't seem like they have.